Rugby team
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 .
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]
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]
Summary for all competitive test matches up to and including the 2024 season:
As of 19 July 2024.
Opponent
Argentina
8
3
0
5
37.5%
162
145
+17
Canada
2
2
0
0
100%
167
12
+155
England
8
1
1
6
12.5%
165
204
–39
Fiji
8
8
0
0
100%
352
125
+228
France
7
3
0
4
42.86%
178
170
+8
Georgia
1
1
0
0
100%
35
11
+24
Ireland
4
2
0
2
50%
98
84
+14
Italy
7
6
0
1
85.71%
232
91
+141
Japan
3
3
0
0
100%
165
64
+101
New Zealand
17
4
0
13
23.53%
348
597
–249
Samoa
6
6
0
0
100%
228
94
+134
Scotland
6
4
0
2
66.67%
218
104
+114
South Africa
4
2
0
2
50%
84
132
–48
Tonga
4
4
0
0
100%
252
25
+227
Wales
6
5
0
1
83.33%
204
133
+71
Total
91
54
1
36
59.34%
2,788
1,991
+797
World Rugby U20 Championship record [ edit ]
World Rugby U20 Championship record
Year
Round
2008
Fifth place
5
4
0
1
221
68
2009
Fourth place
5
3
0
2
186
74
2010
Runners-up
5
4
0
1
239
131
2011
Third place
5
3
0
2
166
117
2012
Eighth place
5
1
0
4
107
94
2013
Seventh place
5
2
0
3
114
84
2014
Fifth place
5
4
0
1
176
101
2015
Fifth place
5
4
0
1
136
110
2016
Sixth place
5
2
0
3
120
116
2017
Sixth place
5
3
0
2
135
106
2018
Fifth place
5
3
0
2
178
103
2019
Runners-up
5
3
0
2
171
122
2023
Fifth place
5
3
1
1
179
157
2024 [ a]
Sixth place
4[ a]
2
0
2
89
71
2025
To be determined.
Total
Runners-up (2)
69
41
1
27
2,217
1,454
U20 Rugby Championship record [ edit ]
U20 Rugby Championship record
Year
Round
2024
Fourth place
3
1
0
2
55
80
2025
To be determined.
Total
Fourth place (1)
3
1
0
3
55
80
Oceania Rugby U20 Championship record [ edit ]
Oceania Rugby U20 Championship record
Year
Round
2015
Runners-up
3
2
0
1
109
87
2016
Runners-up
2
1
0
1
35
54
2017
Runners-up
3
2
0
1
81
87
2018
Runners-up
3
2
0
1
170
55
2019
Champions
3
3
0
0
104
14
2022
Third place
3
1
0
2
91
98
Total
Champions (1)
17
11
0
6
590
395
World Junior Championship
Oceania Junior Championship
Winners (1): 2019
Runners-up (4): 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
^ a b In the pool stage of the 2024 World Rugby U20 Championship , Australia's scheduled fixture against Ireland was cancelled due to weather conditions, rendering the pitch unplayable and unsafe.[ 19] [ 20] Each team was awarded two points.[ 20] Thus Australia did not play the expected three pool stage matches followed-up by two knockout stage matches. Rather, Australia played two pool stage matches and two knockout stage matches, or four in total.
^ "New Zealand crowned JWC 2010 champions" . IRB. 21 June 2010. Archived from the original on 27 February 2014. Retrieved 27 February 2014 .
^ "Young Wallabies finish runners up at Junior Worlds" . 2010.[permanent dead link ]
^ "France 17–30 Australia" . IRB. 26 June 2011. Archived from the original on 10 November 2014. Retrieved 10 November 2014 .
^ "Australia finishes fourth at IRB Junior World Championship" . 2009.[permanent dead link ]
^ "Rugby – Junior Wallabies beat New Zealand to win Oceania under-20s crown" . Special Broadcasting Service . 5 May 2019.
^ Decent, Tom (5 May 2019). "Junior Wallabies thumping of NZ provides lift game desperately needs" . The Sydney Morning Herald . Nine Entertainment . Archived from the original on 5 May 2019.
^ "Junior Wallabies deliver good news with Oceania title win over New Zealand" . The Australian . News Corp Australia . 6 May 2019.
^ "John Weatherstone, 22, left, who will leave Australia on Saturday to tour Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan with the Junior Wallabies" . The Canberra Times . 6 March 1972. p. 36, col. 4. Retrieved 13 April 2018 .
^ "S. Africa names a strong side" . The Canberra Times . 27 July 1971. p. 22, col. 4. Retrieved 13 April 2018 .
^ Australian Rugby Union (27 January 2009). "Biographies - Norman Peter Reilly" . Brave and Game . Archived from the original on 25 January 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2013 .
^ "Third visit in five years" . The Canberra Times . 8 July 1990. p. 36. Retrieved 13 April 2018 .
^ "State Players Nominated" . The West Australian . Perth. 25 June 1953. p.18, col. 2. Retrieved 13 April 2018 .
^ "Union teams selected for Ceylon, Fiji tours" . Illawarra Daily Mercury . Wollongong. 9 July 1953. p.12, col. 5. Retrieved 13 April 2018 .
^ "Roff keen to tackle NZ side" . The Canberra Times . 22 July 1994. p. 28. Retrieved 13 April 2018 .
^ "Junior Wallabies maintain unbeaten record" . The Canberra Times . 22 January 1982. p. 18. Retrieved 13 April 2018 .
^ "Schoolboys still dominant" . The Canberra Times . 28 January 1982. p. 26. Retrieved 13 April 2018 .
^ Tucker, Jim (7 May 2016). "Goalkicker Mack Mason proves hero as junior Wallabies become history-makers in beating All Blacks" . The Courier-Mail . Archived from the original on 7 May 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2018 .
^ "Sport: Samoa expecting full-strength Australia in U20 opener" . Radio New Zealand . 2 June 2015. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 13 April 2018 .
^ "Ireland v Australia in World U20 Championship cancelled" . BBC Sport . BBC . 9 July 2024.
^ a b Williamson, Nathan (9 July 2024). "Australia U20s coach Grey blasts call to cancel Ireland game, ending World Championship semi-final hopes" . rugby.com.au . Rugby Australia .
^ "Australia announce strong U20s squad" . ESPN . 6 May 2008. Archived from the original on 7 May 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2017 .((cite news ))
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link )
^ "Annual Report 2009" (PDF) . Australian Rugby Union. pp. 40–41. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 7 May 2017 .
^ "Trans-Tasman rivals set for final showdown" . ESPN . 20 June 2010. Archived from the original on 7 May 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2017 .
^ "Australian U20s coach announced" . Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 15 February 2013. Archived from the original on 7 May 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2017 .
^ "Simon Cron, who led Northern Suburbs to Shute Shield win, named Australian U-20s coach" . The Daily Telegraph . 9 November 2016. Archived from the original on 7 May 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2017 .
^ "Jason Gilmore says Super Rugby experience with Reds will help him plot junior Wallabies revival" . Fox Sports . 10 April 2018. Archived from the original on 11 April 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2017 .
^ Williamson, Nathan (18 June 2021). "Junior Wallabies name squad for Oceania Tournament" . rugby.com.au . Archived from the original on 18 June 2021.
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