England end France’s quest for a record-equalling fourth consecutive U20 Championship title with a hard-fought 21-13 win in the final match of the tournament. Earlier, Spain relegated Fiji to the World Rugby U20 Trophy.
England ended France’s dominance of the World Rugby U20 Championship with a 25-13 victory in Friday’s final at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town.
It was England’s first title since 2016 and their fourth overall, with Mark Mapletoft’s side producing an accomplished second-half performance to snap Les Bleuets’ unbroken run of titles dating back to 2018.
New Zealand also recovered from a slow start to beat Ireland 38-24 in the third place play-off.
Earlier at the same venue, hosts South Africa finished the World Rugby U20 Championship on a positive note, with a confident win over Wales to confirm a seventh-place finish.
The most dramatic match of the day to date though was Spain’s extra-time win over Fiji, which has relegated the Islanders to the U20Trophy in 2025. Also at Athlone Sports Stadium, Georgia beat Italy 24-13 to claim ninth place, and Argentina got the better of Australia to finish fifth.
FINAL: ENGLAND 21-13 FRANCE
England lifted the World Rugby U20 Championship trophy for the first time since 2016 after a 21-6 victory over France at DHL Stadium in Cape Town.
France had gone into the match looking to create a piece of history as they sought to match New Zealand’s achievement in winning four consecutive titles, having claimed the silverware on offer in 2018, 2019 and 2023.
That would have been the perfect send-off for head coach Sébastien Calvet who is set to take charge of French club side Agen now that the tournament is over.
However, it was not to be for Les Bleuets who, for all their pace and guile in attack, were up against it for long periods as England held the upper hand physically.
Siya Kolisi was watching on from the stands at the DHL Stadium, and South Africa’s double Rugby World Cup-winning captain would have been impressed with how England played to their strengths.
For all their dominance at scrum-time, a misfiring lineout and mistakes and turnovers in key positions meant a lot of their attacks came to nothing and it was Hugo Reus, the top points scorer for the second tournament running, who scored the first points of the final from the kicking tee in the 11th minute,
Reus then produced an important tackle on U20 Six Nations Player of the Tournament Henry Pollock as the openside burst through the middle of the ruck before losing his grip on the ball in contact.
It was a typical piece of gutsy defending from France, who were desperate not to let their world crown slip.
England continued to apply the pressure, especially at maul time but to no avail and France thought they’d scored the opening try when Mathis Ferté finished off a fine handling move only for the full-back’s effort to be chalked off for an earlier knock on.
Finally, with 36 minutes gone, England managed to launch a lineout strike move and the forwards and backs combined well, before second-row Joe Bailey powered over from close range, Sean Kerr atoning for two penalty misses in quick succession by converting for a 7-3 lead.
Reus slotted a penalty from wide out on the right on the stroke of half-time on one of the rare occasions that France’s scrum came out on top to make it a one-point game at the break.
England took total control in the second half, closing down the contest with a much more clinical display in the second half.
France’s cause was hindered five minutes after the restart when they lost number eight Mathis Castro Ferreira, a constant nuisance at the breakdown, to the sin-bin.
Kerr kicked the resulting penalty before impact sub Arthur Green rumbled over for England’s second try.
Kerr kept the scoreboard ticking along nicely with back-to-back penalties and other than a chance for winger Xan Mosques, which was pulled back for a forward pass, France struggled to threaten any sort of comeback.
With five minutes to go, Les Bleuets had an attacking lineout but their last chance to set up a grandstand finish came and went when England captain Finn Carnduff came up with a crucial turnover a metre from his own line.
Having been denied earlier in the match, Ferté ensured France at least had the final word when he rounded off a typical free-flowing move with their only try with time up.
The lowest-scoring final in U20 Championship history may not have been a classic but England did what was needed to get the job done and end their eight-year wait for the title.
THIRD PLACE PLAY-OFF: IRELAND 24-38 NEW ZEALAND
Captain Vernon Bason inspired his team to victory with a couple of tries as New Zealand claimed third place, their best finish since they won the last of their six titles in 2017, after a remarkable second-half turnaround.
Winger Frank Vaenuku also crossed for two tries late on as New Zealand came back from 12-0 down to score 38 unanswered points before a late rally restored some Irish pride.
For a long while it looked as though New Zealand’s wastefulness in attack was going to hurt them.
Ireland’s determined defending – and some poor handling in difficult conditions – kept New Zealand scoreless for almost the whole of the first half.
