FRA 26-34 NZL: New Zealand edge epic encounter to set up South Africa final
New Zealand put last year’s semi-final defeat to France behind them by beating Les Bleuets to reach their first final since 2017.
Looking evenly matched and coming into the game on red-hot form, these two teams were expected to serve up a classic and they didn’t disappoint.
New Zealand struck first, Stanley Solomon pouncing on a loose ball to burst clear and touch down in the corner. Mosese Bason then scored their second try after Frank Vaenuku’s clever back-of-the-hand pass.
France hit back with two tries of their own, first through Kalvin Gourgues after a precise chip ahead by fly-half Luke Keletaona. Then, Fabien Brau-Boirie’s electric break led to a France penalty. From the resulting lineout, Baptise Britz drove over New Zealand’s line to reduce their lead to two.
Rico Simpson’s penalty and Jack Wiseman’s converted try again put daylight between the teams, only for Brau-Boirie to score under the posts on the stroke of half-time to make it 19-24.
Another Simpson penalty took the lead out to two scores, before New Zealand lost Wiseman and Vaenuku to yellow cards in quick succession. But, with some heroic defence, they managed to keep their noses in front by limiting France to just a converted John Echegaray try converted try during this period.
When replacement lock Aisake Vakasiuola powered over, France’s resistance was finally broken. This time they couldn’t respond, leaving Les Bleuets without a place in the final for the first time since 2017, the same year New Zealand last lifted the trophy.
“That was a tough one,” said New Zealand scrum-half Dylan Pledger. “We knew the French were going to bring some heat, so we just wanted to get one over on them [after losing last year’s semi-final]. It’s pretty special to reach our first final for eight years. We talked about playing this like this was our final and now we’ve got one more final to go.”
The stage is set and the final awaits 🤩
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) July 14, 2025
One game. Everything on the line 🔥#WorldRugbyU20s pic.twitter.com/pdWOaHNm7X
RSA 48-24 ARG: Perennial semi-finalists South Africa make first showpiece since 2014
The other semi-final was a more one-sided affair, as a four-try blitz by South Africa all but put the match beyond Argentina by the end of the first quarter.
Star scrum-half Hassiem Pead was again to the fore. He created the first try for Albertus Bester after taking a quick tap from a free-kick and sniping towards the tryline. Pead then scored his sixth try of the tournament as South Africa showed all their pace, power and passing ability straight from the kick-off.
A try either side of half-time gave Argentina a glimmer of hope, but this seemed to spark South Africa into life. Two Vusi Moyo penalty kicks settled the nerves before hard-carrying centre Bester scored his second try to put the result beyond doubt.
Argentina did have time to score a consolation try through Ramon Fernandez Miranda but Cheswill Jooste jinked through in the last minute to demonstrate the difference between the two sides.
“It’s an extremely special group, I’m extremely lucky,” said winning captain Riley Norton. “It makes my job very easy. It was a bit scrappy today – Argentina put us under the pressure in the set-piece – but a win’s a win.
“We come from all different backgrounds but when we come together, it’s something special.”
Lightning doesn’t strike twice for Wales against England
World Rugby U20 Championship 2024 winners England reached the Fifth-place play-off after a convincing win against Wales, avenging the defeat in this year’s U20 Six Nations.
After a scrappy opening half an hour in which Wales went ahead through two penalty kicks, the game sparked into life with three tries in five minutes, two for England giving them a 17-13 half-time lead, despite a 20-minute red card.
It was all England after the break, though, five further tries – including one from impressive full-back Josh Bellamy – giving them a convincing 51-13 win.
England will play Australia in the shoot-out for fifth, after the Junior Wallabies beat Italy 44-21. The Azzurrini got to within six points with 25 minutes to play, but indiscipline – three yellow cards and 15 penalties conceded – ultimately cost them.
England won the pool match against Australia 36-33 with a last-minute penalty.
Impressive number eight Mikheili Shioshvili scored a hat-trick of tries – his third, fourth and fifth of the tournament – as Georgia overwhelmed Spain 43-12 in the first Ninth-place semi-final. The Junior Lelos touched down seven times altogether, their victory built on a dominant set-piece.
They will play Scotland, who will celebrate their return to the World Rugby U20 Championship for the first time since 2019 by finishing no lower than 10th after they deservedly beat Ireland 22-21 in the other semi-final.
Ireland dominated territory and possession but Scotland always looked more potent. They led 17-7 until Ireland edged in front with two converted tries in the space of five second half-minutes. But replacement prop Jake Shearer crashed over with the last play of the game to spark jubilant scenes in the Scotland camp.
The remaining games take place on Saturday, July 19.
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