Latest news with #Under-20Championship
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Best day of my life' - Pollock on Lions call
Northampton Saints flanker Henry Pollock says his selection for the British and Irish Lions' tour of Australia was "the best day of his life". The 20-year-old, who started the year off playing for England in the Under-20 Six Nations, was named in Andy Farrell's 38-strong party on Thursday to mark a rapid rise. Pollock went on to score two tries on his England senior debut against Wales in March, before starring for Saints as they reached the Investec Champions Cup final on 24 May. "It sounds mad [to say I am a British and Irish Lion] . I am honoured and can't really believe it," Pollock told BBC Look East. "We were all watching it and hoping for the best and when it got announced, all the boys jumped on me. "It was a feeling I will never forget. It was probably the best day of my life." Pollock's inclusion generated the loudest cheer from about 2,000 fans inside Indigo, a venue within London's O2 Arena complex. The flanker, who is the youngest player in the squad, won World Rugby's Under-20 Championship in July with England, before making his first Premiership start in October. Pollock has gone on to establish himself in Northampton's competitive back row, and on Saturday scored a sensational solo try by showing incredible pace to round Leinster fly-half Sam Prendergast in their Champions Cup semi-final win in Dublin. Five talking points from Lions squad announcement The Lions squad pod with Itoje and Farrell I was brash and naive in 2017, now I'm ready - Itoje Four Saints players were named in Farrell's squad with Tommy Freeman, Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith all joining Pollock, who watched the announcement with a number of his team-mates. "I walked out of the room and tried to phone my mum, who didn't pick up which was class," he joked. "I then called mum and dad and they were balling their eyes out crying. "I am just so happy that I've made them happy, I am honoured." Pollock was selected instead of Toulouse flanker Jack Willis, Sale Sharks' Ben Curry and Scotland's Rory Darge, with Farrell admitting that, in the end, he did not need convincing about selecting the one-cap flanker. An all-action display on both sides of the ball against Leinster, who have 12 players heading on the Lions tour, showed Pollock can compete with the best and he plans to show that in Australia. He faces tough back row competition in Ireland's Jack Conan and Josh van der Flier, England pair Tom Curry and Ben Earl, and Wales captain Jac Morgan, but remains confident of adding value. "It is the pinnacle of the sport and everything that you work for and want to achieve in rugby," he added. "I hope to bring a different X-factor and just be myself. I am not going to go there and go into my shell, I am just going to be myself and hopefully bring a different side to the squad than other players."
The Star
07-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Juarno ‘Trokkie' Augustus has all the tools to drive Springboks at No 8
Ashfak Mohamed | Published 2 hours ago Ruck&Maul Column Did you know that the last South African to be chosen as the world's best Under-20 player was Juarno Augustus? Yes, the same big No 8 that starred for the Northampton Saints in last weekend's epic Champions Cup semi-final triumph over Leinster in Dublin. The former Junior Springbok stalwart was the player of the tournament at the Under-20 Championship in 2017, which took place in Georgia. So good was Augustus that he won his award despite the Junior Boks going down 24-22 to England in the semi-final. They at least won the third-place playoff 37-15 against a French side including current Test stars such as hooker Peato Mauvaka, utility forward Alexandre Roumat, flyhalf Romain Ntamack and utility back Mathieu Jalibert. South Africa were captained by Ernst van Rhyn, and several players went on to play Test rugby, including Damian Willemse, Manie Libbok, Salmaan Moerat, Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar, Embrose Papier and Curwin Bosch. One would've thought that Augustus would be a Springbok by now, having turned 27 last December – but it just hasn't happened for the man who stands at 1.85m and 116kg, and is nicknamed 'Trokkie' (little truck). Could 2025 be the year? Having not quite made the necessary impact at the Stormers and Western Province in his early senior years, Augustus went up north to join Northampton in 2021. His stint in England will come to an end this season, as he has signed for Ulster in Belfast and will feature in the United Rugby Championship, where he will face