Latest news with #Under-20s
Daily Maverick
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Maverick
Brilliant Junior Boks claim first U20 World title in 13 years
The Junior Springboks won the 2025 World Rugby U20 World Championship title with a 23-15 victory over New Zealand in Rovigo. South Africa's Under-20s were deservedly crowned world champions in northern Italy on Saturday night thanks to a gritty win over old rivals New Zealand in the final on a sweltering evening. It was the first time since 2012 that the Junior Boks have won the world title and only the second time in this format since it was inaugurated in 2008. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads As under-21s the Junior Boks won the 1999, 2002 and 2005 world championships (1999 was technically not a world title), but since becoming an U20 event, it was only the class of 2012 that were victorious – until Saturday. The class of 2025 now joins the likes of Handrè Pollard, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Steven Kitshoff from that 2012 crop as world champions. After laying waste to all their previous opponents in three pool-stage matches, and Argentina in the semifinals, the contest against the Baby Blacks was much closer. It was an uncompromising battle in the greatest traditions of clashes between these two archrivals and was a fitting finale to a tournament of high quality. This was not the same free-flowing performance of the pool stages that saw the Junior Boks score 178 points in three games against Australia, England and Scotland. It could never be against opponents as skilful and proud as New Zealand. The Junior Boks though, under the captaincy of lock Riley Norton and the coaching of Kevin Foote, are littered with generational talent that should strike fear into the rugby world. 'I'm quite emotional, but I'm just so proud,' Norton said after the match. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads 'The amount of work that we put in after not a great TRC (U20 Rugby Championship), our backs were against the wall and we just came out and gave it everything. 'The group is unbelievable, the management, the coaches – we all pulled into a common idea. It wasn't easy at times. This is the greatest day of my life. 'We had to show up physically. That's our DNA. That's where we South Africans get our passion and our energy from. The set-phase, the maul, the scrum, the hits – the guys did that for 80 minutes and that's where we get our DNA from. Of course (Vusi) Moyo with his unbelievable boot always putting us on the front foot and kicking those penalties, it's just unbelievable.' Control They were always in control at Stadio Mario Battaglini in Rovigo, from scoring early to adding the final flourish late in the game. The Junior Bok pack dominated scrums, were strong in contact and laid a good foundation for the excellent halfback duo of Haashim Pead and Moyo to operate. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads South Africa opened the scoring in the third minute when flank Xola Nyali went over for a try from close range. Moyo converted from wide out to give the Junior Boks the perfect start on a humid and slippery evening. From that stage on New Zealand were always playing catch-up and although they struck back with a try from lock Jayden Sa from a rolling maul just minutes later, it was as close as they came to the lead for the entire match. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads New Zealand also lost prop Sika Pole to the sin bin in the 22nd minute when he clattered into Junior Bok lock JJ Theron. It was later upgraded to red on review. At this tournament though, red cards are only 20 minutes and New Zealand were able to introduce a replacement soon after halftime. South Africa also had their own disciplinary issues. Ten minutes after Pole's card, Junior Bok centre Albie Bester was yellow-carded for a dangerous cleanout at a ruck. That evened things out as Moyo added two first-half penalties to give the Junior Boks a 13-5 halftime lead. There were two periods in either half when the Junior Boks were forced to defend their line for multiple phases. In fact, they were pinned in their 22m area for a full five minutes at the start of the second period as they repelled wave after wave of New Zealand attacks. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads In the end it only cost them three points from a second penalty by flyhalf Rico Simpson which shrunk the lead to 13-8. It was a moral victory for the Junior Boks. 'Defence is all about character, and there were moments when New Zealand were right on our line, but we held firm,' Foote said after the match. 'From a coach's perspective, you can't ask for more than that. It was a real South African defensive effort and gees (spirit) that won it for us today.' Foote, who took over as Junior Bok head coach at the end of last year, also described his winning squad as a special group of young rugby players. 'I love our country and the Springboks, and I love working with this age group,' he said. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads 'To see these young men grow from training in December to what they've achieved now is amazing. Being on this journey with them has been incredibly special, and I'll never take it for granted.' Soon after though, Moyo's superb boot landed a third penalty to keep the Baby Blacks two scores behind. That was significant. As the game wore on South Africa increasingly exerted control. Pead went over for a try but it was disallowed due to Junior Bok flank Batho Hlekani pulling New Zealand scrumhalf Dylan Pledger back, denying him the chance to make a tackle on Pead. