2009 IRB Junior World Championship: Japan

In the build up to the 2009 IRB Junior World Championship in Japan I will continue to put up feature articles in the one thread as they appear on the IRB site or media.
As we get closer, or if the thread gets hijacked, then I'll start to divide up the articles into seperate threads.

Competing Nations:

Argentina
Australia
Canada
England
Ireland
Japan
New Zealand
Samoa
Scotland
Tonga
Uruguay
Wales

Pool A

Date Team A score Team B Venue

05 Jun - 17:00 Argentina - Ireland Mizuho Rugby Ground, Nagoya
05 Jun - 19:00 New Zealand - Uruguay Mizuho Rugby Ground, Nagoya
09 Jun - 17:00 Argentina - Uruguay Mizuho Rugby Ground, Nagoya
09 Jun - 19:00 Ireland - New Zealand Mizuho Rugby Ground, Nagoya
13 Jun - 13:00 Ireland - Uruguay Mizuho Rugby Ground, Nagoya
13 Jun - 15:00 Argentina - New Zealand Mizuho Rugby Ground, Nagoya

Pool B

Date Team A score Team B Venue

05 Jun - 17:00 Samoa - Scotland Prince Chichibu Stadium, Tokyo
05 Jun - 19:00 England - Japan Prince Chichibu Stadium, Tokyo
09 Jun - 17:00 England - Scotland Prince Chichibu Stadium, Tokyo
09 Jun - 19:00 Japan - Samoa Prince Chichibu Stadium, Tokyo
13 Jun - 13:00 England - Samoa Prince Chichibu Stadium, Tokyo
13 Jun - 15:00 Japan - Scotland Prince Chichibu Stadium, Tokyo

Pool C

Date Team A score Team B Venue

05 Jun - 17:00 France - Italy Hanazono Stadium, Osaka
05 Jun - 19:00 Fiji - South Africa Hanazono Stadium, Osaka
09 Jun - 13:00 Fiji - France Hanazono Stadium, Osaka
09 Jun - 15:00 Italy - South Africa Hanazono Stadium, Osaka
13 Jun - 13:00 Fiji - Italy Hanazono Stadium, Osaka
13 Jun - 15:00 France - South Africa Hanazono Stadium, Osaka

Pool D

Date Team A score Team B Venue

05 Jun - 17:00 Australia - Canada Best Amenity Stadium, Fukuoka
05 Jun - 19:00 Tonga - Wales Best Amenity Stadium, Fukuoka
09 Jun - 17:00 Australia - Tonga Best Amenity Stadium, Fukuoka
09 Jun - 19:00 Canada - Wales Best Amenity Stadium, Fukuoka
13 Jun - 13:00 Canada - Tonga Best Amenity Stadium, Fukuoka
13 Jun - 15:00 Australia - Wales Best Amenity Stadium, Fukuoka

3rd Place Play-Off

Date Team A score Team B Venue

21 Jun - 13:00 Loser Match 31 - Loser Match 32 Prince Chichibu Stadium, Tokyo

5th Place Play-Off

Date Team A score Team B Venue

21 Jun - 14:00 Winner Match 29 - Winner Match 30 Level 5 Stadium, Fukuoka

7th Place Play-Off

Date Team A score Team B Venue

21 Jun - 12:00 Loser Match 29 - Loser Match 30 Level 5 Stadium, Fukuoka

9th Place Play-Off

Date Team A score Team B Venue

21 Jun - 14:00 Winner Match 27 - Winner Match 28 Hanazono Stadium, Osaka

11th Place Play-Off

Date Team A score Team B Venue

21 Jun - 12:00 Loser Match 27 - Loser Match 28 Hanazono Stadium, Osaka

13th Place Play-Off

Date Team A score Team B Venue

21 Jun - 14:00 Winner Match 25 - Winner Match 26 Mizuho Rugby Ground, Nagoya

15th Place Play-Off

Date Team A score Team B Venue

21 Jun - 12:00 Loser Match 25 - Loser Match 26 Mizuho Rugby Ground, Nagoya

5th Place Semi

Final Date Team A score Team B Venue

17 Jun - 17:00 2nd Group A - 2nd Group D Level 5 Stadium, Fukuoka
17 Jun - 17:00 2nd Group B - 2nd Group C Level 5 Stadium, Fukuoka