No-one typified Ireland’s rearguard defiance better than tight-head Alex Mullan who put in 15 tackles in the first half alone, and New Zealand were left reeling when Irish half-back duo, Oliver Coffey and Jack Murphy scored tries 20 minutes apart from their only visits into the 22.
It took 37 minutes – and for Ireland to go down to 14 men, with flanker Bryn Ward sent to the sin-bin – for New Zealand to finally get their first points on the board, hooker Bason burrowing over from close range.
The momentum swing appeared to be short-lived when Vaenuku joined Ward on the sidelines at the start of the second half following a dangerous clear-out at the ruck. But New Zealand raised their game immediately, livewire centre Aki Tuivailala coming up with two assists as a tiring Ireland started to chase shadows.
Xavi Taele was the first to benefit from his superb break and delicious offload, before Bason took a pass 25 metres out and showed a brilliant turn of pace to race home and score.
After Cameron Christie had a try disallowed for a forward pass, Jeremiah Collins busted through four tackles to power over and winger Vaenuku crossed twice to atone for his earlier misdemeanour. With four conversions from the boot of Rico Simpson going over, New Zealand had emphatically taken the game away from last year’s beaten finalists.
At long last, Ireland added to their 12-point tally from the first half when Ethan Graham slid over in the corner with a few minutes to go, and they finished their campaign with one final flourish as Connacht men – Sean Naughton – a late call-up to the starting XV – and Hugh Gavin combined for a slick score, with the former striding over.
FIFTH-PLACE PLAY-OFF: AUSTRALIA 6-14 ARGENTINA
Argentina claimed fifth place in a close-quarters match against Australia played in difficult conditions to close out the day’s action at Athlone Stadium.
Winger Timoteo Silva made the most of the space afforded him by some slick handling to race over and give Argentina a lead they would never give up in the 26th minute, after Harry McLaughlin-Phillips had kicked Australia into a second-minute lead.
Chances were few and far between in a hard-fought, high-intensity encounter in which both sets of forwards, in particular, did well given the heavy ground and the equally heavy first-half rain. Both sides left everything out on the pitch.
Opposing outside centres Kadin Pritchard and Tomas Medina were both yellow carded for high tackles, in the 21st and 38th minute respectively. Neither card proved costly.
McLaughlin-Phillips missed two difficult chances late in the first half to take the lead back as the rain hammered down.
The storm relented in time for the second half to get under way. Twice in quick succession, Argentina crossed Australia’s line as they went back to first-principles rugby. Twice they were held up.
But Santino Di Lucca extended their lead with a penalty, after Jarrah McLeod was sin-binned for a high tackle.
Juan Penoucos, however, was sin-binned for a dangerous challenge moments later to reduce Argentina to 14. McLaughlin-Phillips reduced the deficit to two points as the game went into the final quarter.
Di Lucca’s second successful penalty, 12 minutes from time, however, reopened Argentina’s five-point lead. His third, with three minutes left on the clock, took them out of reach.
SEVENTH PLACE PLAY-OFF: WALES 31-47 SOUTH AFRICA
South Africa began the game with confidence, showing some physicality to force Welsh errors, and eventually got the first try of the match after captain and prop Zach Porthen powered his way over.
The host’s dominance continued, and despite some defensive interventions from Wales, South Africa were soon launching another attack inside the 22, as number eight Sibabalwe Mahashe gave his side try number two.
With the Junior Springboks again enjoying possession inside the Welsh half, it wasn’t long before they crossed again. A neat lineout move followed by a monster carry from JF van Heerden meant South Africa had their third try.
At 19-0 down, Wales needed a response, and it came with a set of solid scrums, giving them some rare possession inside the Junior Springboks’ 22. After another strong set-piece, fly-half Harri Ford looked to play wide, linking up with winger Walker Price, who got them on the board with a strong finish in the corner.
South Africa were looking to end a disappointing tournament on a high, and after going into the half-time break 19-5 up, they pressed the accelerator again in the early stage of the second half.
A brilliant break from Mahashe saw him stride away from 30 metres for his second try of the match to extend the Junior Springboks’ lead.
Wales continued to fight and when South Africa spilt the following kick-off, they launched a brilliant attack from the scrum. Quick hands from half-back duo Lucca Setaro and Harri Ford freed up space for Aidan Boschoff, who beat two defenders to keep Wales in the match.
However, South Africa hit back with a glorious try, neat kick in behind the rushing defence from centre Jurenzo Julius, touched down by flanker Bathobele Hilekani.
