The second edition of the U20 Rugby Championship takes place at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium next month.
Double-headers involving South Africa, New Zealand, Argentina and Australia will be played on 1, 6 and 11 May in Gqeberha.
In last year’s inaugural tournament on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, New Zealand edged out the Junior Boks for the title after finishing the tournament unbeaten.
With the World Rugby U20 Championship taking place in Italy in July, the U20 Rugby Championship provides the perfect preparation for the Sanzaar teams.
The format remains the same, with all teams playing each other once in a three-match round robin across three match days.
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“We are thrilled to bring this tournament to Gqeberha, a city with a rich rugby culture and a passionate fan base and we are very grateful for the assistance from the Eastern Cape government in this regard,” said SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer.
“The Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium offers top-class team facilities and an exceptional viewing experience for fans, making it the perfect venue for this event.
“The combination of top-notch facilities and accommodation, coupled with the enthusiastic support of the Eastern Cape government and the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropole, will undoubtedly create a memorable experience for everyone involved. Together with the Friendly City, we are looking forward to welcoming and hosting the best U20s from the southern hemisphere in the Eastern Cape.”
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Junior Boks coach Kevin Foote said: “We are absolutely thrilled that the U20 Rugby Championship will be hosted on home soil this year. It’s a rare and special opportunity for the Junior Boks to play in front of our passionate home fans here in South Africa and this tournament is crucial for our preparations ahead of the World Rugby U20 Championship in Italy.
“We look forward to testing ourselves against the best young rugby players in the southern hemisphere and we hope the Eastern Cape fans will come out in numbers to support us.”
U20 Rugby Championship fixtures:
Thursday, 1 May
New Zealand vs Australia (2pm)
Junior Boks vs Argentina (4:10pm)
Tuesday, 6 May
New Zealand vs Argentina (2pm)
Junior Boks vs Australia (4:10pm)
Sunday, 11 May
Argentina vs Australia (2pm)
Junior Boks vs New Zealand (4:10pm)
Photo: Albert Perez/Getty Images
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The second edition of the U20 Rugby Championship takes place at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium next month.
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