9th Place Semi Final

Date Team A score Team B Venue

17 Jun - 13:00 3rd Group A - 3rd Group D Hanazono Stadium, Osaka
17 Jun - 15:00 3rd Group B - 3rd Group C Hanazono Stadium, Osaka

13th Place Semi Final

Date Team A score Team B Venue

17 Jun - 17:00 4th Group A - 4th Group D Mizuho Rugby Ground, Nagoya
17 Jun - 19:00 4th Group B - 4th Group C Mizuho Rugby Ground, Nagoya

Semi Finals

Date Team A score Team B Venue

17 Jun - 17:00 1st Group A - 1st Group D Prince Chichibu Stadium, Tokyo
17 Jun - 19:00 1st Group C - 1st Group B Prince Chichibu Stadium, Tokyo

Final

Date Team A score Team B Venue

21 Jun - 15:00

Winner Match 31 - Winner Match 32 Prince Chichibu Stadium, Tokyo

New Zealand select U20 trial squad

(IRB.COM) Friday 27 March 2009

New Zealand swept all before them to win the inaugural IRB Junior World Championship title in Wales last June and the crop of players hoping to defend that crown will have one final chance to impress next week before the squad is named.

Only one member of that victorious squad - Hurricanes wing Zac Guildford - is eligible for selection under the age criteria for the tournament, so coach Dave Rennie will take a new-look side to Japan for the 2009 edition from 5-21 June.

"We have had a programme in place since last year and it has proved invaluable, particularly as nearly all of last year's squad are ineligible based on age for this year's tournament," explained Rennie.

"While we are still considering one or two eligible players who are currently in the Rebel Sport Super 14 squads, the remaining spots will be selected from this trial so there is a real opportunity for these players to stake a claim."

Forty-six players will assemble for a three-day trial camp at the Sport and Rugby Institute in Palmerston North on Wednesday with NZRU President Andy Leslie to reveal the 26-man squad for Japan at its conclusion on Friday.

The players making the cut will then remain in camp until Monday, with further camps scheduled for 25-29 April at Palmerston North and the pre-tournament assembly in Auckland from 26-29 May before their departure for Tokyo the next day.

Sevens regulars in contention

Not only will the players assembling at Palmerston North be able to press their claim for selection during training and a trial match on Thursday, they will also receive specialist coaching from the likes of scrum coach Mike Cron to aid their development.

Rennie and his assistant Mark Anscombe will also be joined by 2008 Under 20 co-coach Russell Hilton-Jones, former Hurricanes assistant and New Zealand Under 19 coach Aussie McLean, North Harbour assistant coach Jeff Wilson, Canterbury Academy manager Matt Sexton, Hawke's Bay assistant coach Tom Coventry, Wellington assistant coach Andre Bell and Manawatu assistant coach Bruce Hemara.

Two of those selected for the trial camp have been regulars in the New Zealand Sevens squad on this year's IRB Sevens World Series in North Harbour's Nafi Tuitavake and Tim Nanai-Williams of Counties Manukau, the latter playing at Rugby World Cup Sevens 2009 in Dubai earlier this month.

New Zealand will kick off their title defence against Junior World Championship newcomers Uruguay - the 2008 Junior World Rugby Trophy winners - in Nagoya before tackling Ireland and Argentina in Pool A.

Only the pool winner will progress to the semi finals and New Zealand will be hoping to repeat their emphatic victories over Ireland (65-10) and Argentina (60-0) en route to lifting the silverware in 2008.

