The World Rugby U20 Championship starts this weekend, and eternal rivals England and Scotland will face off in the first match of Pool A.
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England U20s will take on Scotland U20s in the first match of the World Rugby U20 Championship. England are reigning champions and will be looking to get their title defence off to the best start as they face a Scotland team ready to spoil the party.
England are four-time champions and will be favourites to win here, but Scotland are a team on the up. They have returned to the pinnacle of U20 rugby for the first time since 2019, and, despite poor U20 Six Nations in terms of results, they showed in that competition that they have the mettle to compete with the best.
And compete with the best they will, as their pool with England also includes Australia and South Africa. This is why this pool is being called one of the toughest pools in history.
England U20 vs Scotland U20 key information
• Date: Sunday, June 29
• Kick-off time: 2.30pm GMT
• Venue: Payanini Center, Verona, Italy
• Referee: TBC
• TMO: TBC
• Streaming: Rugbypass.tv (UK)
• Odds: England Outright (3/1) - Scotland Outright (200/1)
England U20 team news
The England team was announced last week and saw Newcastle Falcons’ Ben Redshaw and Sale Sharks’ Tom Burrow named as co-captains of the team. A host of names are playing in their second World Championships as the last one was held in 2024; they are: Josh Bellamy, Jack Bracken, Ben Coen, Kane James, Junior Kpoku, Vilikesa Sela and Olamide Sodeke.
There are six uncapped players included in the squad who are Alfie Longstaff, Seb Kelly, Noah Caluori, Asa Stewart-Harris, Will Knight, Ollie Streeter and Sam Williams. All featured in the uncapped friendlies that the team played earlier this month against Wales and Georgia.
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)
Scotland U20 team news
Exeter Chiefs’ Jed Findlay is the only tournament debutant in the 30-man squad for Scotland. Will Pearce and Oliver Finlayson-Russell will also make their competitive debuts if they play for Scotland, having been unused in Scotland’s Six Nations squad earlier this year.
Edinburgh Rugby’s Jack Hocking is back in the squad having recovered from an injury, and is in line to make his first competitive appearance since October 2024. Hocking’s teammate Freddy Douglas is co-captain of the team along with Glasgow Warriors’ Johnny Ventisei.
Scotland Squad
Forwards
Ollie Blyth-Lafferty(Edinburgh Rugby), Dylan Cockburn (Melrose RFC), Freddy Douglas (Edinburgh Rugby), Oliver Duncan (Edinburgh Rugby), Oliver Finlayson-Russell (University of St Andrews), Mark Fyffe (University of Edinburgh), Bart Godsell (Loughborough University), Dan Halkon (Glasgow Warriors), Reuben Logan (Northampton Saints), Oliver McKenna (Glasgow Warriors), Charlie Moss (Montpellier), Will Pearce (Cardiff Metropolitan University/Bristol Bears), Joe Roberts (Glasgow Warriors), Jake Shearer (Glasgow Warriors), Seb Stephen (Glasgow Warriors), Jamie Stewart (Edinburgh Rugby), Ben White (Melrose RFC/Edinburgh Rugby)
Backs
Jack Brown (Edinburgh Rugby), Isaac Coates (Edinburgh Rugby), Noah Cowan (Brunel University/Ealing Trailfinders), Jed Findlay (Exeter Chiefs), Jack Hocking (Edinburgh Rugby), Angus Hunter (Heriot’s Rugby), Nairn Moncrieff (Edinburgh Rugby), Hector Patterson (Edinburgh Rugby), Matthew Urwin (Glasgow Warriors), Cameron van Wyk (Ayr RFC), Johnny Ventisei (Glasgow Warriors), Fergus Watson (Glasgow Warriors), Kerr Yule (Glasgow Warriors)
Where to watch on TV or live stream?
The U20 World Championships will not be shown on TV. If you would like to watch the match between England U20 and Scotland U20 and the rest of the tournament, you can do so streaming on Rugbypass.tv. You will need to make an account and can either sign up for a monthly or annual subscription.
Head-to-Head record
The two teams have met regularly over the years in the Six Nations. England U20 are unbeaten in seven years against their Scottish counterparts, last losing nine games ago, 24-17. The two teams met this year in the Six Nations with England running away with the win, 57-13.
The two teams did meet in the 2018 edition of this tournament. After beating England earlier that year in the Six Nations, they lost to England 35-10 in the group stages.
Odds for England U20 vs Scotland U20
There are no odds out for the match specifically; however, bet365 does have odds on the winner of the tournament as a whole. England are 3/1 to win and the second favourites overall behind France at 11/4. Scotland are rank outsiders to win the tournament at 200/1.
Odds correct at time of writing, subject to change.