2016 World Rugby U20 Championship - Tournament Thread

[George Carlin]

First topic message reminder :

Can't see a tournament thread, so here we go.

The 2016 World Rugby Under 20 Championship will be the ninth annual international rugby union competition for Under 20 national teams.

The event is being organised in England by rugby's governing body, World Rugby. A total of 12 nations will play in the tournament, which will be held at two venues in Greater Manchester—AJ Bell Stadium in Salford and Manchester City Academy Stadium in Manchester.

New Zealand will go into the tournament as defending champions.

Pool A: New Zealand, Wales, Ireland, Georgia

Match 5: 7 June 2016 Wales 25 - 26 Ireland
Match 3: 7 June 2016 New Zealand 55 - 0 Georgia
Match 10: 11 June 2016 New Zealand 24 - 33 Ireland
Match 11: 11 June 2016 Wales 10 - 9 Georgia
Match 17: 15 June 2016 Ireland v Georgia
Match 14: 15 June 2016 New Zealand v Wales

Pool B: England, Australia, Scotland, Italy

Match 2: 7 June 2016 Australia 10 - 15 Scotland
Match 6: 7 June 2016 England 48 - 10 Italy
Match 7: 11 June 2016 Australia 38 - 10 Italy
Match 12: 11 June 2016 England 44 - 0 Scotland
Match 16: 15 June 2016 Scotland v Italy
Match 15: 15 June 2016 England v Australia

Pool C: South Africa, France, Argentina, Japan

Match 1: 7 June 2016 France 15 - 24 Argentina
Match 4: 7 June 2016 South Africa 59 - 19 Japan
Match 8: 11 June 2016 France 46 - 14 Japan
Match 9: 11 June 2016 South Africa 13 - 19 Argentina
Match 13: 15 June 2016 Argentina v Japan
Match 18: 15 June 2016 South Africa v France

Good luck, everyone.

[BamBam]

SA team

South Africa U20: 15 Curwin Bosch, 14 Mosolwa Mafuma, 13 Jeremy Ward (c), 12 JT Jackson, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Marco Jansen van Vuren, 8 Junior Pokomela, 7 Ernst van Rhyn, 6 Zain Davids, 5 Eli Snyman, 4 Ruben de Villiers, 3 Jaco Holtzhausen, 2 Tango Balekile, 1 Nicolaas Oosthuizen

Replacements: 16 Jan-Henning Campher, 17 Franco van den Berg, 18 Carlü Sadie, 19 Eduard Zandberg, 20 Cobus Wiese, 21 James Hall, 22 Franco Naude, 23 Keanu Vers

Haven't seen any of their games this year, any idea of who we should be wary of?

[LondonTiger]

SA team

South Africa U20: 15 Curwin Bosch, 14 Mosolwa Mafuma, 13 Jeremy Ward (c), 12 JT Jackson, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Manie Libbok, 9    Marco Jansen van Vuren, 8 Junior Pokomela, 7 Ernst van Rhyn, 6 Zain Davids, 5 Eli Snyman, 4 Ruben de Villiers, 3 Jaco Holtzhausen, 2 Tango Balekile, 1 Nicolaas Oosthuizen

Replacements: 16 Jan-Henning Campher, 17 Franco van den Berg, 18 Carlü Sadie, 19 Eduard Zandberg, 20 Cobus Wiese, 21 James Hall, 22 Franco Naude, 23 Keanu Vers

Haven't seen any of their games this year, any idea of who we should be wary of?

No idea who is good for them as I too have not seen them play. Based purely on names, that does not look like a "New South Africa" team though.

[eirebilly]

Come on the Irish boys, hope they get the win.

[rapidsnowman]

Argentinians going mental in the anthems

[eirebilly]

First blood Ireland

[Marshes]

Second blood aswell, this Irish team playing with confidence! To be fair, it was against the run of play, but great awareness by Deegan.

Some real gems in this team!

[SecretFly]

Just tuned in................ with my hands over my eyes.... only slowly spreading the fingers to look at the score......

Following Irish rugby does that to you..


Bang! Just as I'm typing! IN!

[SecretFly]

Great guy for going for those posts too. All too often they just take it with a dive.