New Zealand trial squad:

Trent Boswell-Wakefield (Hawke’s Bay), Richard Buckman (Hawke’s Bay), Jason Church (Waikato), Hamish Cochrane (Tasman), Sam Crompton (Otago), Aaron Cruden (Manawatu), Elliot Dixon (Canterbury), Shahn Eru (Wellington), Daniel Faleafa (Auckland), Ma’afu Fia (Manawatu), Brook Gilmore (Northland), Travis Hadley (North Harbour), Bernie Hall (Canterbury), TJ Ioane (Wellington), Willie Ioane (Manawatu), Murray Iti (Waikato), Pat Leafa (Auckland), Fa’atiga Lemalu (Auckland), Jono Malo (Waikato), Rick McKenna (Taranaki), Brayden Mitchell (Southland), Jason Morgan (Canterbury), Tim Nanai-Wiliams (Counties Manukau), Brendon O’Connor (Canterbury), Kylem O’Donnell (Taranaki), Isaac Paewai (Hawke’s Bay), Ken Pisi (North Harbour), Leighton Price (Hawke’s Bay), Codey Rei (Taranaki), Robbie Robinson (Southland), Alex Ryan (Southland), Mason Rosvall (Canterbury), Nick Seymour (Waikato), Teddy Stanaway (Auckland), Latu Talakai (Waikato), Shae Tamati (Hawke’s Bay), Tom Taylor (Canterbury), David Thompson (Otago), Shaun Treeby (Wellington), Junior Tua’au (Auckland), Ahsee Tuala (Counties Manukau), Gauefa Tuigamala (North Harbour), Nafi Tuitavake (North Harbour), Maama Vaipulu (Counties Manukau), William Whetton (North Harbour), Frae Wilson (Wellington).

France pip Ireland to U20 Six Nations title

(IRB.COM) Tuesday 24 March 2009

France wrapped up the RBS Under 20 Six Nations title with a 43-10 defeat of Italy to pip Ireland to the crown on point differential and secure a confidence boost ahead of the IRB Junior World Championship 2009 in Japan from 5-21 June.

Centre Geoffrey Doumayrou scored two of France’s four tries at the Stadio Angelini in Chieti on Friday – either side of half time – against a side they will kick off their Junior World Championship campaign in Osaka.

France, who will also face Fiji and South Africa in Pool C as they seek to better a sixth place finish in 2008, won all bar one of their Six Nations matches, bouncing back well after a slender 9-6 defeat by Ireland on the opening weekend.

Ireland ended their own campaign on a winning note with a victory by the same score over Wales at Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli, although France’s triumph in Italy ended any hopes of them claiming the title.

Andrew Burke, a late replacement at fly half after David Kearney was ruled out, kicked Ireland to victory with three penalties to Jason Tovey’s two for Wales in match which saw both sides miss several penalty attempts and a pointless second half.

England, the Grand Slam winners and runners up in the inaugural Junior World Championship last year, had to settle for third place in 2009 after denying Scotland a clean sweep over the Home Unions with a 20-6 victory in Worcester.

A big learning curve

Centre Henry Trinder, wing George Lowe and flanker Jamie Gibson scored the tries as England’s more patient build-up and sharper finishing ensured they turned promising positions into scores which they had struggled to do in previous matches.

England Under 20 coach Mark Mapletoft was pleased with the way his side reacted to the 31-11 loss to France last weekend against a side they will also come face to face with again in Pool B at the Junior World Championship in Tokyo.

“I’m very pleased with the result against Scotland,” explained former England international Mapletoft. “You’re always looking for a reaction after suffering a setback like we did against France and we certainly got that in training. There was more of an edge, more chaos, and that’s always good.

“We were on a big learning curve after what happened in France and we lacked a bit of substance against them. Against Scotland there was more balance to our play – certainly in the first half – and we showed some good enterprise, the offloads were sticking and that’s good to see.”

That said, Mapletoft is only too aware of where the second seeds for the tournament in Japan can improve as they seek to go one better than 2008 when they were beaten 38-3 in the final by an impressive New Zealand side.

“The infuriating aspect is the need to learn when something is on and when it’s not. We’re still on the wrong side of that line too often and that means you’re leaving yourselves open to periods of inconsistency.”

Scotland’s defeat means they finish fourth on point differential behind England with Junior World Championship 2008 semi finalists Wales having to settle for fifth above Italy, who were the only side not to record a win in the 2009 Six Nations.