Despite a Welsh intercept try from Steffan Emanuel, the day belonged to South Africa as more forward pressure soon meant the hosts were back inside the Welsh 22, scoring once more as Asad Moos’s quick tap caught the opposition unaware as the scrum-half crossed for try number six.
They did not have to wait long for their seventh as their power game proved too strong. Captain Porthen scored from close range to grab his brace.
Late tries from Walker Price and Owen Conquer meant Wales closed the gap, but South Africa held on to finish the tournament in seventh place.
NINTH-PLACE PLAY-OFF: ITALY 13-24 GEORGIA
Georgia beat Italy in difficult conditions for a second time at this year’s U20 Championship to claim ninth place.
The Junior Lelos won the previous encounter 28-17 at a rain-sodden Danie Craven Stadium on 9 July, where their forwards taught their Italian counterparts a lesson.
Conditions underfoot in Cape Town were not much easier. It wasn’t raining, but a strong wind and heavy ground meant scrums had to be reset and kicking off the tee was far from straightforward. This time, however, Italy’s pack achieved parity and, more than once, had the upper hand.
Georgia lived on scraps in the first half as Italy dominated both territory and possession, but only had two successful penalties from Martino Pucciariello to show for their near-total control. Georgia, meanwhile, scored two tries in the closing 10 minutes as they demonstrated the science of efficient points conversion from scraps.
Flanker Giorgi Gergedava had the ball in his hands as a lineout maul powered over into the corner on the half-hour. And second-row Temur Tsulukidze was at the back of a second unstoppable maul after Italy loosehead Federico Pisani paid the price for repeated infringements just before the break.
After Georgia’s forwards had monopolised the try-count in the first half, the backs got in on the act in the second, as they enjoyed more of the ball.
Outside centre Nugzari Kevkhishvili picked up a delightful inside ball to crash through Italy’s defensive line to extend their lead. Five minutes later, winger Luka Keshelava finished a move to get the Junior Lelos’ backs coach purring.
Italy’s replacement hooker Valerio Siciliano splintered off a maul five metres from Georgia’s line and held off four tacklers to briefly raise hopes of an unlikely comeback, but the Junior Lelos held them off for the rest of the match.
11TH-PLACE PLAY-OFF: SPAIN 24-19 FIJI
Spain came back from 14-0 down to beat Fiji after 93 dramatic minutes of rugby at a wind-blown and rain-swept Athlone Stadium and guarantee a second year of U20 Championship rugby.
Replacement hooker David Gallego was the hero, coming up with the ball following a maul from a five-metre lineout three minutes into the second period of sudden-death extra time as Spain won their first-ever match in the competition.
Fiji – twice down to 13 players late in the game – will play in the U20 Trophy next year.
The game was more than half-an-hour in before the first points went on the board – Fiji breaking the deadlock through flanker Ratu Nemani Kurucake.
But this was already an enthralling match. Both sides had already been held up over the try-line. Both sides had been reduced temporarily to 14, and had shown plenty of enterprise in attack. Fiji had soaked up a lengthy spell of Spanish pressure on their own line in defence, before Kurucake’s try.
Conditions – atmospheric and under foot – weren’t helpful to either side, making the handling, offloads, and tackling even more impressive.
Kurucake’s try released the pent-up first-half scoring pressure. Fiji got their second five minutes later, replacement hooker Iowane Vakadrigi picking up from the back of a ruck and powering over, holding off two Spanish tacklers.
And anything Fijian hookers could do, Spanish ones could too, as Diego Gonzalez Blanco crashed over following a strong Spanish maul just before halftime to reduce the deficit.
The second half started in much the same manner as the first – defensive determination holding over attacking intent, for the first 10 minutes, before Fiji back-row Ronald Sharma scored out wide.
Spain countered from the restart, with a try for flanker Jokin Zolezzi, after the forwards had crashed their way to the line to make it a seven-point game.
Fiji were reduced to 13 as Kurucake and winger Waisake Salabiau were sent to the sin-bin within minutes of one another as Fiji defended their line from another concerted Spanish attack. The latter’s card, for a dangerous challenge, was upgraded to red on bunker review.
And Gonzalo Otamendi levelled the scores moments later, after flanker Nicolas Moleti crashed over nine minutes from time. Despite Spain’s best efforts, that was the last score of normal time, as the game went to an all-in, nerve-shredding sudden death. – WORLD RUGBY
