The World Rugby U20 Championship begins this Sunday and will showcase some of the world's best young talent in rugby union. Starting on Sunday, 29th June, the tournament has five matchdays and runs until the final on Saturday, 19th July.
This year’s edition of the championships is being held in Italy, with matches played across four cities in the Lombardy and Veneto regions: Calvisano, Rovigo, Verona, and Viadana.
The previous edition of the championships was held in 2024 and England were crowned champions, beating France in the final. The four-time champions will be hoping to do the same again this year and have a squad strong enough to repeat their feat.
Below, we look into all you need to know ahead of the World Rugby U20 Championship and look deeper into England’s campaign.
Format
In the tournament, there are three pools of four teams. Each team plays three matches against the other teams in your pool, then the top team from each pool goes through to the semi-finals, along with the best second-placed team. Winners of the semi-finals go into the final and play each other for the title. The two semi-final losers play off in a third-place play-off.
The eight teams that do not make the semi-finals play their own knockout tournament in two groups of four - the teams who rank fifth to eighth from the group stages and the teams ranked ninth to 12th.
Every team is involved in every matchday, and each team will finish with a ranking.
Team Pools
Pool A
England U20
Pool B
Pool C
England Matches
Sunday, 29 June: England U20 v Scotland U20 - Verona, 14:30 GMT
Friday, 4 July: England U20 v South Africa U20 - Rovigo, 17:00 GMT
Wednesday, 9 July: England U20 v Australia U20 - Verona, 17:00 GMT
England Squad and News
Manager Mark Mapletoft announced his squad last week and named Newcastle Falcons’ Ben Redshaw and Sale Sharks’ Tom Burrow as co-captains. Since these championships are a year after the last tournament, many players who lifted that trophy return for another crack at it; they are: Josh Bellamy, Jack Bracken, Ben Coen, Kane James, Junior Kpoku, Vilikesa Sela and Olamide Sodeke.
Overall, there are six uncapped newbies in the squad - Alfie Longstaff, Seb Kelly, Noah Caluori, Asa Stewart-Harris, Will Knight, Ollie Streeter and Sam Williams - but they all featured in uncapped friendlies against Wales and Georgia before the tournament.
England finished second in this year’s U20 Six Nations and come into this tournament second favourites to win the whole thing. The favourites are the Six Nations winners France; however, England will need to focus on getting out of their tough group, including Australia, South Africa and Scotland, before worrying about France.
England Squad
Forwards
Aiden Ainsworth-Cave (Northampton Saints), Tom Burrow (Sale Sharks), Louie Gulley (Exeter Chiefs), Kane James (Exeter Chiefs), Seb Kelly (Sale Sharks), Junior Kpoku (Racing 92), Alfie Longstaff (Sale Sharks), Ralph McEachran (Sale Sharks), Tye Raymont (Sale Sharks), Oli Scola (Northampton Saints), Vilikesa Sela (Bath Rugby), Olamide Sodeke (Saracens), Ollie Streeter (Harlequins), George Timmins (Bath Rugby), Connor Treacey (Bath Rugby), Kepu Tuipulotu (Bath Rugby), Sam Williams (Leicester Tigers)
Backs
Nic Allison (Exeter Chiefs), Josh Bellamy (Harlequins), Jack Bracken (Saracens), Noah Caluori (Saracens), Ben Coen (Exeter Chiefs), Will Knight (Gloucester Rugby), Nick Lilley (Exeter Chiefs), Archie McParland (Northampton Saints), Tyler Offiah (Bath Rugby), Ben Redshaw (Newcastle Falcons), Campbell Ridl (Exeter Chiefs), Asa Stewart-Harris (Saracens), Jonny Weimann (Northampton Saints)
Where to Watch
England U20s will take on Scotland U20s in the first match of the World Rugby U20 Championship on Sunday, 29th June. Unfortunately, the U20 World Championships will not be shown on TV, but will be streamed online on Rugbypass.tv. You will need to make an account and can either sign up for a monthly or annual subscription.
You can read more about that match at our dedicted Where to Watch article for England U20 vs Scotland U20.