The Junior Springboks were handed a tough group assignment for this year’s World Rugby Under-20 Championship, which will take place from 29 June to 19 July in Italy.
The Junior Boks are ranked seventh for the global event and were drawn in a strong Pool A along with last year’s champions, England, as well as Australia and Scotland.
“It is very exciting news and will be a great opportunity for us to play in Italy during the (European) summer months,” said Junior Springbok coach Kevin Foote.
Foote described their pool as “very competitive” and added the Junior Boks know they will have to be very good if they want to top the pool and progress to the knockout stages.
“England and Scotland would have had great preparations through the U20 Six Nations, while Australia will no doubt be using the U20 Rugby Championship to gear up for Italy.
“It is a very competitive pool; we are excited for the challenge and will be well-prepared.”
Italy is set to host the prestigious tournament – in four cities across the Lombardia and Veneto regions – featuring the 12 best Under-20 teams in the world, for a third time. It will be the first time in 10 years that the event returns to Italian soil since New Zealand beat England in the 2015 title decider in Cremona. The first time the tournament was staged in Italy was in 2011, when Padova was host city.
The Junior Boks will return to the same region where they won the 2022 U20 Summer Series, when South Africa – featuring the likes of Sacha Mngomezulu-Feinberg, Suleiman Hartzenberg, Cameron Hanekom and Ruan Venter – won the competition as an invited side along with the Six Nations teams and Georgia.
The 15th edition of the World Rugby U20 Championship will be staged in Calvisano, Rovigo, Verona and Viadana. They are set to host matches across the three rounds of pool matches on 29 June, 4 and 9 July.
The knockout stages kick off on 14 July with finals day taking place on 19 July to determine the final placings of the 12 teams, with the Stadio Maria Battaglini in Rovigo to host the final. Kick-off times are still to be finalised and the full match schedule will be confirmed in due course.
England are the defending champions, having beaten three-time winners France 21-13 in the 2024 final in Cape Town, while Scotland will return to the U20 Championship for the first time since 2019 after winning last year’s U20 Trophy on home soil.
World Rugby Chair Brett Robinson said: “The World Rugby U20 Championship represents the pinnacle of age-grade rugby, showcasing the next generation of international stars before they reach the highest level.
“We are delighted to bring back this thrilling competition to Italy, a nation with a deep passion for the sport and a proven track record of hosting world-class events.
“This 15th edition will not only provide an incredible platform for young talent to shine but will also capture the imagination of fans and we look forward to working with our friends at Federazione Italiana Rugby to leave a lasting legacy for the sport in Italy.”
The Junior Boks will resume their training from 20 March in Stellenbosch, the first time they will re-assemble after their recent successful tour of Georgia, where they managed to beat Georgia U20 twice in a series that was played in extremely cold conditions.
More than 1 000 players have graduated from an U20 Championship to play test rugby since the tournament was first held in 2008, including 32 Rugby World Cup winners and the last five World Rugby Men’s 15s Players of the Year.
Current Italy captain Michele Lamaro is one of more than 70 U20 Championship graduates capped by the Azzurri with Federico Ruzza, Paolo Garbisi, Tommaso Allan and Ange Capuozzo other high-profile players to have followed this pathway to the test stage.
Lamaro, who captained the Azzurrini to eighth place in 2018, said: “The World Rugby U20 Championship is one of the first, most defining moments a young player can face at international level. It is a lifetime experience. You’re away from home for a long time and you can develop yourself both as a player and as a human being, playing alongside your best peers in the world and creating life-lasting bonds.
“I lived the World Rugby U20 Championship with many teammates with whom I’m currently playing on the Test arena and we all have such pleasant memories of the competition. I encourage all the players that will showcase their talents in the Championship to fully embrace the moment, as it will be a crucial milestone both in their career and their lives.”
Antonella Gualandri, Federazione Italiana Rugby (FIR) Vice-President and Organising Committee Chairman, said: “The World Rugby U20 Championship comes back to Italy 10 years after a very successful edition, which culminated in a thrilling final in a packed Cremona stadium between England and New Zealand, and we cannot be more excited.
“The U20 Championship is the ultimate platform for the future stars of international rugby and hosting the very best prospects of the game will not only bring some spectacular action to our passionate fans in northern Italy but will also grant a solid legacy to our grassroots clubs, who can’t wait to host the teams at their training facilities, establish relations and make memories that will last forever.
“Calvisano, Viadana and Rovigo have already successfully hosted the World Rugby U20 Championship back in 2011 and 2015 and they will be formidable venues for the teams, as will be Verona, a newcomer set for its debut as an international venue with its brand-new Payanini Center. The stage is set for an event the players, the teams, volunteers and our youngsters will never forget.”
Gianni Fava, World Rugby Council member for FIR, said: “The return of the World Rugby U20 Championship to our country is a wonderful news for our game, as well as a great opportunity for our local clubs to reinforce and amplify the bond with their territories through a global event. Together with them and with the support of the Ministry of Sport, the Ministry of the Environment, the Lombardia region and the Veneto region we will guarantee, through the Championship, a fascinating platform for promoting both our sport and the local Italian excellence.”
World Rugby Under-20 Championship 2025 – 29 June-19 July @ Stadio San Michele (Calvisano), Stadio Mario Battaglini (Rovigo), Payanini Center (Verona) and Stadio Luigi Zaffanella (Viadana).
Pools
Pool A: England (1), Australia (6), South Africa (7), Scotland (12)
Pool B: France (2), Argentina (5), Wales (8), Spain (11)
Pool C: New Zealand (3), Ireland (4), Georgia (9), Italy (10)
Pool matches
Match day 1: Sunday, 29 June (Calvisano and Verona)
Match day 2: Friday, 4 July (Rovigo and Viadana)
Match day 3: Wednesday, 9 July (Calvisano and Verona)
Play-offs
Match day 4: Monday, 14 July (Verona and Viadana)
Match day 5: (final and ranking matches): Saturday, 19 July (Calvisano and Rovigo)
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