The World Rugby Junior World Championship (known as the IRB Junior World Championship until 2014 and World Rugby Under 20 Championship until 2025) is an annual under-20 international rugby union competition. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, World Rugby, and is contested by junior national teams with an under-20 age requirement.
History
The World Rugby Junior World Championship replaced the IRB's former age-grade world championships, the Under 19 and Under 21 World Championships.
The inaugural tournament was held in June 2008, hosted by Wales and with 16 teams participating. Wales was announced as host for the inaugural tournament in November 2007.UK Sport The number of participating nations was reduced to 12 before the 2010 tournament due to financial reasons.
The Junior World Championship is the upper level of the World Rugby tournament structure for under-20 national sides. At the same time that the U20 Championship was launched, World Rugby (then known as the International Rugby Board) also launched a second-level competition, the U20 Trophy, featuring eight teams.
Promotion and relegation between the Trophy and the Championship is in place. The winner of the Trophy will play in next year's Championship, while the last placed team at the Championship will be relegated to the Trophy for the next year.
Results # Year Host FinalThird place match TeamsWinnerScoreRunner-up3rd place Score4th place 1200838–343–18162200944–2832–5163201062–1727–22124201133–2230–171252012 22–16 25–171262013 23–15 41–34 1272014 1282015 21–16 31–18 1292016 45–21 49–19 12102017 64–17 37–15 12112018 33–25 40–30 12122019 24–23 41–16 12 Tournament canceled 2020–2022.13 2023 50–14 22–15 1214 2024 21–13 38–24 1215 2025 23–15 38–35 1216 2026 16–5 41–26 16
Team records TeamChampionsRunners-upThirdFourthTop 46 (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2017)2 (2012, 2025)3 (2014, 2024, 2026)2 (2013, 2018) 134 (2013, 2014, 2016, 2024)6 (2008, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2018)3 (2010, 2023, 2026) 133 (2018, 2019, 2023)2 (2024, 2026)4 (2011, 2015, 2017, 2025) 93 (2012, 2025, 2026)1 (2014)9 (2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023)1 (2016) 142 (2010, 2019)1 (2011)1 (2009) 42 (2016, 2023)2 (2014, 2024) 41 (2013)1 (2012)1 (2008) 32 (2016, 2025)2 (2012, 2019) 4
Participating nations
Team 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2023 2024 2025 2026 Years 8th 11th6th 9th 4th 6th 9th 9th3rd 11th 6th4th 9th 5th3rd 8th 16 5th 4th2nd3rd 8th 7th 5th 5th 6th 6th 5th2nd 5th 6th 5th 7th 16 12th14th WT WT WT WT WT WT WT WT WT 22nd2nd 4th2nd 7th1st1st2nd1st2nd2nd 5th 4th1st 6th 4th 16 14th 12th 8th 6th 11th 11th12th WT WT WT WT 11th 10th12th 11th 11 6th 5th 5th 4th 6th5th 6th4th 9th4th1st1st1st2nd 4th2nd 16 WT WT WT WT WT 10th 10th 9th 10th 8th 9th 9th 12th 8 9th 8th 9th 8th 5th 8th4th 7th2nd 9th 11th 8th2nd4th 11th 9th 16 11th13th WT11th12th WT 11th 11th 11th 8th 8th 9th 11th 10th 7th 10th 14 15th15th WT WT WT WT WT 10th12th WT12th WT12th WT 13th 71st1st1st1st2nd 4th3rd1st 5th1st 4th 7th 7th3rd2nd3rd 16 7th 7th12th WT 10th 9th 8th 12th WT12th WT WT WT 8 10th 9th 10th 10th 9th 10th 10th 8th 8th 5th 10th12th WT WT 10th 5th 143rd3rd3rd 5th1st3rd2nd3rd 4th3rd3rd3rd3rd 7th1st1st 16 WT WT 11th 12th 14th 3 13th 10th 11th12th WT WT WT WT WT 416th WT WT WT12th WT WT WT WT 15th 3 WT16th WT WT WT WT WT WT WT WT WT WT WT 16th 2 4th 6th 7th 7th3rd2nd 7th 6th 7th 7th 7th 6th 6th 8th 8th 6th 16Total 16 16 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 16
Legend = Hosts = Champions = Runners-up = Third place = Fourth place = Relegated to World Rugby Under 20 Trophy WT = Competed in the World Rugby Under 20 Trophy q = Qualified
World Rugby Junior Player of the Year YearNameNation2008Luke Braid 2009Aaron Cruden 2010Julian Savea 2011George Ford 2012Jan Serfontein2013Sam Davies2014Handré Pollard2015James Chisholm2016Max Deegan2017Juarno Augustus2018Jordan Joseph2019Juan Pablo Castro Cancelled 2020–20222023 Marko Gazzotti
See also The Rugby Championship U20 Since 2024 World Rugby U20 Trophy
References
External links