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads Despite that let-off, the Junior Boks camped inside NZ territory for much of the last quarter and it was Pead who stamped his class on proceedings to finally break the Baby Blacks' resistance. Pead stabbed through a perfectly weighted kick for fullback Gilermo Mentoe to race on to and score the game-defining try with only three minutes remaining. The Junior Boks led 23-8. There was no way back. New Zealand scored a consolation try almost from the restart when impressive wing Maloni Kunawave finished, but it was too little, too late for the New Zealanders. Bigger picture Foote deserves special praise because he meticulously planned the team's progress to peak in Italy. It came at a cost though because the Junior Boks lost two of their three U20 Rugby Championship matches hosted in South Africa in May. One of those defeats was a 48-45 loss to New Zealand and the other was a 29-24 setback to Australia. In the opening game of this tournament, the Junior Boks smashed Australia 73-17. They played nine games in all before this tournament, which was crucial to building cohesion and for players to understand their roles. 'We learnt a lot about our leadership group in the U20 Rugby Championship,' Foote told Daily Maverick. 'We learnt about who can play Test match rugby. We learnt about different attacking styles that we haven't seen. 'For example, New Zealand 'stack-attacked' against us, and coming into this World Cup, Australia, England and Scotland all stacked, and we've defended well against that. 'That improvement comes from what we went through in the Rugby Championship. It has been a great learning process. 'But the biggest thing is actually just giving these guys game time together, and the synergy and cohesion that we got from those games is invaluable.' The introduction of the U20 Rugby Championship has been a significant building block, not only for the Junior Boks, but for all the southern hemisphere teams. New Zealand made their first final in six years, Argentina beat France to secure the bronze medal and Australia scored 68 points to claim fifth spot over England. DM Junior Bok results: Pool stage: South Africa 73 – 17 Australia (29 June – Calvisano) South Africa 32 – 22 England (4 July – Rovigo) South Africa 73 – 14 Scotland (9 July – Calvisano) Semifinal: South Africa 48 – 24 Argentina (14 July – Viadana) Final: South Africa 23 – 15 New Zealand (19 July – Rovigo) Final standings: South Africa (Champions) New Zealand (Runners-up) Argentina (Third place) France (Fourth place) Australia (Fifth place) England (Sixth place) Italy (Seventh place) Wales (Eighth place) Georgia (Ninth place) Scotland (10th place) Ireland (11th place) Spain (12th place).
The Irish Sun
19-07-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Tipperary GAA minor boss ‘taking pride' in six starlets path to All-Ireland final after ‘having hand in moulding them'
JAMES WOODLOCK beams with pride watching his young thoroughbreds shine on the biggest stage. The Tipperary minor boss led his county to All-Ireland glory in 2022 and SIX of that panel have helped Liam Cahill's seniors reach 2 James Woodlock led Tipperary to the All-Ireland minor hurling title in 2022 Credit: Seb Daly/Sportsfile 2 Darragh McCarthy, right, is among the six players who have helped Tipperary to the All-Ireland senior final against Cork Credit: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile Sam O'Farrell and Darragh McCarthy have nailed down jerseys in attack and will start at O'Donoghue is a substitute again for the big one, along with Paddy McCormack, while Conor Martin and Aaron O'Halloran are in Cahill's ranks as well. The super sextet already fired Brendan Cummins' Under-20s to All-Ireland glory against the Cats in May. And Woodlock told SunSport: 'I suppose it kicked off from the 2022 All-Ireland minor success against Read More on GAA 'The minors that year have six on the senior panel now with two of them starting in the All-Ireland final. So that is huge for Tipp, and it's huge for the younger generation coming through, knowing that they can get up the ladder that quickly.' Woodlock has been there and done it as a player. The former midfielder soldiered with his county for a decade — cruelly missing the 2010 campaign through injury when the Premier won Liam MacCarthy — before retiring from inter-county In 2021, the Tipp minor job called and the Drom & Inch man was tasked with growing underage talent into senior hurlers. Most read in GAA Hurling The progression of O'Farrell, McCarthy and Co is proof of his prowess and the conveyor belt keeps on rolling as another minor All-Ireland arrived last summer . All of that work is coming up trumps. He added: 'I suppose they just came at the right time, when Tipp needed the influx of minors coming in and obviously the likes of Darragh, Paddy McCormack, Sam O'Farrell and Oisín O'Donoghue and these guys, they have offered that leap. 'Easiest interview I've ever had' jokes RTE GAA host after pundits go back and forth before Meath vs Donegal 'Every time you look at them now togging out for Tipp, you'd say you probably had a bit of a hand in moulding them and setting them on the right track. 'I think myself and my management team would take great pride in that. I think the people of Tipperary probably understand that they've got an unbelievable start from our set-up and then they have really developed from there. "There will be big things expected from here on in but anything can happen in a two-horse race and I give us a huge chance." 'They've taken that and they've brought it on with them and they're being further developed now at senior level by Liam Cahill and his management team. 