U20 World Cup

This is where you will find all of The Rugby Paper’s U20 World Cup news, interviews, reports, opinion and other content.

Young Guns – Ben Coen

25 August 2024 0 comments

Young Guns – England u20 fly-half Ben Coen, by Ben Jaycock Ben Coen has enjoyed an incredible season that saw him go from a bench […]

Top of the world

21 July 2024 0 comments

England U20s too strong for France in final showdown By BEN JAYCOCK Head coach Mark Mapletoft praised the England U20s as some of the most […]

By WILLIAM GUPWELL England………………………………………….21 Tries: Bailey 35, Green 53 Conversions: Kerr 35 Penalties: Kerr 47, 56, 66 France……………………………………………13 Tries: Ferte 80 Conversions: Reus 80 Penalties: Reus 10, 41 England emerged victorious […]

Best team in the world, I screamed

21 July 2024 0 comments

OLAMIDE SODEKE ENGLAND U20 SECOND ROW Friday night was the highlight of my short-lived rugby career so far and was the perfect way to start […]

England dominate in team of tournament

21 July 2024 0 comments

After the 2024 U20s World Championship came to a close on Friday, our reporters Ben Jaycock, William Gupwell and James Orpin picked the best XV […]

Baby Blacks beat Ireland to the podium

19 July 2024 0 comments

New Zealand secured third place in the U20 World Championship with a 38-24 victory over the Irish, after coming alive in the second half and […]

Scotland u20s back in the big time

18 July 2024 0 comments

By James Orpin Scotland have secured their spot back in the big time of age-grade rugby. They won the Rugby Trophy on home soil at […]

England u20s take on France for World Championship glory

18 July 2024 0 comments

By James Orpin This Friday will see England’s next generation look to end France’s reign on the u20 championship, it will be a battle for […]

Don’t judge us on this one game – Mapletoft

17 July 2024 0 comments

Mark Mapletoft has taken the pressure off his World Championship hunting England side by saying this week’s final is not the be-all and end-all for […]

England secure u20s final with hard-fought win over Ireland

14 July 2024 0 comments

By Will Gupwell England………………..31 Tries: Wright 24, Allen 30, Kerr 41 Conversions: Kerr 25, 31, Penalties: Kerr 37, 51, 57, 80 Yellow Cards:0 England Match […]

England score 86th minute winner to shock South Africa

9 July 2024 0 comments

By Will Gupwell South Africa……………………………….. (7) Tries: Porthen 6, Finca 51 Conversions: Koen 6, Yellow Cards: Fuller 82 England……………………………………… (7) Tries: Carnduff 26, Bailey 44, […]

“South Africa will love nothing more than getting one over us”

9 July 2024 0 comments

More than qualification on the line as England u20s take on South Africa By Tom Jeffreys England u20s head coach Mark Mapletoft and captain Finn […]

England U20s need one point to land semi-final spot

7 July 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK England u20s need just a point to qualify for the Junior World Cup semi-finals but head coach Mark Mapletoft says that’s a […]

Playing high stakes game to stay alive

7 July 2024 0 comments

OLAMIDE SODEKE ENGLAND U2O SECOND ROW We’re coming off the back of another good win against Fiji this week and one of the key messages […]

Argentina coast past hosts South Africa in u20s World Championship

4 July 2024 0 comments

Argentina…………………………………….. 31 Tries: Revol 3, 21, Bernasconi 7, Elias 47, Penous 68 Conversions: Di Lucca 4, 48, 70 Penalties: South Africa…………………………………. 12 Tries: Penalty 51, […]

Clinical England u20s dismantle Fiji

4 July 2024 0 comments

By Will Gupwell England u20s…………………………………………48 Tries: Issacs 6, Halliwell 14, Hall 20, 37, Pollock 25, Cousins 31, 75 James 60 Conversions: Coen 6, 14, 26, […]

History to be made in first-of-its-kind women’s u20s series

4 July 2024 0 comments

By Sebastian Barrett England coach LJ Lewis believes the inaugural Women’s Summer Series will give young players something to aspire to as they look to […]

Bracken keeps England on course

30 June 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Mark Mapletoft commended his England U20s side for continuing to find solutions and adapting to their problems but knows that his team […]

Baby Blacks hold off Welsh battlers

30 June 2024 0 comments

U20S WORLD CUP POOL A By WILLIAM GUPWELL Wales……………… 34pts Tries: Anderson 11, Hennessey 41, 55, Emanuel 73, Page 78 Conversions: Wilde 55, Ford 73, […]

Ruthless Ireland savour Italian job

30 June 2024 0 comments

U20S WORLD CUP POOL B By BEN JAYCOCK Ireland……………..55pts Tries: Sheahan 3, L Murphy 13, O’Connell 18, Berman 27, 37, 47, Treacy 55, Naughton 65 […]

Bracken’s hat-trick inspires England

30 June 2024 0 comments

U20S WORLD CUP POOL C By WILLIAM GUPWELL England ……………40pts Tries: Bracken 34, 65, 68 Redshaw 38, Sela 44, Pollock 50, Conversions: Kerr 35, 39, […]

Our aim is to make everyone proud

30 June 2024 0 comments

OLAMIDE SODEKE ENGLAND U2O SECOND ROW Having landed in South Africa last Sunday, we’ve already had a memorable time on and off the pitch. This […]

Young stars following in fathers’ footsteps…

30 June 2024 0 comments

BRENDAN GALLAGHER So we are up and running again with another Junior World Cup to feast on over the coming fortnight. We are back in […]

England U20s thrashed on eve of World Cup

12 June 2024 0 comments

England endured a repeat of last year’s wobbly World Championship preparations as Mark Mapletoft’s side were once again beaten in Georgia, this time in a […]

Lewis has his sights set on higher honours

23 July 2023 0 comments

Ben Jaycock talks to England’s second row starlet Lewis Chessum on his return from the Junior World Cup in South Africa Lewis Chessum is sad […]

Wales leave it too late as Wallabies cruise home

16 July 2023 0 comments

By SAM JACKSON Wales……………..33pts Tries: Lloyd 24, Morgan 47, 66; Woodman 70, H Williams 79 Conversions: Edwards 47, 66, 71; Wilde 80 Australia………..57pts Tries: O’Donnell […]

Fantastic France demolish Ireland

16 July 2023 0 comments

By NICK POWELL Ireland……………………… 14pts Tries: Gunne 4, Devine 31 Conversions: Prendergast 4, 33 France………………………. 50pts Tries: Ferté 14, 69; Julien 35, Jouvin 42, Depoortère […]

We made too many mistakes, admits Chessum

16 July 2023 0 comments

By NICK POWELL South Africa ….22pts Tries: Sieberhagen 11, Beets 18, Else 39 Conversions: Smith 12, 19 Penalties: Smith 21 England …………. 15pts Tries: Wright […]

Baby Blacks end with victory

16 July 2023 0 comments

Georgia ………….26 New Zealand ..50 New Zealand ended their difficult campaign with victory against Georgia, whose eighth place finish was still their best-ever at an […]

Pumitas end with winning record

16 July 2023 0 comments

Argentina …… 43 Fiji …………………22 Argentina finished the tournament with more wins than defeats as they comfortably beat Fiji to secure a ninth-place finish. Ratu […]

Azzurrini survive at Japan’s expense

16 July 2023 0 comments

Italy …………….. 45 Japan ……………27 Italy condemned Japan to relegation from the World Rugby U20 Championship as Dewi Passarella scored a hat-trick to give the […]

Ireland take charge to find their way to final

16 July 2023 0 comments

By NICK POWELL Ireland…………… 31pts Tries: Nicholson 37, 59; Gleeson 49, Berman 68 Conversions: Prendergast 38, 50, 61, 66 Penalties: Prendergast 71 South Africa …. […]

