World Rugby Under-20 Championship – Did You Know?

Calvisano’s Stadio San Michele is the venue for the opening Pool C fixture, and there will be live coverage of the match on RugbyPass TV. Tickets can be purchased here, and cover all three games at a venue on a match day.

Ireland have played in every World Rugby Under-20 Championship going back to the inaugural edition in Wales in 2008.

Check out some of the Irish facts and figures related to age-grade international rugby’s premier tournament:

– Ireland’s best finish at a World Rugby U-20 Championship has been as runners-up in both 2016 and 2023. Nigel Carolan’s 2016 team lost 45-21 to England in the final, while seven years later, a Richie Murphy-coached side fell to France (50-14) in the decider

– When the global event was held previously at U-21 level, Ireland were also beaten finalists back in 2004, going down 47-19 to New Zealand. Then coached by Mark McDermott, the squad that year contained future senior internationals in Tommy Bowe, Jamie Heaslip, Tomás O’Leary, Ryan Caldwell, and Declan Fitzpatrick

– Three of world rugby’s most-capped Test players emerged from the 2009 U-20 Championship in Japan, including legendary Ireland scrum half Conor Murray. He played 133 Tests, including eight for the British & Irish Lions, before ending his international career this year. The other two are Australia’s James Slipper (143 caps) and England’s Ben Youngs (129)

– Ireland went into the 2010 U-20 Championship as U-20 Six Nations champions, and captain Rhys Ruddock was called away from the tournament in Argentina to make his Test debut. The 19-year-old joined Ireland’s senior tour as injury cover, and won his first cap as a final-quarter replacement against Australia

– The 2012 event saw some impressive results for the Iain Henderson-inspired Ireland U-20s as they beat hosts and eventual champions South Africa (23-19), England (27-12), and France (18-7) on the way to finishing fifth overall. Out-half JJ Hanrahan scored 53 points in four appearances

– Two years later in New Zealand, Mike Ruddock coached the Ireland Under-20s to a semi-final appearance and a fourth place finish. Garry Ringrose, who is part of the current British & Irish Lions squad, was a World Rugby Junior Player of the Year nominee that summer

– The 2016 U-20 Championship, held across the water in England, was a memorable one for the Ireland U-20s. They became the first Ireland Men’s team, at any level, to beat New Zealand when winning a pool match 33-24 in a rain-soaked Manchester

– Max Deegan, a try scorer that day and the Player of the Tournament, is one of eight members of the 2016 squad that went on to play senior international rugby. The others are Jacob Stockdale, Andrew Porter, James Ryan, Will Connors, Hugo Keenan, Shane Daly, and Jimmy O’Brien

– Second row Ryan’s leadership qualities stood out back then, and he has since captained his country on eight occasions at senior level. Like Ringrose and fellow notable U-20 graduates Porter and Keenan, he is currently in Australia with the Lions squad

– Porter (75 caps) and Ryan (72) are the most-capped Test players to come out of the 2016 U-20 Championship, alongside Argentina’s Marcos Kremer (73)

– Ireland fell out of the running at the next three U-20 Championships. They had to battle to retain their position in the top tier in France in 2018, needing a play-off win over Japan to finish 11th. 2025 Lion Dan Sheehan and Tommy O’Brien, who is in Ireland’s summer tour squad, both touched down in that game

– Following on from the cancellation of the 2020 U-20 Championship due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the tournament did not take place in either 2021 or 2022.. Since it returned and was held in South Africa these past two years, Ireland have finished second and fourth respectively

– In 2023, a Richie Murphy-coached Ireland followed up on their U-20 Six Nations Grand Slam success to reach the global final thanks to victories over Australia, Fiji, and hosts South Africa. Despite the best efforts of Brian Gleeson in particular, France proved too strong in the end

– Of the 2023 group, Sam Prendergast and Gus McCarthy won their first Ireland senior caps last November. Both players are part of the squad for next month’s summer Tests against Georgia and Portugal, along with their former U-20 team-mates, Paddy McCarthy and Hugh Gavin

– Two of the training panellists that are currently in camp with the Ireland senior side are Gleeson and Evan O’Connell, who both played two seasons with the U-20s. James McNabney was unfortunately withdrawn as an additional player due to an ACL injury

– Ireland’s class of 2024 fell at the semi-final hurdle last summer, losing 31-20 to eventual champions England. From that squad, Ben O’Connor, Gavin, Stephen Smyth, Ronan Foxe, Alex Usanov, O’Connell, Jack Murphy, Danny Sheahan, and Sean Edogbo went on to play for Emerging Ireland last October

– Gavin, O’Connell, Smyth, and Gleeson all won their first Ireland ‘A’ caps against England ‘A’ in February, just seven months on from playing at the last World Rugby U-20 Championship

– Doak’s current crop will play Georgia, hosts Italy, who edged the sides’ Six Nations clash on a 15-12 scoreline, and New Zealand in the pool stages between June 29 and July 9. A last-gasp Finn Treacy try saw Ireland pip the Junior Lelos 22-16 in a pool game last July

– Billy Corrigan, the fit-again Luke Murphy, Alex Mullan, and Mikey Yarr return after gaining experience at last year’s U-20 Championship in South Africa, while Usanov and Henry Walker are set to play in the tournament for the first time. They were both sidelined through injury last summer

– Also involved in their second successive World U-20 Championship campaign are Doak, who was senior coach last summer in support of then head coach Willie Faloon, and attack and backs coach Ian Keatley. Andrew Browne and Seamus Toomey complete the coaching team

– Continuing his role from the recent U-20 Six Nations, Cork-born Connacht Academy back rower Éanna McCarthy will captain the Ireland U-20s in Italy. He follows in the footsteps of Gus McCarthy and O’Connell in recent seasons

– Charlie Molony and Walker were Ireland’s leading try scorers during this year’s U-20 Six Nations, with three and two respectively. During their three recent warm-up matches, skilful back Gene O’Leary Kareem ran in three tries, with Murphy and uncapped winger Paidi Farrell grabbing two each