World Rugby U20 Championship

The World Rugby Under 20 Championship (known as the IRB Junior World Championship until 2014) is an international rugby union competition. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, World Rugby, and is contested by 12 men's junior national teams with an under-20 age requirement. This event replaced the IRB's former age-grade world championships, the Under 19 and Under 21 World Championships.

World Rugby U20 Championship

Current season or competition: 2024 World Rugby U20 Championship
Sport	Rugby union
Inaugural season	2008
Number of teams	12
Holders	France (2023)
Most titles	New Zealand (6 titles)
Website	world.rugbyu20
Related competition	World Rugby U20 Trophy

The inaugural tournament was held in June 2008, hosted by Wales and with 16 teams participating. Wales was announced as host for the inaugural tournament in November 2007.^[1] The number of participating nations was reduced to 12 before the 2010 tournament due to financial reasons.^[2]

The U20 Championship is the upper level of the World Rugby tournament structure for under-20 national sides. At the same time that the U20 Championship was launched, World Rugby (then known as the International Rugby Board) also launched a second-level competition, the U20 Trophy, featuring eight teams.

Promotion and relegation between the Trophy and the Championship is in place. The winner of the Trophy will play in next year's Championship, while the last placed team at the Championship will be relegated to the Trophy for the next year.

Tournament results

Year	Host			Final			Third place match
			Winner	Score	Runner-up		3rd place	Score	4th place
2008	Wales		New Zealand	38–3	England		South Africa	43–18	Wales
2009	Japan		New Zealand	44–28	England		South Africa	32–5	Australia
2010	Argentina		New Zealand	62–17	Australia		South Africa	27–22	England
2011	Italy		New Zealand	33–22	England		Australia	30–17	France
2012	South Africa		South Africa	22–16	New Zealand		Wales	25–17	Argentina
2013	France		England	23–15	Wales		South Africa	41–34	New Zealand
2014	New Zealand		England	21–20	South Africa		New Zealand	45–23	Ireland
2015	Italy		New Zealand	21–16	England		South Africa	31–18	France
2016	England		England	45–21	Ireland		Argentina	49–19	South Africa
2017	Georgia		New Zealand	64–17	England		South Africa	37–15	France
2018	France		France	33–25	England		South Africa	40–30	New Zealand
2019	Argentina		France	24–23	Australia		South Africa	41–16	Argentina
Tournament canceled 2020–2022.^[3]^[4]^[5]
2023	South Africa	France	50–14	Ireland	South Africa	22–15	England
2024	South Africa	TBC			TBC

Team records

Team	Champions	Runners-up	Third	Fourth	Top 4
New Zealand	6 (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2017)	1 (2012)	1 (2014)	2 (2013, 2018)	10
England	3 (2013, 2014, 2016)	6 (2008, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2018)	—	2 (2010, 2023)	11
France	3 (2018, 2019, 2023)	—	—	3 (2011, 2015, 2017)	6
South Africa	1 (2012)	1 (2014)	9 (2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023)	1 (2016)	12
Australia	—	2 (2010, 2019)	1 (2011)	1 (2009)	4
Ireland	—	2 (2016, 2023)	—	1 (2014)	3
Wales	—	1 (2013)	1 (2012)	1 (2008)	3
Argentina	—	—	1 (2016)	2 (2012, 2019)	3

Participating nations

Team	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2023	2024	Years
Argentina	8th	11th	6th	9th	4th	6th	9th	9th	3rd	11th	6th	4th	9th		13
Australia	5th	4th	2nd	3rd	8th	7th	5th	5th	6th	6th	5th	2nd	5th		13
Canada	12th	14th	WT	WT	WT	WT	WT	WT	-	WT	WT	WT	-	-	2
England	2nd	2nd	4th	2nd	7th	1st	1st	2nd	1st	2nd	2nd	5th	4th		13
Fiji	14th	12th	8th	6th	11th	11th	12th	WT	WT	WT	WT	11th	10th		9
France	6th	5th	5th	4th	6th	5th	6th	4th	9th	4th	1st	1st	1st		13
Georgia	WT	-	-	WT	WT	-	WT	WT	10th	10th	9th	10th	8th		5
Ireland	9th	8th	9th	8th	5th	8th	4th	7th	2nd	9th	11th	8th	2nd		13
Italy	11th	13th	WT	11th	12th	WT	11th	11th	11th	8th	8th	9th	11th		11
Japan	15th	15th	WT	WT	WT	WT	WT	10th	12th	WT	12th	WT	12th	WT	6
New Zealand	1st	1st	1st	1st	2nd	4th	3rd	1st	5th	1st	4th	7th	7th		13
Samoa	7th	7th	12th	WT	10th	9th	8th	12th	WT	12th	WT	-	WT	-	8
Scotland	10th	9th	10th	10th	9th	10th	10th	8th	8th	5th	10th	12th	WT	WT	12
South Africa	3rd	3rd	3rd	5th	1st	3rd	2nd	3rd	4th	3rd	3rd	3rd	3rd		13
Spain	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	WT	-	-	-	WT		1
Tonga	13th	10th	11th	12th	WT	WT	WT	WT	-	-	-	WT	-	-	4
United States	16th	WT	-	WT	WT	12th	WT	-	WT	-	-	-	WT	-	2
Uruguay	WT	16th	WT	WT	-	WT	WT	WT	WT	WT	WT	WT	WT	WT	1
Wales	4th	6th	7th	7th	3rd	2nd	7th	6th	7th	7th	7th	6th	6th		13
Total	16	16	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12

Legend

•    = Hosts
• 1st = Champions
• 2nd = Runners-up
• 3rd = Third place
• 4th = Fourth place
• Place = Relegated to World Rugby Under 20 Trophy
• WT = Competed in the World Rugby Under 20 Trophy
• q = Qualified
• - = Did not qualify

World Rugby Junior Player of the Year

Year	Name	Nation
2008	Luke Braid	New Zealand
2009	Aaron Cruden	New Zealand
2010	Julian Savea	New Zealand
2011	George Ford	England
2012	Jan Serfontein	South Africa
2013	Sam Davies	Wales
2014	Handré Pollard	South Africa
2015	James Chisholm	England
2016	Max Deegan	Ireland
2017	Juarno Augustus	South Africa
2018	Jordan Joseph	France
2019	Juan Pablo Castro	Argentina
Cancelled 2020–2022
2023	Marko Gazzotti	France

References

1. UK Sport
2. . Archived from the original on 24 April 2014. Retrieved 20 June 2009.
3. "World Rugby update on COVID-19 response measures and statement from Sir Bill Beaumont". World Rugby. 21 March 2020.
4. "Statement on the World Rugby U20 Championship 2021". World Rugby. 3 February 2021. The World Rugby U20 Championship 2021 will not take place this year due to the ongoing impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
5. "World Rugby U20 Championship and Trophy to return in 2023 – Welsh Rugby Union". 22 February 2022.

External links

• Official website