IRB Video: IRB Junior World Championships Promo
Since the IRB took control of the old FIRA/AER U19 and Sanzar/UAR U21 championships in the new millennium, the two tournaments have become forerunners to the game’s major tournament, the Rugby World Cup.
Springbok Coach Jake White cut his teeth as an international coach in the younger age groups, helping South Africa to win the 1999 Sanzar/UAR U21 title in 1999 before steering his country’s talented youngsters to the inaugural IRB U21 Championship title on home soil in 2002.
Five years on, White was re-united with nine of his U21 squad members in France as the Springboks captured the Webb Ellis Cup for the second time with their victory over England in Paris.
“I had John Smit as captain of my 1999 side and Jean de Villiers, Fourie du Preez and Jean Smith in the 2002 squad. The core of the group that helped win the World Cup for South Africa in 2007 came from those two junior teams,” said White.
“One of the main reasons I was able to get some success at senior level as Springbok coach was because I had worked with so many of the players at U21 level. These junior tournaments are a fantastic opportunity for players to get a taste of what is before them if they are prepared to work hard and develop their game.
“Those successful experiences at U21 level meant I was coaching players with the Springboks who knew what it was like to win a World Cup by beating the All Blacks, the French and the Australians.
“I was lucky because the South African Rugby Board gave me everything I needed to prepare the sides and there is no doubt the professional programmes that are being put in place for these young players are helping to raise the standards of the game around the world.
“I even had Os Du Randt acting as a scout for me in 2002 when we were looking for the best players to take to the tournament.”
Former IRB World Player of the Year, Schalk Burger, played in the 2003 IRB tournament at U21 level in England and featured in a game against a Wales side at Newbury. The ‘Baby Boks’ were 52-21 winners on the day and Burger will meet up again with two members of the Wales pack from that game on Saturday in the Prince William Cup clash at the Millennium Stadium, prop Rhys Thomas and lock Luke Charteris.
“I was fortunate enough to coach Wales at five tournaments and I would have to say that Burger stood out head and shoulders as the best player I’ve seen at that age,” said former Wales U21 Coach Chris Davey.
“It was a marvellous experience for the players to meet their peers from around the world and it certainly demonstrated to the northern hemisphere nations exactly what work needed to be done to match the best from down south. To begin with we weren’t physical enough to match the New Zealanders, Australians and South Africans. But these days we are as well conditioned as any nation and are able to compete well against them all.
“Having the IRB Junior World Championship at U20 level in Wales will be a great opportunity for our best youngsters to see where they rank in the world game. It will also provide the fans with a fantastic chance to see the next generation of rugby superstars before they hit the headlines.”
Davey coached Wales to fourth place in the 2002 tournament, when they were beaten in the 3rd/4th play-off match by a New Zealand side containing Dan Carter and Tony Woodcock.
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, Dragons outside half Ceri Sweeney, Worcester Warriors scrum half Ryan Powell, Scarlets flanker James Bater 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.
“I played twice in the U19 tournament and each time was a fantastic experience. We lost to New Zealand in the final in 1999 and they had a number of players I went on to meet again for Wales and the Lions – Richie McCaw, Jerry Collins and Aaron Mauger,” said Wales scrum half Dwayne Peel.
“These junior competitions are great tournaments with a hell of a lot at stake. What made them really difficult was the fact you play so many games with such a short turnaround. But everyone really enjoyed them. They have proven to be a massive breeding ground and it was a good place to play because a lot of us were capped only a year later.
“It definitely exposed me to a higher level of rugby and gave me a better insight into what was needed to step up onto the international stage. You only have to look at the big name players who have played well in those tournaments to see they are a stepping stone to bigger and better things.”
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.
“I was a youngster at the time, but playing full-time at Swansea. That meant I went into the Junior World Cup with plenty of confidence,” said Henson, who was named the inaugural IRB Young Player of the Year that summer.
“I was playing against men week-in-week out, so I knew I was of a standard and that gave a real boost to my game. I’m a confidence player and I think that probably brought out the best in me. We did reasonably well and should’ve done better really. We all thought we were playing well and could have won the competition. The pundits obviously thought I did okay because they gave me the young player of the year award, which was a very proud moment for me.
“As it turns out, that was my only experience of World Cup rugby to date. It left me itching to be involved at senior level which, unfortunately, hasn’t happened yet. But the memories of 2001still spur me on and maintain my thirst for top-class international rugby on the world stage.”
Henson returns to the Wales team to face South Africa this weekend and could find himself going head-to-head with Francois Steyn – an IRB World Championship winner at U19 level in 2005 and a Rugby World Cup winner in 2007.
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 Warburton’s U19 side finished fourth in IRB competition in Belfast last year and will be keen to do well on home soil next summer. A number of that side have already gained Regional experience – Gareth Owen at the Ospreys, Daniel Evans and Jonathan Davies at the Scarlets – and they will be hoping to go one better than Adam Jones’s side of 1999.
WALES AT THE U21 WORLD CUPS
1999 (SANZAR Tournament – P5 W 2 – 5th)
South Africa 48, Wales 9
Australia 28, Wales 4
England 25, Wales 3
Wales 23, Argentina 19
Wales 19, England 17
2002 (IRB Tournament – P5 W 2 – 4th)
Wales 82, Italy 18
Wales 45, Argentina 34
New Zealand 73, Wales 19
Australia 43, Wales 7
New Zealand 59, Wales 7
2003 (IRB Tournament – P5 W3 – 6th)
Scotland 19, Wales 37
Wales 24, Argentina 18
South Africa 50, Wales 21
Wales 44, England 27
France 24, Wales 20
2004 (IRB Tournament – P5 W3 – 6th)
Wales 46, Russia 11
South Africa 27, Wales 26
England 23, Wales 14
Wales 29, France 21
Wales 26, England 19
2005 (IRB Tournament – P5 W1 – 8th)
New Zealand 60, Wales 15
Wales 24, Scotland 8
Argentina 36, Wales 31
Scotland 43, Wales 25
England 57, Wales 32
2006 (IRB Tournament – P5 W1 L4 – 8th)
Wales 73, Georgia 25
Wales 3, France 32
Wales 10, Argentina 13
England 13, Wales 11
Argentina 28, Wales 11