[carpet baboon]

Just out of surgery. Are we playing aswell as the score suggests?

[eirebilly]

They have been pretty good baboon. Unfortunately gave a try away at the end of the first half but for the rest, look very much in control.

[rapidsnowman]

carpet baboon

Just out of surgery. Are we playing aswell as the score suggests?

Were you the patient or the surgeon?

[rapidsnowman]

You can watch the second half baboon.

You know it is live on the world rugby website?

[carpet baboon]

carpet baboon

Just out of surgery. Are we playing aswell as the score suggests?

Were you the patient or the surgeon?

Definitely not the surgeon. Although my handwriting is comparable

[rapidsnowman]

Stout defending by Argentina, but they must be getting tired surely.

[rapidsnowman]

Argentinian gets red for nasty headbutt.

[SecretFly]

It's a strange relationship we have with Argentina. Always a niggle and heat involved emotionally between us but I think we like 'em even so.
More like a Provincial rivalry rather than an International one in ways.

[SecretFly]

Lovely... extra time to score one last try.

[rapidsnowman]

I wonder what the stats were for possession?

Ireland in complete control.

Job very well done!!!

[eirebilly]

Great win for the boys, had high hopes for them at the start but never imagined they would get to the final

[Guest]

Didn't think we would win by such a margin.

Not sure the point in so much niggle from the Argies when the game was well won, especially the head butt, but maybe they are just stroppy bad losers.

Roll on the final!

[Golden]

Bollox forgot about this game. Great result. Never would have thought theyd be here after the 6 nations.

[SecretFly]

When you look at that first 20 or so minutes against Wales in that first game and then look at them now - you do get it hard to imagine how it all happened - that was one slow slow slow beginning to the campaign.

It is a great achievement getting to the Final but it was done playing real rugby with just about everything a side needs and an ability to adapt the approach and keep the opposition busy.

The Final won't be easy - whatever the opponent, they'll be deserving of their place in the Final too.  But for now, this is the age grade that Ireland have needed to improve at over the years and you have to congratulate the squad and the coaching team behind them.

[lostinwales]

Looking at the other scores Georgia beat Italy by a point.

NZ sort of beat Wales - just. Sad (honest)

France beating Japan in a high scoring game

[SecretFly]

Looking at the other scores Georgia beat Italy by a point.

NZ sort of beat Wales - just. Sad (honest)

France beating Japan in a high scoring game

Didn't know that result. Can't believe that score. Was there a red card involved?

[lostinwales]

Looking at the other scores Georgia beat Italy by a point.

NZ sort of beat Wales - just. Sad (honest)

France beating Japan in a high scoring game

Didn't know that result.  Can't believe that score.  Was there a red card involved?

Nope. Trying to find info is hard but it sounds like just one of those days. NZ scored 4 tries in the 1st 11 minutes. (1st one 40 sec apparently). There was a yellow card for Wales in the 2nd half and it seems they did make a go of it then but game was over long before. 33-5 at half time

[lostinwales]

very early days but apparently England have scored an even faster try vs SA

[formerly known as Sam]

very early days but apparently England have scored an even faster try vs SA

Will Evans is mugging off the Boks early doors. First try is him burgling the ball and then passing it out the ruck and England running it through the hands and into the corner.

[BamBam]

Make that 2..

[formerly known as Sam]

Could well have been a red card for the Bok captain. Chasing a kick through he loses out to the England fullback and instinctively throws an arm out catching the leg of the jumping 15 leaving him to fall face first into the ground. The ref gives him the benefit of the doubt and it's only a yellow and I think that's the right call. It wasn't malicious.

[Biltong]

I am sorry to say but this England team is getting away with anything at the breakdown. This referee has only eyes for one team

[TJ]

Scotland giving Aus a good match - 14 12 to aus at the half with an aussie in the bin and scotland missing 11 points in kicks

[LondonTiger]

Hard to judge just how good England were in that first half as SA were incompetent.

[trebellbobaggins]

I am sorry to say but this England team is getting away with anything at the breakdown. This referee has only eyes for one team

We certainly knew what that felt like a week ago in that SA A game.  This one is thankfully not nearly as terrible as that one.

