The WRU has revealed its aim to deliver the best age group tournament ever when it hosts the inaugural Junior World Championship at U20 level, starting this friday (6th June) when the opening fixture, New Zealand versus Tonga, kicks off at Cardiff Arms Park, 5pm.
The top sixteen nations in the world at U20 age grade level will compete for the world title in a new-look tournament which is to replace both the IRB U21 and U19 World Championships.
Wales U20 are seeded fourth for the tournament, following Wales U19's semi-final position at last seasons IRB U19 World Championships. This gives them the top spot in Pool D and will be based in Swansea while the other three top seeds are New Zealand U20 (Pool A, Cardiff), South Africa U20 (Pool B, Wrexham) and Australia U20 (Pool C, Newport).
The match venues will be Cardiff Arms Park, Rodney Parade, Newport and the Racecourse, Wrexham. The Union promised an all-Wales event for the inaugural World Championship at Under 20 level and announced that there will be a comprehensive programme of activity around the tournament which will ensure a lasting legacy to all elements of Welsh rugby, from elite players, coaches and referees to volunteers, players, coaches and administrators in the grassroots game.
The tournament will be used to expose elite, young players in Wales to the high standards practiced by the Under 20 teams visiting the Principality, with a range of coaching clinics and training sessions, while the club and school-based programme of activity around the tournament will benefit the grassroots game across all of Wales. The WRU has gained total agreement from the IRB for its proposed plan for the 2008 tournament, a major element of which was to stage matches and base teams in and around the four regional centres of Cardiff, Newport, Swansea and Wrexham, turning the all-Wales vision into a reality.
Part of the tournaments legacy to grassroots rugby will see each of the sixteen participating teams being linked to a specific rugby club. The teams will use the club as their training base but it will also be used as a link between the tournament and the local community, for instance Ireland will be based at Glamorgan Wanderers RFC.
Schools and clubs around that training base will have the chance to get involved with the tournament via the adopted nation based at their local club. Youngsters will have the opportunity to watch training sessions, learn about the visiting country and attend matches during the tournament.
The inaugural Junior World Championship has a clear-cut, coherent format which is easy to follow. There are four Pools of four teams, and each team plays the other three teams in its Pool. The winner of each Pool will progress to the semi-finals of the tournament while the other teams will continue to play for Championship positions.
Wales hosted the 1999 IRB/FIRA Junior World Cup at U19 level. On that occasion a Welsh side captained by Dragons and Wales lock Adam Jones reached the final after beating England, Argentina and South Africa. Blues fullback Rhys Williams, centre Jamie Robinson, new Blues recruit half Ceri Sweeney, former Blues scrum half Ryan Powell, and Dragons No.8 Michael Owen were all capped from the Wales side, while Dwayne Peel was among the replacements.
New Zealand won the final 25-0 in front of a 12,000 crowd at Stradey Park and had an exceptional side. Jerry Collins was voted Player of the Tournament, Richie McCaw was in the back row and Mils Muliaina among the back line. Peel also went to the 2000 tournament and a year later it was the turn of the talented Gavin Henson to taste the global scene for the first time. He spearheaded the Welsh charge into the semi-finals of the U19 competition in Chile in 2001 the fifth time in seven tournaments since their debut in 1995 that Wales had reached the last four. France beat Wales to reach the final, which was won by New Zealand, and the Welsh side went down 43-24 to Australia in the 3rd/4th play-off game.
Wales Coach Pat Horgan will have a talented group of players to take into the inaugural IRB Junior World Championship at U20 level next year. Sam Warburtons U19 side finished fourth in IRB competition in Belfast last year and the Blues Academy product will be keen to do well on home soil this summer when he skippers the team again.