'But they have to go and get it themselves. You can guide them, you can take a horse to water , you can't make him drink . . . but these players will drink all day for you.' Woodlock knew the talent was there but even he was taken aback by how quickly they settled in at senior level. Tipperary's support can be an unforgiving lot and many of them turned on Cahill's men last year when nothing went right and they finished bottom of the Munster SHC without a win. Cahill delivered All-Ireland minor titles as a selector in 2007 then as manager in 2016 — and backed it up with Under-21 glory in 2018 and an Under-20 crown when the competition was regraded a year later. And Woodlock insists the Ballingarry man will complete the set with Liam MacCarthy sooner rather than later. He said: 'There is no doubt in my mind Liam Cahill is going to win a senior All-Ireland, be it this year or next year or whenever but I'm hoping it's going to be this weekend. 'So there's no doubt about it, last year was a bleak year for ourselves in Tipp and for Liam and all that and he has felt the full brunt of that. It was unjustified in my opinion because we just needed the time. 'So he has put down a horrid year or two but thankfully he's getting the benefits of the underage success coming through. 'The players needed the time to get older, wiser, stronger, physically bigger and he's willing to invest that time in them. No better man at the top to bring them through and instil more of the good values that we like to stand by in Tipp hurling — honesty and work-rate.' HURLING WITH A SMILE Tipp are hurling with a smile as young and old have combined to fire them into their first final since defeating Kilkenny in 2019. Cork lost last year's decider to Clare after extra-time and are out to end a 20-year famine in their first final meeting with the Premier. Pat Ryan's men are red-hot favourites but huge pressure comes with that. And Woodlock hopes Tipp can silence their own doubters. He said: 'It's very simple for me, I think the best two hurling teams of this year are in the final, albeit everyone is saying Tipp can't do it and won't do it and they'll fall at the next hurdle. 'Cork are definitely the proven team, there is no question about that, they're hurling extremely well, they have a brilliant management team, they're league champions, they're Munster champions and they're goal-hungry. 'Cork are definitely the form team but so are Tipp. They are probably a year or two behind Cork in that perspective but I do give us a big chance, albeit we are definitely underdogs. 'Tipp people are really happy with whatever happens on Sunday. I think our progression has been fastened and sped up. There will be big things expected from here on in but anything can happen in a two-horse race and I give us a huge chance. 'Most of the players that take the field have either minor, Under-20 or senior All-Ireland medals so the occasion won't faze them. 'As far as everybody is concerned it's Cork's to lose but we are quietly confident that we can put an assault on this final.'
Irish Daily Mirror
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Mack Hansen and the rest of the overseas crew 'fully submerged' in Lions culture
Mack Hansen and the rest of the British and Irish Lions' overseas-born players are fully entitled to play their part in the tour of Australia, claims Pierre Schoeman. The Scotland prop is one of eight Lions players born, raised and educated in South Africa, New Zealand or Australia. However they have qualified for their home unions through residency or family lineage. In Hansen's case, his mother hails from Cork and she had emigrated to Australia, which is where the Connacht and Ireland player was born and raised. Lions great Willie John McBride has said it 'bothered' him, while former England scrum-half Danny Care declared that 'it doesn't sit that well with me', that a group of overseas players are involved. 'If you're good enough to play for your country, you're good enough to play for the Lions and you're selected, then obviously you're going to do that,' said Schoeman, who made five appearances for South Africa Under-20s in 2014. 'Playing for the Lions is massive. Scotland is home for us, my wife and myself. I know that's for the other players as well, like Mack Hansen has made Ireland home. 'You embrace that. You fully take that on. It's like the series Outlander – you move to a different country and now that's your house. You live there. If you work for one of the big four in finance, you get the opportunity, you're going to go for it. And you can really make that home. 'But this is much different. To represent the British and Irish Lions, you fully buy into that and its culture. You fully submerge into that. Nothing else matters. Not your past, not the future. It's about the now. 'Yesterday is gone forever, tomorrow might never come, now is the time to live. That's what we do as Lions. It's about the now, this tour. This is what really matters.' The Lions arrived in Perth on the back of a 28-24 defeat by Argentina in Dublin, where they were given a taster of the support to come in Australia. A sold-out Aviva Stadium was swamped in red for the tour send-off and Schoeman insists it is essential to deliver for the hoards of fans who will make the journey Down Under. 'It was an amazing experience in Dublin to see the red army. It was incredible,' he said. 'You have to feel the responsibility of 50,000 or more fans coming to Australia. So you have a massive obligation and responsibility. 'We as the selected guys, management and players in this team have to make it happen. There's no space for dead weight on this team. Everyone has to push in the same direction. 'It's about driving this whole team towards a collective goal of going beyond and being back-to-back winners against Australia.'