I think the far SA have been totally outplayed regardless but I don't think this is over yet.

[toml]

Argentinian gets red for nasty headbutt.  

That was disgusting.

What a performance from the Irish lads, they have grown with every game.

[trebellbobaggins]

Well that was as poor a kick as you will go.  Gifting the try to be honest.  SA can get back into this with just a couple of quick tries, it is far from over and SA look a lot more confident now.

Massive maul stuffing England's forwards and another quality try.

And now to be honest you wouldn't count SA out at all. They smashed England there.

[Golden]

Slick try from SA there

[formerly known as Sam]

England were looking a little complacent and it was a lazy kick that SA happily took advantage of. Tails up and big hits now.

[trebellbobaggins]

England were looking a little complacent and it was a lazy kick that SA happily took advantage of. Tails up and big hits now.

Spot on. It was really lazy and a gift really (though the next was anything but, it was quality).  They need to keep their discipline an focus for 80 at this level against this quality of team.

[trebellbobaggins]

Cracking try from England there. Best thing they have done this half.

[lostinwales]

England Ireland final. Bet the SH didn't see that happening

[trebellbobaggins]

After the English 6n performance I can't imagine anyone saw England being in it.  Ireland a very strong side so I'd imagine favourites for it (Haag saying he certainly views the that way).

[Pot Hale]

Wonderful.

The British teams clearly benefit from playing in the Six Nations championship.

[lostinwales]

Tough score for Scotland. According to the official records it looks like they had a lot of subs on at the end. Unfortunately from what I saw the other day their back up players are very poor

[TJ]

Decent performance from Scotland. Missing those kicks cost them but they looked out on their feet at the end. Fagerson, Hastings looked good. Man of the match has to be Tuttle the Aus SH tho. He surely will go on to win a bunch of full caps

[Golden]

How different is this England team to the 6 nations? Only game i saw of theirs was tonight and they looked good.

The Irish squad is by and large the same personnel wise but they have improved drastically. They are on a nice win streak and seem to be improving the longer they have with the coaches.

[formerly known as Sam]

How different is this England team to the 6 nations? Only game i saw of theirs was tonight and they looked good.

The Irish squad is by and large the same personnel wise but they have improved drastically. On a nice win streak and seem to be improving the longer they have with the coaches.

England are benefitting from having a much refreshed set of midfield options with Williams and Mallinder who are regulars in the AP  (also had Brophy-Clews at 10 who had plenty of AP game time but he was injured in the first game). Up front there's a couple of additions but most crucially Evans who burst into the Tigers first team at openside towards the end of the season and whom Eddie Jones has already asked for updates on.

In short it's a far better team than that, that what was rolled out in the 6N when we had Protheroe dithering and missing tackles at 10 and a ever changing series of less experienced centres.

[SecretFly]

After the English 6n performance I can't imagine anyone saw England being in it.  Ireland a very strong side so I'd imagine favourites for it (Hague saying he certainly views the that way).

I think we'll say England have all the aces. Ireland are good but this is one step up now against a Nation all too familiar with doing well in this competition - four runner up spots and two wins.

Nope - the uphill struggle from here is with Ireland.

[Recwatcher16]

I believe that makes an English fourth final appearance in a row and seventh overall. I thought the 6N results looked a little out of kilter. The surprise has been NZ not making the knockout phase. Should be a good final.

[formerly known as Sam]

Ireland have a good chance. England are currently playing with three centres and no fly half. The English back three is also fairly average. If Ireland play a clever tactical game they should be able to control territory and squeeze what is a suspectible English maul defence.

What Ireland shouldn't do is what SA did and take on the physical and mobile England pack in the centre of the park. England will happily do the physical battle there all day and in the backs England have a big 10/12. The combination of Evans as a natural fetcher and Mallinder with a 50m+ goal kicking range is also a very good reason not to throw the ball around too much around half way.

[The Great Aukster]

England are perennial favourites for this tournament. They have ten times the number of players Ireland have to choose from and are at home so this championship is their's to lose.

Ireland will give it a go no doubt and Nigel Carolan is almost a miracle worker but in the end the England steamroller will flatten the shamrock.

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