the Stormers, Bulls, Sharks and Lions. But considering the impact he's made with the Saints, Bok coach Rassie Erasmus may be tempted to have a proper look at Augustus in the Incoming Tour window against the Barbarians, Italy and Georgia. Jasper Wiese has been the first-choice Bok No 8 for a few years now, and the retirement of Duane Vermeulen following the 2023 World Cup triumph has left a hole at the back of the scrum. Japan-based Wiese's neck injury is reportedly not as serious as initially thought, and he could be ready to play in the early 2025 Tests. But it's not worth risking him ahead of the blockbuster Rugby Championship encounters against the Wallabies in South Africa in August, and then the two massive All Black Tests in New Zealand in September. Evan Roos is arguably the next No 8 in line after Wiese, and has displayed some impressive form over the last few months for the Stormers. Young upstart Cameron Hanekom has been outstanding for the Bulls over the last two seasons as well, and would deserve more caps after his debut against Wales last November. But both those loose forwards are a bit lighter in weight and have a different player profile to Vermeulen, who was much more of a grinder and did the hard yards than roaming in the wider channels. Augustus is probably closer in style to Vermeulen than Wiese, Roos and Hanekom, and I think it would be worth Erasmus' while to explore what he could offer in the international arena. The one criticism of him in the past was that he was just able to dish out a few big ball-carries, and had a supposed low work-rate in general play when he was at the Stormers, but he has become a well-rounded player at Northampton. In the thrilling 37-34 win over Leinster, the man from Alexander Bay, near the coastal border with Namibia, Augustus recorded 13 tackles, seven carries and had three defenders beaten in a full 80-minute performance that placed him in the top-five Northampton players in those categories. Those 13 tackles in particular is worthy of praise, as it was more than any Leinster player had managed. Opposite No 8 Caelan Doris, flank Josh van der Flier and prop Andrew Porter all managed 10 – although it must be noted that Northampton made 171 tackles in total compared to just 98 by Leinster, who also dished out 161 carries to 101 by the Saints. The energetic young English loose forward Henry Pollock made a superb 22 tackles, but wasn't among the top-five Northampton ball-carriers. So, the Tygerberg High School product Augustus has added the necessary extra bows to his game over the last few seasons. He also won the Premiership in England last season and will now feature in the Champions Cup final against Bordeaux on May 24 in Cardiff. Surely that must count for something in Erasmus' book?
IOL News
07-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Juarno ‘Trokkie' Augustus has all the tools to drive Springboks at No 8
Juarno Augustus Juarno Augustus charges into the England defence in 2017 alongside Damian Willemse and Manie Libbok for the Junior Springboks. Photo: World Rugby Image: World Rugby Ruck&Maul Column Did you know that the last South African to be chosen as the world's best Under-20 player was Juarno Augustus? Yes, the same big No 8 that starred for the Northampton Saints in last weekend's epic Champions Cup semi-final triumph over Leinster in Dublin. The former Junior Springbok stalwart was the player of the tournament at the Under-20 Championship in 2017, which took place in Georgia. So good was Augustus that he won his award despite the Junior Boks going down 24-22 to England in the semi-final. They at least won the third-place playoff 37-15 against a French side including current Test stars such as hooker Peato Mauvaka, utility forward Alexandre Roumat, flyhalf Romain Ntamack and utility back Mathieu Jalibert. South Africa were captained by Ernst van Rhyn, and several players went on to play Test rugby, including Damian Willemse, Manie Libbok, Salmaan Moerat, Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar, Embrose Papier and Curwin Bosch. One would've thought that Augustus would be a Springbok by now, having turned 27 last December – but it just hasn't happened for the man who stands at 1.85m and 116kg, and is nicknamed 'Trokkie' (little truck). Could 2025 be the year? Having not quite made the necessary impact at the Stormers and Western Province in his early senior years, Augustus went up north to join Northampton in 2021. His stint in England will come to an end this season, as he has signed for Ulster in Belfast and will feature in the United Rugby Championship, where he will face the Stormers, Bulls, Sharks and Lions. But considering