French firepower subdues England

16 July 2023 0 comments

By NICK POWELL France………………………. 52pts Tries: Ferté 16, Costes 24, Penalty 46, Nouchi 53, Gazzotti 56, Jegou 64, Reus 73 Conversions: Reus 17, 25, 54, […]

Ireland ready for tough challenge as SA look for sprint finish

9 July 2023 0 comments

PREVIEW…Ireland v South Africa (Today, Kick-off 3.30pm) Richie Murphy’s Grand Slam winners Ireland face their biggest challenge yet as they meet hosts South Africa in […]

Baby Blacks set for Aussie clash

9 July 2023 0 comments

Preview: New Zealand v Australia (Today, 1pm) New Zealand have had to settle for a fifth-place semi-final against arch rivals Australia today after both sides […]

England edge through despite Australia stalemate

4 July 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Australia……….. 22pts Tries: Talataina 30, Craig 40, McLaughlin-Phillips 79 Conversions: Bowen 31, 40 Penalties: Bowen 19 England ……………………. 22pts Tries: Bracken 4, […]

Lively Japan make Wales battle hard

2 July 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Wales………………. 41pts Tries: Hughes 17, Lloyd 41, Florence 66, Edwards 76, Bradley 77, Hennessey 80 Conversions: Edwards 18, 77, 79, Wilde 80 […]

Baby Blacks crash to a record defeat

2 July 2023 0 comments

By DAN COUCH France …… 35pts New Zealand …14pts Posolo Tuilagi scored a brace as France dominated New Zealand to hand the Baby Blacks a […]

Ruthless McCarthy makes sure for Ireland

2 July 2023 0 comments

By SAM JACKSON Australia……….. 10pts Tries: O’Donnell 24 Conversions: Bowen 25 Penalties: Bowen 27 Ireland……………30pts Tries: Nicholson 32, Gleeson 53, McCarthy 63, Mangan 79 Conversions: […]

England run in eight to leave Fiji in pieces

2 July 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK England ……………………. 53pts Tries: Cleaves 15, Penalty 27, Jibulu 33, Thomas 47, Thame 50, Michelow 54, Woodman 67, Fisilau 80 Conversions: Slevin […]

Georgia on a high as they stun Argentina

2 July 2023 0 comments

By SAM JACKSON Georgia …………20 Argentina ……… 0 On a day in which the race to top Pool C was blown wide open, Georgia did […]

Italy keep control to master South Africa

2 July 2023 0 comments

By DAVID ROBSON South Africa …26 Italy …………….. 34 Italy produced a superb display of wet weather rugby to stun hosts South Africa. On a […]

‘Tofty’ on mission to improve the pathway for England

25 June 2023 1 comment

By PAUL REES Mark Mapletoft had no hesitation when he was last month offered the chance to take the England Under 20s to the Junior […]

Wales agony as they are beaten by a single point

25 June 2023 0 comments

By SAM JACKSON Wales………………26pts Tries: Lewis 22, Edwards 26, Morse 38, Scarfe 79 Conversions: Edwards 26, 38, 79 New Zealand….27pts Tries: Tangitau 7, Springer 46, […]

France prove too strong for Japan

25 June 2023 0 comments

By TOM RILEY France ………….75 Japan ………….. 12 France ran in 11 tries to steamroll a determined Japan outfit. Les Bleuets, who lifted the trophy […]

Fijians push Aussies all way

25 June 2023 0 comments

By TOM RILEY Australia …….. 46 Fiji………………….37 The Junior Wallabies laboured to an opening victory over Fiji but made life difficult for themselves and will […]

Battling England go close as Ireland have to hang on

25 June 2023 0 comments

By CAMERON STEPHENS England………………………… 34pts Tries: Opoku-Fordjour 23, Penalty 49, Cusick 52, 70 Conversions: Slevin 24, 53, 71 Penalties: Slevin 4, 67 Ireland…………………………. 34pts Tries: […]

Valiant Georgia fall just short

25 June 2023 0 comments

By PAUL COUCH South Africa ..33 Georgia…………23 The Junior Boks held off a valiant Georgian side in a brutally physical encounter to open their Championship […]