They have been drawn with Australia, New Zealand and Japan in Pool A – games which will be played in the rugby hotbeds of Béziers and Perpignan.
With former head coach Jason Strange taking up a new role with Cardiff Blues, Geraint Lewis – already an integral member of the U18 and U20 set-up – takes the reins on an interim basis. Lewis will be assisted on his staff by former Wales tighthead Chris Horsman, 2018 Challenge Cup-winning defence coach Richard Hodges, and former Pontypridd fly-half Dai Flanagan.
U20s has proven to be an invaluable pathway for Welsh rugby. Two previous U20 captains, Cory Hill and Ellis Jenkins, will share the armband on the senior tour to USA and Argentina this summer. In fact, an incredible 22 of Wales’ 30-strong touring party have come through the U20 ranks.
This summer, we’ll be getting a glimpse of which players have what it takes to follow in the footsteps of Hill, Jenkins and co. Here’s a rundown of Pool A.
WALES
Captained by Leicester Tigers’ Tommy Reffell, Wales aim to come into this year’s tournament fighting fit, and as such have been training in the infamous sand dunes of Merthyr Mawr, and recently played a match behind closed doors against the physical Junior Boks.
This year’s Six Nations acted as an opportunity for the coaches to bring through a large number of players with the intention of creating a World Rugby U20s selection headache, but some bolters have also forced themselves into the equation in the form of Wales U18 players Ben Fry (back row), Dewi Cross (wing) and Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler (centre).
Six players from last summer’s tournament in Georgia are back this year, and those such as centre Ioan Nicholas (Scarlets) and wing Joe Goodchild (Dragons) will be all the better for their Guinness Pro14 game time this season.
As the only Northern Hemisphere side in the pool, Wales will be hoping to bring something different to a very interesting table.
Best Finish: Runner-up (2013).
AUSTRALIA
The Junior Wallabies finished one place above Wales in Georgia last year, claiming sixth place. They were in fine form during the recent Oceania U20s, beating Fiji (51-5) and Tonga (91-7) at home on the Gold Coast, before coming unstuck in their final match against trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand, which they lost 43-28.
Four players made their Super Rugby debuts this year, one of whom, lock Harry Hockings, was described by Queensland Reds head coach Brad Thorn as having the potential to play 100 Tests for the Wallabies.
Wales faced Australia in the pool stage in Georgia last year; an encounter the young men in green and gold won 24-17. In that game, Dragons fly-half Arwel Robson hit a sweetly-struck drop goal to level the scores with just minutes remaining, before Australia concocted an opportunist try to dash Welsh hopes at the death.
Best Finish: Runner-up (2010)
NEW ZEALAND
Ever the favourites for the title – justifiably so, perhaps, given they have won six of the past 10 tournaments – New Zealand arrive in France having swept aside all comers in the Oceania U20 Championship.
Big things are expected of John Akau’ola-Laula, who converted from rugby league to union three years ago, and whose older brother currently stars for Warrington Wolves. Twelve of the players in the squad have been in Mitre 10 Cup action this year too, meaning they won’t lack high-intensity rugby experience.
Wales ran a Jordie Barrett-inspired New Zealand close in 2016, losing by a single point in Manchester, but arguably the finest moment for the U20s came in 2012: Ellis Jenkins’ side winning 9-6 in a rain-soaked Stellenbosch, where a Tom Prydie penalty inflicted a first loss in four years on the Baby Blacks.
Best Finish: Champions (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2017).
JAPAN
The Baby Blossoms were promoted to this year’s tournament after winning the World Rugby U20 Trophy in Uruguay in September, beating Portugal 14-3 in the final.
University players predominate the selection, but there are notable inclusions for two Top League players in this year’s squad. Promising number eight Shota Fukui is being coached by Robbie Deans at Panasonic Wild Knights, and will have learnt a lot operating in a back row with world-class Wallaby David Pocock.
The other is prop Yusuke Yamada of the catchily-titled Toyota Industries Shuttles, who will play in the sort of mobile front row unit that Japanese teams have become renowned for producing. Elsewhere, two players of Tongan origin, Asipeli Moala (Tenri Uni) and Halatoa Vailea (Nippon Uni), will look to carry on their impressive form from U19 level after beating their Irish counterparts in Donnybrook in March.
Best Finish: 10th (2015).
Fixtures: Wales will take on Australia at the Stade de la Mediterranee in Béziers on Wednesday 30th May (20:00 BST), and New Zealand at the same venue on Sunday 3rd June (15:30). They then round off Pool A with a trip to the Stade Aime-Giral in Perpignan for a meeting with Japan on Thursday 7th June (17:30).
Wales’ matches at the World Rugby U20 Championship will be shown live on S4C.
