Pools & schedule announced for World Rugby U20 Championship 2020

The future stars of rugby will converge on Italy for the 13th edition of the World Rugby U20 Championship from 28 June to 18 July, 2020 after World Rugby and the Federazione Italiana Rugby (FIR) announced the schedule.

The world’s 12 best teams will compete across five match days in northern Italy, bidding to succeed France as champions with the winners to be crowned in Parma on 18 July.

The teams taking part in the premier age-grade tournament have been divided into three pools of four with the medallists from 2019 the top seeds in France, runners-up Australia and bronze medallists South Africa.

The pool matches will be played in Verona’s brand new Payanini Center, Viadana’s Stadio Sergio Zaffanella and Peroni Stadium in Calvisano, home of the reigning Italian national champions.

While Verona will host matches for the first time, Viadana, Parma and Calvisano did so when Italy last hosted the U20 Championship in 2015 and all three will stage the play-off rounds.

Two-time defending champions France are joined in Pool A by Argentina, Ireland and Japan, the latter returning to the tournament after winning the World Rugby U20 Trophy 2019.

Australia will face six-time champions New Zealand, Wales and Georgia in Pool B, while hosts Italy have been grouped with 2012 winners South Africa, three-time champions England and Fiji in Pool C.

The three pool winners and the best runner-up across the pools will progress to the semi-finals and keep alive their hopes of lifting the distinctive trophy.