Junior Springbok winger Literile Bester runs with the ball during the Under-20 Rugby Championship match against Argentina at Sunshine Coast Stadium. (Albert Perez/Getty Images)
- The World Rugby U20 Championship is returning to the Western Cape for the second year in a row.
- The Junior Springboks will open their match against Fiji and will also face Argentina and England in Pool C.
- The event will run from June 29th to July 19th.
- For more rugby news, check out our dedicated section.
The Junior Springboks will begin their World Rugby U20 Championship campaign against Fiji at the Cape Town Stadium on 29 June.
The tournament, which will feature the world's top 12 U-20 teams, will be held in the Western Cape, with matches taking place in Cape Town and Stellenbosch.
Match venues are Cape Town Stadium, Athlone Stadium and Danny Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch.
Read | U20 Rugby Championship: Nhleko praises Junior Boks' resilience in comeback win over Argentina
The Junior Boks will also face England and Argentina in Pool C. Pool A is made up of defending champions France, Wales, New Zealand and Spain, while Pool B is made up of 2023 runners-up Ireland, Australia, Georgia and Italy.
“Last year's tournament was a memorable experience and we hope for more of the same this year. We saw the four SANZAAR teams be closely matched in the recent U-20 Rugby Championship and the same was true in the U-20 Six Nations, which was won by England,” South African Rugby CEO Lianne Oberholtzer said.
“It's a great honour to host the next generation of superstars next month 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 global rugby and is key to the promotion and growth of the game. We're also excited to be helping to unearth the next generation of Springboks,” Oberholtzer added.
From 2023, the Junior Springboks will aim to win at least a bronze medal.
World Rugby U20 Championship match schedule:
Saturday, June 29
Cape Town Stadium:
14:00 – France vs Spain
16:30 – 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, July 4
Danny 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, July 9:
Athlone Stadium:
14:00 – Ireland v Australia
16:30 – France v Wales
19:00 – South Africa v England
Danny Craven Stadium:
14:00 – Argentina v Fiji
16:30 – Georgia vs Italy
19:00 – New Zealand v Spain
Sunday, July 14:
Danny Craven Stadium:
14:00 – 10th seed vs 11th seed (Match 19)
4:30pm: 9th seed vs 12th seed (Game 20)
19:00: 6th seed vs 7th seed (match 21)
Cape Town Stadium:
14:00 – 5th seed vs 8th seed (Match 22)*
16:30: 2nd seed vs 3rd seed (Semi-final – Match 23)
19:00: 1st seed vs 4th seed (Semi-final – Match 24)
Friday, July 19:
Athlone Stadium:
12:00 – Losers 19 vs Losers 20
14:30 – Winner of Match 19 vs Winner of Match 20
17:00 – Losers 21 vs Losers 22
Cape Town Stadium:
14:00 – Winner of Match 21 vs Winner of Match 22 *
16:30 – Loser Match #23 vs. Loser Match #24 (Bronze Medal Match)
19:00 – Winner of Match 23 vs. Winner of Match 24 (Final)
Notes: On both play-off days, Junior Boks will play their first match at Cape Town Stadium regardless of what position they play in, unless they are taking part in a semi-final or medal match in which case they will play the corresponding match.
Meanwhile, the World Rugby U-20 Championship 2024 will be the first international tournament to adopt three new law changes which are designed to promote ball flow, diversity of attacking options and support player welfare.
If an opponent catches the ball from a kick in open play and runs five metres, they are no longer considered onside because they must try to retreat. Scrums from free kicks are no longer an option, and World Rugby has also banned the crocodile roll.
A package of six legal tests, including a streamlined red card sanctioning process approved by the World Rugby Council, will also be implemented.
World Rugby U20 Championship match official panel:
Umpire: Kento Namekawa (Japan), Sava Abrazivili (Georgia), Federico Bedovelli (Italy), Ruben Keane (Australia), Jeremy Rogier (France), Morne Ferreira (South Africa), Adam Jones (Wales), Sam Grove-White (Scotland), Amy Barrett-Theron (South Africa)
TV Match Referees: Matteo Lipperini (Italy), Mark Patton (Ireland), Mike Adamson (Scotland), Damon Murphy (Australia)*, Tual Traignini (France)*, Ian Tempest (England)*, Ben Whitehouse (Wales)*, Andrew McMenemy (Scotland)*, Andrew Jackson (England)*, Quinton Immelman (South Africa)*.
* Participate in some tournaments