Pools for the IRB Junior World Championship: Wales 2008
Pool A Cardiff - New Zealand, Argentina, Ireland, Tonga
Pool B Wrexham - South Africa USA, Samoa, Scotland
Pool C Newport - Australia England , Canada , Fiji
Pool D Swansea - Wales, France, Italy Japan
TEAM: Wales
06 Jun - 19:10 Wales - Italy Liberty Stadium, Swansea
10 Jun - 19:10 Wales - Japan Liberty Stadium, Swansea
14 Jun - 17:00 Wales - France Liberty Stadium, Swansea
WALES SQUAD
Scott Andrews Cardiff Blues Prop, Ryan Bevington Ospreys Prop, Sam Hobbs Cardiff Blues Prop Patrick Palmer Cardiff Blues Prop, Rhys Lawrence Ospreys Hooker, Ryan Prosser, Bristol Rugby Hooker, Haydn Pugh Llanelli Scarlets Lock, Ashley Sweet Dragons Lock Josh Turnbull Llanelli Scarlets Lock Dan Franks Cardiff Blues Flanker Jevon Groves Cardiff Blues Flanker Lloyd Phillips Llanelli Scarlets Flanker Justin Tipuric Ospreys Flanker, Sam Warburton Cardiff Blues Flanker (c), Rhys Webb Ospreys Scrumhalf, Gareth Williams Ospreys Scrumhalf Daniel Biggar Ospreys Flyhalf, Luke Ford Cardiff Blues Flyhalf Gareth Owen Ospreys Flyhalf, Jonathan Davies Llanelli Scarlets Centre Rhys Williams Scarlets Centre , Leigh Halfpenny Cardiff Blues Wing, Jimmy Norris Dragons Wing, Nathan Rees Cardiff Blues Wing, Daniel Evans Scarlets Fullback Jason Tovey Dragons Fullback
MANAGEMENT Patrick Horgan Head Coach
POOL A
TEAM Ireland
06 Jun - 19:00 Argentina - Ireland Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
10 Jun - 21:10 New Zealand - Ireland Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
14 Jun - 15:00 Ireland - Tonga Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
SQUAD
Stephen Archer, Ben Barclay Conor Higgins Paul Karayiannis Stephen Douglas Jason Harris-Wright David Nolan James Sandford Eoin Sheriff Michael Entwistle Ian Nagle Patrick Mallon David Moore Jan Porter Martin Dufficy Ian Madigan , Conor Cleary , Eoin O'Malley , Eamonn Sheridan , Jamie Smith , Chris Cochrane Kieran Essex Dave Kearney Paul Ryan Niall Morris Sean Scanlon
MANAGEMENT Eric Elwood Head Coach
TEAM Argentina
06 Jun - 19:00 Argentina - Ireland Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
10 Jun - 19:00 Argentina - Tonga Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
14 Jun - 17:00 New Zealand - Argentina Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
SQUAD
Juan Figallo, Mauricio Guidone Luciano Leibson Guillermo Roan Esteban Bustillo Ignacio di Santi Agustín Ellero Santiago Guzmán Anibal Panzeira Garrido Lisandro Ahaulli de Chazal Cristian Etchart Marcos Insúa Guido Lofiego Francisco Panessi Lucas Alcácer Mackinlay Martín Landajo Benjamín Madero Juan Pablo Estelles Paolo Mac Nicolás Sanchez Juan Pablo Socino Joaquin Tucullet Diego Palma Federico Salazar Belisario Agulla Luis Torres Adaro
MANAGEMENT
Eduardo Fernández Gill Head Coach
TEAM New Zealand
06 Jun - 17:00 New Zealand - Tonga Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
10 Jun - 21:10 New Zealand - Ireland Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
14 Jun - 17:00 New Zealand - Argentina Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
SQUAD
Ben Afeaki, Rodney Ah You Paea Fa'anunu Toby Smith Ash Dixon Quentin MacDonald Chris Smith Josh Townsend Sam Whitelock Luke Braid Matt Luamanu Nasi Manu Hugh Reed Peter Saili Grayson Hart Aaron Smith Ryan Crotty Michael Harris Trent Renata Jackson Willison Zach Guildford Sean Maitland Kade Poki Andre Taylor Joe Hill Daniel Kirkpatrick
MANAGEMENT
Russel Hilton-Jones Head Coach
TEAM: Tonga
06 Jun - 17:00 New Zealand - Tonga Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
10 Jun - 19:00 Argentina - Tonga Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
14 Jun - 15:00 Ireland - Tonga Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
SQUAD
Mosa'ati Afu Lonely Kengike Maleko Latu Ikuna Manuofetoa Tevita Moliteka Lepaola Taueli Tone Tukufuka Sotele Hehea Tevita Tangi Finau Tupa aula Kata Constantin Kauvaka Haloti Molitika Inoke Taufa Samiuela Vea John Hausia Sekope Maea Mahe Fangupo Alfred Hausia Richard Kaufusi William Takai Samiuela Atiola Mateo Malupo Charles Mateo Salesi Sete Sione Toke
MANAGEMENT
Fe'ao Vakata Head Coach
PREVIEW
Interview with Wales Captain Sam Warburton, click here>>
TICKET INFORMATION
SINGLE TICKET PER MATCH DAY (inclusive of both matches at any one venue on any given match day):
£8 ADULT
£2 JUNIOR
VENUE PACKAGE (inclusive of all 5 match days 10 matches at any one venue):
£30 ADULT
£8 JUNIOR
TEAM PACKAGE (nominate your team at the time of purchase and the team package includes all three pool match days and the relevant semi-final and finals day for your team)
£35 ADULT
£10 JUNIOR
(Junior Ticket available to children aged 16 and under)
Tickets on sale now from all four match venues and Ticketmaster - http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/ and +44(0)8705 582582.