A look at the World Rugby U20 Championship

The final between the England U20 vs France U20 will be the fifth all-northern hemisphere World Rugby U20 Championship final and the fourth in the last six tournaments. For the first time last year England were not involved in such a match, with France facing Ireland in the title decider in Cape Town. Cape Town will become the first city to host the U20 Championship final three times (2012, 2023 and 2024), moving clear of Rosario in Argentina (2010 and 2019). • It is a repeat of the 2018 final when hosts France ran out 33-25 winners in Béziers.

Here are some interesting facts:

• This will be England’s 10th appearance in an U20 Championship final, although they have won only three of their previous nine title deciders (33% win ratio), losing five times to New Zealand and once to France. • France, by contrast, have a 100% record in finals having won on all three previous appearances.
•  England and France are bidding to become the second time to win the U20 Championship four times after New Zealand (six).
• France are bidding to match New Zealand’s record of fourth successive U20 Championship titles (2008-11) after lifting the coveted trophy in 2018, 2019 and 2023.
• Seven teams have reached an U20 Championship final in New Zealand, England, Australia, South Africa, Wales, Ireland and France.
• Only four have lifted the distinctive trophy in New Zealand, South Africa, England and France.
• The 13 captains to have lifted the trophy are Chris Smith (New Zealand, 2008), Aaron Cruden (New Zealand, 2009), Tyler Bleyendaal (New Zealand, 2010), Luke Whitelock (New Zealand, 2011), Wiaan Liebenberg (South Africa, 2012), Jack Clifford (England, 2013), Maro Itoje (England, 2014), Atu Moli (New Zealand, 2015), Harry Mallinder (England, 2016), Luke Jacobson

• (New Zealand, 2017), Arthur Coville (France, 2018), Arthur Vincent (France, 2019) and Lenni Nouchi (France, 2023).
• The biggest win and highest score in a final was achieved by New Zealand in 2017 when they beat England 64-17 in Tbilisi, narrowly bettering their 62-17 against Australia in 2010.
• That was also the highest-scoring final of all time with an aggregate of 81 points and yielded the most tries scored with 13.
• The 2015 final is the lowest-scoring showpiece match with an aggregate of 37 points (New Zealand 21-17 England).
• England are the only team not to score at least one try in the final, when they lost to New Zealand in the inaugural title decider in 2008.
• There has been only one drop goal in an U20 Championship title decider, kicked by Handré Pollard in South Africa’s victory over New Zealand in Cape Town in 2012.

U20 Championship head-to-head record: Played: 6 – England 3-3 France Points for: England 154 / France 151 (Avg. score 26-25) Highest score: England 33 (33-18 on 22 June, 2011) / France 52 (52-31 on 9 July, 2023) Biggest winning margin: England 24 (30-6 on 5 June, 2013) / France 21 (52-31 on 9 July, 2023).

Head-to-head notes

• England and France meet in the final for the second time in U20 Championship history.

• The only previous Anglo-French final was in 2018 when tournament hosts France won 33-25 in Béziers, prompting a run of three consecutive titles.

• Louis Carbonel kicked 23 points that day and also provided an assist for France's final try scored by Adrien Seguret. Flanker Cameron Woki scored les Bleuets’ other try.

• Winger Jordan Olowofela scored twice in vain for England and replacement prop Joe Heyes crashed over to add to two Marcus Smith penalties.

• Nine of France’s starting line-up from the 2018 final have so far gone on to be capped – JeanBaptiste Gros, Louis Carbonel, Romain Ntamack, Pierre-Louis Barassi, Demba Bamba, Thomas Lavault, Killian Geraci, Cameron Woki and Jordan Joseph.

• Five of England’s starting line-up that day have so far gone on to be capped – Smith, captain Ben Curry, Fraser Dingwall and Ted Hill for England and Ben White for Scotland.

• France won by a record margin and score when the teams last met in the U20 Championship, a 52-31 victory in the semi-finals of the 2023 edition.

• Les Bleuets came from 17-0 down to win what was the highest scoring semi-final in U20 Championship history until that record was broken on Sunday when France beat New Zealand 55-31.