Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
A new competition is coming to the Southern Hemisphere. The four members of SANZAAR, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa have formed a u20 Rugby Championship. It comes following the conclusion of the 2023 u20 World Rugby Championship in South Africa won by France.
None of the four Southern powers contested the final. Instead France faced Ireland in the u20 World Rugby Championship. South Africa was third, New Zealand fifth, Australia eighth and Argentina ninth. It was considered an underwhelming outcome for the southern half of the world.
Fiji was the other competitor from the Southern Hemisphere. The Fijians defeated Japan to avoid relegation and finish eleventh. Fiji’s non-inclusion is a significant negative. It is comparable to that of Georgia being absent from Europe’s u20 Six Nations.
The u20 version of the Rugby Championship will begin in 2024. In addition to having the aim of improving the pathway from the juniors to the top it also seeks to improve the results in upcoming World Rugby u20 Championships. For Argentina the competition will be a notable lift from the South American u20 Championship.
The u20 Rugby Championship will be held annually. It will take a tournament format with all matches being played in one country. All four teams will play against each-other over a three-week period. The winner will be determined by points. The 2024 competition will be played at Gold Coast, Australia.
