A chance to see the stars of the future
World Cup winners, British and Irish Lions, Champions Cup champions and Six Nations Grand Slam winners - almost all of them got their start at the World Rugby U20 Championships over the years.
From Maro Itoje to Antoine Dupont, Beauden Barrett, Eben Etzebeth and Marcus Smith, so many of today's global stars got their first taste of international rugby on this stage.
What will this year's crop bring? There's Spain's hooker, Pau Massoni, who is taking part in his second tournament and has urged his younger team-mates to "take advantage of every ball, every action, every minute on the field as if it were your last". One of his team-mates is flanker Unax Salvador, who stands at 1.90m and weighs in at 100kgs despite only being 17 years old. He will hope to make a literal as well as figurative impact this summer.
Salvador will be up against players like Bordeaux-Begles' Lenny Alifanety, Dragons second rower Nick Thomas and Argentina full-back Pascal Senillosa - who was the only player to gain more than 200 metres while carrying in this year’s U20 Rugby Championship in South Africa.
There is a full array of players on display at the World Rugby U20 Championship, from those already in full professional setups to those taking their first steps in the big time.
Stars of the future may not have to wait long
That step up may not take as long as some players think. This time last year Henry Pollock was preparing to take part in the World Rugby U20 Championship 2024. He and his England team-mates would go on an unbeaten run in the tournament which culminated in a 21-13 victory over France in the final.
He then took part in the U20 Six Nations 2025, but by the end of that campaign he had made his senior England game against Wales in Cardiff - scoring two tries in a memorable first outing for Steve Borthwick's side.
He would go on to play in the Champions Cup final with Northampton Saints after a superb solo try helped sink Leinster in the semi-final in May. On the back of it all, he was selected by Andy Farrell for the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia, coming off the bench in the pre-tour fixture against Argentina in Dublin, and starting in the number eight jersey in their first match on Australian soil when they beat the Western Force.
While the World Rugby U20 Championship gives everyone a chance to see the stars of the future, Pollock is showing all those players that that future could be much closer than they realise.
Closely fought tournament awaits
This year's edition is set to the be most closely fought World Rugby U20 Championship in history, with England only two titles away from catching the most successful side in the tournament's history: New Zealand. The latter won the first four tournaments but have not won since 2017, and will certainly be looking to add to their haul this year.
England, meanwhile, were dominant in 2024, toppling France in the final after the French had won the previous three editions, while Ireland made the semi-finals of the last two World Rugby U20 Championships but suffered a poor U20 Six Nations 2025 in which they registered one win and came last.
South Africa, meanwhile, have come third no fewer than on nine occasions in the 14 times they have taken part in this tournament, and not only will they be smarting from their seventh-place finish on home soil last time out, they will also want to bounce back from a disappointing U20 Rugby Championship in which they finished third behind New Zealand and Australia.
The Australians have only made the semi-finals of the World Rugby U20 Championship on one occasion since 2011, but in this year's U20 Rugby Championship were within a whisker of winning the title after beating South Africa and Argentina and drawing with New Zealand.
Argentina, meanwhile, beat Australia and South Africa at last year's World Rugby U20 Championship, and Italy did the same against the latter. It all points to the fact that any side can beat another on the day, which will ensure plenty of exciting games over the course of the tournament.
A chance to write a new chapter
In the World Rugby U20 Championship 2014, England beat South Africa narrowly in the final at Eden Park in Auckland. South Africa's Jesse Kriel scored the opening try of the game, while Itoje was the captain who would hold the trophy aloft after the final whistle in New Zealand.
In June 2025, 11 years later, Itoje is captaining the British and Irish Lions on their summer tour of Australia, while Kriel was named to captain the Springboks in their match against the Barbarians in Cape Town.
Regardless of the heights those two players have hit over the past decade, they will have fond memories of the times shared on the field with teammates who are now playing all over the world, and it seems this year's crop are all too aware of their opportunity to write the next chapter in their respective countries' rugby history.
"Our team want to create their own story this summer and are determined to make lifelong memories, starting this Sunday," said England coach Mark Mapletoft.
South Africa captain Riley Norton said: "We've worked incredibly hard to be here, and all of us are just so proud to be representing this team and our country.
"The brotherhood and togetherness are big focuses for us, and we all have that desire to be the best player that we can be, in the service of our country and for the Junior Springbok team."
Australia coach Chris Whitaker added: "This group of young men have worked extremely hard to earn the opportunity to represent Australia on the biggest stage in age-grade rugby.
"They’re all excited to pull on the gold jersey and test themselves against the best in the world."
"The adrenaline, the feeling of being on a stage of this magnitude... it's an honour and a blessing," Spain captain Massoni continued as he addressed his young teammates.
"Enjoy it, give it your all, hold nothing back, and get the most out of the games, the preparation, and the journey."
Watch the World Rugby U20 Championship on RugbyPass TV by clicking here.