Junior Springboks winger Litelihle Bester runs with the ball during the U20 Rugby Championship match against Argentina at the Sunshine Coast Stadium. (Albert Perez/Getty Images)
- The World Rugby U20 Championship is returning to the Western Cape for the second successive year.
- The Junior Springboks will open their campaign against Fiji and will also face Argentina and England in Pool C.
- The event will run from 29 June to 19 July.
- For more rugby news, visit our dedicated section.
The Junior Springboks will open their World Rugby U20 Championship campaign against Fiji at Cape Town Stadium on 29 June.
The event, which features the 12 best Under-20 sides in the world, will be hosted in the Western Cape where games will be played in Cape Town and Stellenbosch.
The venues for the matches will be Cape Town Stadium, Athlone Stadium and the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch.
READ | U20 Rugby Championship: Coach Nhleko hails Junior Boks’ grit in comeback win over Argentina
The Junior Boks will also duel England and Argentina in Pool C. Pool A consists of defending champions France, Wales, New Zealand and Spain; and Pool B will feature 2023 runners-up Ireland, Australia, Georgia and Italy.
“Last year’s tournament was an unforgettable experience and we’re expecting more of the same this year. With the recent U20 Rugby Championship, we saw how closely matched the four Sanzaar teams were, and it was the same in the U20 Six Nations, where England emerged victorious,” said SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer.
“To host the next generation of superstars next month is a great privilege and we can’t wait to welcome their families, friends and fans to South Africa.
“The World Rugby U20 Championship plays an important role in the global rugby picture and is key in promoting and growing the game, while we are also excited to unearth the next generation of Springboks,” Oberholzer added.
The Junior Springboks will look to improve on their bronze medal from 2023.
World Rugby U20 Championship fixtures:
Saturday, 29 June
Cape Town Stadium:
14:00 – France v Spain
16h30 – Ireland v Italy
19:00 – South Africa v Fiji
Athlone Stadium:
14:00 – England v Argentina
16:30 – Australia v Georgia
19:00 – Wales v New Zealand
Thursday, 4 July
Danie Craven Stadium:
14:00 – Ireland v Georgia
16:30 – France v New Zealand
19:00 – South Africa v Argentina
Athlone Stadium:
14:00 – Wales v Spain
16:30 – England v Fiji
19:00: Australia v Italy
Tuesday, 9 July:
Athlone Stadium:
14:00 – Ireland v Australia
16:30 – France v Wales
19:00 – South Africa v England
Danie Craven Stadium:
14:00 – Argentina v Fiji
16:30 – Georgia v Italy
19:00 – New Zealand v Spain
Sunday, 14 July:
Danie Craven Stadium:
14:00 – 10th seed v 11th seed (match 19)
16h30: 9th seed v 12th seed (match 20)
19h00: 6th seed v 7th seed (match 21)
Cape Town Stadium:
14:00 – 5th seed v 8th seed (match 22) *
16:30: 2nd seed v 3rd seed (semi-final – match 23)
19h00: 1st seed v 4th seed (semi-final – match 24)
Friday, 19 July:
Athlone Stadium:
12:00 – Loser Match 19 v Loser Match 20
14:30 – Winner Match 19 v Winner Match 20
17:00 – Loser Match 21 v Loser Match 22
Cape Town Stadium:
14:00 – Winner Match 21 v Winner Match 22 *
16:30 – Loser Match 23 v Loser Match 24 (bronze medal match)
19:00 – Winner Match 23 v Winner Match 24 (final)
Note: On both playoff days, the Junior Boks will play the first match at Cape Town Stadium no matter what position they are playing for, unless involved in the semi-finals or the medal matches, in which case they will play in the corresponding fixture.
Meanwhile, the World Rugby U20 Championship 2024 will be the first international competition to feature the three new law amendments implemented to promote ball in flow and diversity of attacking options, while supporting player welfare.
Players will no longer be put onside when an opponent catches the ball from a kick in open play and runs five metres, as players will be required to make an attempt to retreat. Scrums will also no longer be an option from free kicks, while World Rugby has also banned the crocodile roll.
A package of six law trials will also operate, including the simplified red card sanction process, approved by the World Rugby Executive Board.
World Rugby U20 Championship match official panel:
Referees: Takehito Namekawa (Japan), Saba Abulashvili (Georgia), Federico Vedovelli (Italy), Reuben Keane (Australia), Jérémy Rozier (France), Morné Ferreira (South Africa), Adam Jones (Wales), Sam Grove-White (Scotland), Aimee Barrett-Theron (South Africa)
Television Match Officials: Matteo Liperini (Italy), Mark Patton (Ireland), Mike Adamson (Scotland), Damon Murphy (Australia)*, Tual Trainini (France)*, Ian Tempest (England)*, Ben Whitehouse (Wales)*, Andrew McMenemy (Scotland)*, Andrew Jackson (England)*, Quinton Immelman (South Africa)*.
* Will attend part of tournament
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