Share

Junior Boks to kick off U20 Champs in Perpignan

Cape Town - The Junior Springboks will kick off the World Rugby U20 Championship campaign against Georgia in the southern French city of Perpignan on Wednesday, May 30.

The encounter, which will be hosted at Stade Aimé Giral at 18:30 (SA time), is the opening match of the tournament, World Rugby announced on Wednesday.

Chean Roux's team, who have been drawn in Pool C, will play their two remaining pool matches against Ireland on Sunday, June 3, and hosts France on Thursday, June 7, at the Stade d'Honneur du Parc des Sports et de l'Amitié in Narbonne at 16:30 and 21:00 (SA time) respectively.

The two semi-finals will be hosted on Tuesday, June 12, in Narbonne and Perpignan respectively, while all 12 participating teams will be in action in Beziers on Sunday, June 17, for the final day of matches, which will conclude with the Final, at Stade de la Méditerranée.

Defending champions, New Zealand, who have been drawn in Pool A with Australia, Wales and Japan, will meet Japan in their opening match in Narbonne, while 2017 runners-up, England, who take on Scotland, Italy and Argentina in Pool B, will meet Argentina in their opening match.

The Junior Springboks will kick off their preparations for the international spectacle next week with a four-day training camp in Stellenbosch from Tuesday to Friday next week, with a group of 41 players.

"The announcement of the match venues as we prepare to kick off our preparations is great news and it has boosted our excitement for the tournament," said Roux.

"These towns are renowned for their deep passion for rugby, so it is going to be a special experience for us all."

World Rugby chairperson, Bill Beaumont, said: "The scene is set for a superb World Rugby U20 Championship in France. We have three excellent host cities, great venues and a compelling match schedule.

"It will be fascinating to see who will join the likes of Sam Warburton, Nemani Nadolo, Sam Whitelock, David Pocock and Yoann Maestri in graduating from the tournament to become Test stars."

Junior Springbok fixtures at the World Rugby U20 Championship (SA kick-off times, all TBC by World Rugby):

SA v Georgia - Wednesday, May 30 at 18:30

SA v Ireland - Sunday, June 3 at 16:30

SA v France - Thursday, June 7 at 21:00

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
loading... Live
Mamelodi Sundowns 2
Sekhukhune United FC 0
Voting Booth
How much would you be prepared to pay for a ticket to watch the Springboks play against the All Blacks at Ellis Park or Cape Town Stadium this year?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
R0 - R200
32% - 1843 votes
R200 - R500
32% - 1810 votes
R500 - R800
19% - 1100 votes
R800 - R1500
8% - 470 votes
R1500 - R2500
3% - 193 votes
I'd pay anything! It's the Boks v All Blacks!
5% - 261 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE