The Junior Boks are joined by Wales, hosts Georgia and newly-promoted Uruguay in an intriguing Pool A at the 2026 Junior World Championship.
SOUTH AFRICA
Best finish: Champions (2012, 2025)
2025 finish: Champions
Coach: Kevin Foote
Captain: Siphosethu Mnebelele
South Africa had a long history of falling just short in the Junior World Championship after clinching a first title in 2012. They were runners-up in 2014 and finished third on nine occasions between 2008 and 2023. But the Junior Boks broke that hoodoo last year as they added a second title, beating rivals New Zealand 23-15 in the final in Rovigo.
Player to watch: Markus Muller
The centre made history in April by becoming the youngest player ever to debut for the Stormers – at 18 years, nine months and 19 days – against the Glasgow Warriors. Muller played for SA Schools and SA U18 last year, and for the Junior Boks earlier this year. He featured for South Africa A against Zimbabwe in Gqeberha last Saturday and will still be eligible for U20 selection in 2027.
FEATURE: Muller on the fast track to the top
Did you know?
Two-time World Cup winners Handré Pollard, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Steven Kitshoff were part of the Junior Boks team that won the U20 title on home soil in 2012.
Pool fixtures (SA times)
Saturday, 27 June: vs Uruguay (6:30pm)
Thursday, 2 July: vs Georgia (6:30pm)
Tuesday, 7 July: vs Wales (4pm)
MORE: I’m ready to take these guys to war – Mnebelele
WALES
Best finish: Runners-up (2013)
2025 finish: Eighth
Coach: Richard Whiffin
Co-captains: Deian Gwynne and Steffan Emanuel
Wales hosted the first Junior World Championship in 2008, where a team featuring Sam Warburton, Jonathan Davies and Leigh Halfpenny went unbeaten in the pool stage before eventually finishing fourth. Since then they have struggled, finishing between sixth and eighth in each tournament, bar a two-year period between 2012 and 2013 when they finished third and then runners-up.
Player to watch: Steffan Emanuel
The highly-rated Cardiff centre will be representing Wales at his third Junior World Championship, a reflection of his importance to the side and steady rise to prominence. Emanuel, who turns 20 on the eve of round two, has progressed through the ranks at Cardiff and also spent time on a full rugby scholarship at Millfield School.
Did you know?
Wales inflicted New Zealand’s first-ever Junior World Championship defeat in 2012, beating the reigning champions 9-6 in the pool stage at the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch. It was a remarkable turnaround given that New Zealand had beaten Wales 92-0 a year earlier in Italy.
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GEORGIA
Best finish: Eighth (2023)
2025 finish: Ninth
Coach: Viktor Kolelishvili
Captain: Luka Narsia
Hosts Georgia have taken part in seven tournaments after winning promotion in 2015. They have finished either eighth, ninth or 10th and in recent years have beaten the likes of Ireland and Scotland. Last year, Georgia played South Africa in a two-match series and lost 38-29 and 27-12, showing they are a side consistently improving. In a warm-up tournament in South Africa last month, the Junior Lelos beat Fiji and Chile before losing to the Junior Boks. On Monday, they beat New Zealand for the first time.
WATCH: Georgia U20 shock Baby Blacks
Player to watch: Mikheil Shioshvili
The highly-rated Toulon No 8, who recently turned 20, ended the 2025 edition of the Junior World Championship as the leading try-scorer with seven. He has made his mark in France this season and will relish the prospect of enhancing his reputation on the international stage – this time on home soil.
Did you know?
Georgia came within touching distance of the semi-finals in 2023, ultimately missing out on the head-to-head rule after the Junior Boks had scored two late tries to beat Argentina to finish level on points at the top of Pool C.
URUGUAY
Best finish: 16th (2009)
Coach: Guillermo Storace
Captain: Ignacio Merli
Uruguay’s only previous taste of the Junior World Championship came in 2009, as winners of the inaugural U20 Trophy a year earlier. Los Teritos will be out to cause some shocks.
Player to watch: Justo Ferrario
Ferrario will turn 20 a day after the tournament, but he has already played Test rugby for Uruguay after making his debut in the win over Portugal last November. That came at centre, but he played as a flyhalf for Peñarol throughout Super Rugby Americas and was one of their best players in the tournament. Ferrario is a fast, intelligent player with great footwork and, when he finds space, is an excellent ball-carrier.
Did you know?
Uruguay were captained by Juan Diego Ormaechea in their only previous appearance in 2009. Ormaechea is a famous name in the country’s rugby history, with his father Diego having both captained and coached Los Teros to victories on the World Cup stage.
Source: World Rugby
Photo: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images
The post Markus primed to star at Junior World Champs appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
The Junior Boks are joined by Wales, hosts Georgia and newly-promoted Uruguay in an intriguing Pool A at the 2026 Junior World Championship.
The post Markus primed to star at Junior World Champs appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
