Semi-finals confirmed at Junior World Championship after thrilling end to pool stage
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France will face New Zealand in the first World Rugby Junior World Championship 2026 semi-final in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi on Monday, 13 July before defending champions South Africa take on England.
- South Africa, New Zealand, England and France top pools to reach semi-finals
- Defending champions South Africa and New Zealand too hot for Wales and Italy
- England hold off late Argentina rally to top Pool C
- France break Australian hearts with narrow win to claim top spot in Pool D
- Hosts Georgia, Fiji and Ireland secure first victories at JWC 2026
The four most successful teams in World Rugby Junior World Championship history will contest the 2026 semi-finals after South Africa, New Zealand, England and France won their respective pool deciders in Georgia on Tuesday.
Defending champions South Africa will face England, who with 13 men held off a late Argentina fight-back to win their Pool C encounter 40-38 in Tbilisi to keep alive their hopes of a fifth title.
France and Australia played out an equally exciting Pool D decider in Kutaisi, captain Lucas Andjisseramatchi scoring twice in the first half as Les Bleuets ran out 34-29 winners, breaking Junior Wallabies' hearts again just as they had in the 2019 final in Argentina.
New Zealand now await France in the first of the semi-finals on Monday, 13 July (kick-off 18:00 local time, GMT+4) after they defeated Italy 45-15 to top Pool B. New Zealand are bidding to win a seventh title, but first since the tournament was last held in Georgia in 2017.
Argentina, Australia and Wales – beaten 52-33 by South Africa in the Pool A decider – are joined in the fifth place semi-finals by Scotland, who beat Japan 43-32 to pip Italy to second place in Pool B. Ireland, Georgia, Italy and Fiji will compete for ninth to 12th places with Spain, Japan, USA and Uruguay to contest 13th to 16th.
