Australia national under-20 rugby union team

Last updated

Australia
Junior Wallabies crest 2018.png
Union Rugby Australia
Nickname(s)Junior Wallabies
Coach(es) Nathan Grey
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Kit body wallabies19h.png
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Team kit
First international
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 81–12 Canada  Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg
(6 June 2008; Rodney Parade, Newport)
Largest win
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 91–7 Tonga  Flag of Tonga.svg
(1 May 2018; Bond Sports Park, Gold Coast)
Largest defeat
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 12–69 New Zealand  Flag of New Zealand.svg
(10 July 2022; SC Stadium, Bokarina)
World Cup
Appearances7 (First in 2008)
Best resultRunners-up (2010, 2019)
1x1.png Australia national under-20 rugby union logo.png
Logo 2008–2017

The Australia national under-20 rugby union team, nicknamed the Junior Wallabies, is the national under-20 rugby union team that represents Australia. The team has been competing at the annual World Rugby U20 Championship since it began in 2008, replacing the previously held under-19 and under-21 championships. The team also competes at the Oceania U20 Championship as of 2015 and the U20 Rugby Championship since 2024.

Contents

Australia's highest finish at the World Rugby U20 Championship was second-place in 2010 [1] [2] and 2019. The team finished third in 2011 by beating France in the third place playoff, [3] and fourth in 2009 after losing to South Africa 32–5 in the third place playoff. [4] The Junior Wallabies also finished second in the first four editions of the Oceania U20 Championship before being crowned champions in 2019 after defeating New Zealand 24–0. [5] [6] [7]

Team name

The Junior Wallabies name was incorporated into the Australian under-20 crest prior to the 2018 season, but the name was also previously applied to several other teams in the history of Australian rugby. [8] [9] In the era of amateur rugby from the 1950s onwards, the Junior Wallabies team was selected from uncapped players (with no age restriction) to play against touring Test sides [10] [11] or to represent Australia on goodwill tours to Asia and the Pacific. [12] [13] Media publications sometimes also used the name Junior Wallabies to refer to age-graded national teams such as the Australian under-19 side, [14] Australian Schoolboys, [15] [16] and later the Australian under-20 team. [17] [18]

Overall record

Summary for all competitive test matches up to and including the 2023 season:

OpponentPldWDLW%PFPADiff.
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 630350%150106+44
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 2200100%16712+155
Flag of England.svg  England 811612.5%165204–39
Flag of Fiji.svg  Fiji 8800100%352125+228
Flag of France.svg  France 730442.86%178170+8
IRFU flag.svg  Ireland 420250%9884+14
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 6600100%22074+146
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 3300100%16564+101
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 16401225%323561–238
Flag of Samoa.svg  Samoa 6600100%22894+134
Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland 640266.67%218104+114
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 310233.33%60113–53
Flag of Tonga.svg  Tonga 4400100%25225+227
Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales 540180%168104+64
Total845113260.71%2.6441,840+804

World Rugby U20 Championship record

YearRoundPositionPldWDLPFPA
Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg 2008 5th place5th540122168
Flag of Japan.svg 2009 Semi-finals4th530218674
Flag of Argentina.svg 2010 Runners-up2nd5401239131
Flag of Italy.svg 2011 Semi-finals3rd5302166117
Flag of South Africa.svg 2012 8th place8th510410794
Flag of France.svg 2013 7th place7th520311484
Flag of New Zealand.svg 2014 5th place5th5401176101
Flag of Italy.svg 2015 5th place5th5401136110
Flag of England.svg 2016 6th place6th5203120116
Flag of Georgia.svg 2017 6th place6th5302135106
Flag of France.svg 2018 5th place5th5302178103
Flag of Argentina.svg 2019 Runners-up2nd5302171122
Flag of South Africa.svg 2023 5th place5th5311179157
Total13/130 titles65391252,1281,383

U20 Rugby Championship record

YearPositionPldWDLPFPA
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2024 4th31025580
Total1/1TBD

Oceania Rugby U20 Championship record

YearRoundPositionPldWDLPFPA
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2015 Runners-up2nd320110987
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2016 Runners-up2nd21013554
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2017 Runners-up2nd32018187
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2018 Runners-up2nd320117055
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2019 Champions1st330010414
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2022 3rd place3rd31029198
Total6/61 title171106590395

Head coaches

Honours

World Junior Championship
Oceania Junior Championship
  • Winners (1): 2019
  • Runners-up (4): 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018

See also

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References

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