The dates and location of the first-ever U20 Rugby Championship in Australia in May have been revealed by Sanzaar.
Rugby’s rising stars from Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa will compete in the Championship.
Every team will play every other team once in a round-robin format at the Sunshine Coast Stadium in Bokarina, on Australia’s eastern shore, during the event in May.
The U20 champion will be determined by the top team following the three-round, six-match competition.
The Junior Springboks will play their opening match of the Championship on Thursday, May 2 at 9 a.m. (South African time) against New Zealand.
After that, on Tuesday, May 7, at 11 a.m., Bafana Nhleko’s team will play the hosts, Australia, before playing Argentina on Sunday, May 12, at 5.30 a.m., to conclude the competition.
Through a series of alignment camps, Nhleko and his coaching staff have been busy getting ready for the U20 Rugby Championship and the World Rugby U20 Championship.
As part of the camps, the team recently participated in several games against elite provincial teams to further synchronize the training group and prepare them for battle at the two international events.
Nhleko claims that they are proceeding with their preparatory plan appropriately.
“The players have responded well to our demands, which are high in terms of learning and application,” Nhleko added.
They are lining up with our playing philosophy, the coaching style, and the requirements to play at this level.
The U20 Rugby Championship is crucial for us because it will allow us to practice against top competition, try out different group configurations, and find the ideal players before the final team is chosen.
“The World Rugby U20 Championship will assist in filling the prior void that existed between the preparation phase and the event. We are thrilled about the chance to perform in Australia, which will be a terrific experience for the players and a great way for us to develop as a team.
The first competition will give the giants of the southern hemisphere the much-needed practice for the World Rugby U20 Championship, which will take place in Cape Town from June 24 to July 14.
Schedule for the Rugby Championship U20 (start times in SA):
New Zealand against. Junior Boks on Thursday, May 2, 9 a.m.
11 am: Argentina vs. Australia
Tuesday, May 7, at 9 a.m.: Argentina vs. New Zealand
11 a.m.: Australia vs. Junior Boks
Sunday, May 12: 5.30 a.m. Australia vs. New Zealand; 7.30 a.m. Junior Boks vs. Argentina