France 24
22-06-2025
- Sport
- France 24
Maro Itoje comes of age with Lions captaincy
Itoje captained England's Under-20s to a world title in 2014 and as he rose through the ranks it was clear the Saracens lock was no ordinary player. A constant threat at the breakdown, outstanding at the line-out and punishing in defence, the physically powerful Itoje had all the skills required of a modern-day flanker, a position where he won some of his early caps, as well as a second row. But he was also something of a throwback to English rugby's amateur era, showing an impressive ability to communicate. The young Itoje, the son of Nigerian parents, won a scholarship to the world-famous Harrow School -- whose former pupils include British wartime prime minister Winston Churchill. He excelled at school, going on to study politics at university in London before completing a business qualification alongside his rugby commitments. Itoje has amassed 93 England Test caps, winning three Six Nations trophies. He has also collected a mountain of silverware at club level, winning five Premiership titles and three European Champions Cups with Saracens. But despite his prowess on the pitch, former England coach Eddie Jones was not initially convinced that Itoje was cut out for leadership. In his book, "Leadership: Lessons From My Life In Rugby", published in 2021, the veteran Australian boss wrote: "I might be wrong, but I am not sure Maro is a future England captain. "He is going to be one of the great players, but he is very inward-looking. He drives himself rather than anyone else. He doesn't usually influence people off the field." Jones backtracked shortly after the book's publication, explaining that Itoje had matured rapidly, predicting he would be a future England skipper. 'Calm under pressure' Steve Borthwick took over from Jones in December 2022 but Owen Farrell was captain at the time and was succeeded by Jamie George. Itoje was finally handed the job in January this year at the ripe old age of 30. "Calm under pressure" were the words Borthwick used to describe his new skipper, citing Itoje's growing influence upon the rest of the squad. The new man made his mark, leading England to a second place in this season's Six Nations, and caught the eye of Lions boss Andy Farrell, the father of Owen. Itoje's rival for the Lions captaincy for the three-Test Australia tour, Ireland skipper Caelan Doris, misses out through injury. "As a two-time tourist (in 2017 and 2021), Maro fully understands what the Lions is all about and also the role of the captain in helping the group achieve its goal of winning a Test series this summer," said Farrell. Itoje, the first black captain of the Lions, spoke of the "tremendous honour" when he was named skipper. "I feel like I'm ready to do the role," he told Sky Sports. "I think I'm ready to do the job and I gain confidence from the quality of coaches we have, the quality of support staff we have and the quality of personnel we have within our squad." The lock has the task of getting the best out of the top players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales in Australia and is clear about what he expects. "I want this Lions squad to be tough. I look at our forwards and I see a group of tough men," he said. "The Lions works when the players are selfless, so to make sure it's a successful tour we all have to be selfless and put the Lions at the forefront of everything we do." Itoje brushed off Friday's 28-24 warm-up defeat against Argentina in Dublin, saying his side will "live, learn and get better".
RTÉ News
20-06-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Sione Tuipulotu
NAME: Sione Tuipulotu DOB: 12/02/1997 POSITION: Centre CLUB: Glasgow Warriors SCOTLAND CAPS: 30 Born in Australia, Tuipulotu has won 30 caps for Scotland since making his debut in 2021, qualifying for the Scots through his grandmother. The powerful 12 previously played for Australia's Under-20s, but his career stalled until a 2021 move to Glasgow, and he is now one of the premier inside centres in the game. Tuipulotu was instrumental in the Warriors' URC title win in 2024, and was made Scotland captain ahead of the November internationals that year. A pectoral injury ruled him out of the 2025 Six Nations, although he returned for the Warriors in their URC Round 18 defeat to Leinster.