the impact he's made with the Saints, Bok coach Rassie Erasmus may be tempted to have a proper look at Augustus in the Incoming Tour window against the Barbarians, Italy and Georgia. Jasper Wiese has been the first-choice Bok No 8 for a few years now, and the retirement of Duane Vermeulen following the 2023 World Cup triumph has left a hole at the back of the scrum. Japan-based Wiese's neck injury is reportedly not as serious as initially thought, and he could be ready to play in the early 2025 Tests. But it's not worth risking him ahead of the blockbuster Rugby Championship encounters against the Wallabies in South Africa in August, and then the two massive All Black Tests in New Zealand in September. Evan Roos is arguably the next No 8 in line after Wiese, and has displayed some impressive form over the last few months for the Stormers. Young upstart Cameron Hanekom has been outstanding for the Bulls over the last two seasons as well, and would deserve more caps after his debut against Wales last November. But both those loose forwards are a bit lighter in weight and have a different player profile to Vermeulen, who was much more of a grinder and did the hard yards than roaming in the wider channels. Augustus is probably closer in style to Vermeulen than Wiese, Roos and Hanekom, and I think it would be worth Erasmus' while to explore what he could offer in the international arena. The one criticism of him in the past was that he was just able to dish out a few big ball-carries, and had a supposed low work-rate in general play when he was at the Stormers, but he has become a well-rounded player at Northampton. In the thrilling 37-34 win over Leinster, the man from Alexander Bay, near the coastal border with Namibia, Augustus recorded 13 tackles, seven carries and had three defenders beaten in a full 80-minute performance that placed him in the top-five Northampton players in those categories. Those 13 tackles in particular is worthy of praise, as it was more than any Leinster player had managed.
Belfast Telegraph
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Tyrone Under-20s out to maintain fine form in Ulster Semi-Final clash with Derry, says Eoin McElholm
Derry and Donegal claimed automatic places in the last four by emerging as group winners while Tyrone have looked accomplished to date having overcome Antrim by 2-24 to 0-10 with several players figuring on the scoresheet as their team bossed the match. Conor O'Neill, Liam Og Mossey, Lorcan McMurray, Ruairi McCullagh, Noah Grimes and Eoin McElholm were among the players who currently have key roles in taking the Red Hands a step closer to a place in the Final. Indeed, McElholm in particular has not only been showing fine form with the Tyrone Under-20 side but he has been drafted into the senior squad. He has also come under the gaze of Australian Rules scouts but for the moment he is fiercely committed to Tyrone on every front. In chalking up their impressive win over Antrim, Tyrone underlined their versatility and scoring power with McElholm very much to the fore. 'The Under-20 title is something that we cherish and we want to try and land it again. There have been some high-scoring games in the competition to date which is probably down to the two-pointers from the new rules,' said McElholm. 'There is no doubt that a few teams are very focused on the Ulster title and the indications are that we could have great Semi-Finals and Final. It is good to see so many players getting a chance to shine. The Under-20 Championship holds a special appeal here in Ulster and it will be very interesting to see which two teams reach the Final.' Like Tyrone, Derry are also in fine scoring form and in beating Cavan by 1-26 to 2-13 en route to tonight's game they underlined their zest for scores with Johnny McGuckin, Eamon Young and Jude Bryson leading the way. Cavan looked promising in the first-half with Matthew Smith, Matthew Costello, Lorcan Reilly and Cormac Galligan imposing themselves on the scoreboard but when Derry stepped on the accelerator in the second-half the Breffni outfit were left in their slipstream. Cavan, though, had an earlier 2-26 to 1-13 win over Down which has helped to keep them in the frame for the title. They certainly showed their scoring touch and fitness in coming out on top in some style in that particular game. Donegal, too, powered their way into the Play-Off Semi-Finals with Shane Callaghan, Seanan Carr and Conor McCahill all particularly prominent in picking off scores in their team's progress to date. The trio have underpinned the team's accuracy but with the tempo about to be stepped up scores might just be more difficult to come by.
