Argentina put the disappointment of missing out on the final behind them by beating France 38-35 to clinch Third place at the World Rugby U20 Championship for just the second time.
Los Pumitas scored the opening try, prop Diego Correa touching down after a series of pick-and-goes. Les Bleuets hit back through Jon Echegaray, and they looked to be pulling away with further tries either side of half-time.
But Argentina refused to be beaten and scored five second-half tries, four through their unstoppable driving maul, to take revenge for their 52-26 pool stage defeat to the French.
Argentina even showed their subtler side when Pascal Senillosa gathered Ramon Fernandez Miranda’s delicate chip through to score under the posts.
France captain Simeli Daunivucu admitted his team were “really disappointed” not to win the game and the tournament but gave credit to Argentina.
Los Pumitas captain Felipe Ledesma said: “We always knew the potential we had so I’m very proud of my team. We worked so hard for this win. We made history. That was what we proposed and we achieved that. It’s unforgettable.”
Australia put 60 on England to finish fifth
There was more payback in the fifth-place play-off, where Australia beat England 68-40 after going down 36-33 to the same opposition during the pool phase.
In a crazy, end-to-end contest, the Junior Wallabies outscored England by five tries to three in each half, with Aden Ekanayake, Sidney Harvey and Malakye Enasio scoring two apiece.
Italy make history with highest-ever finish but Spain fall just short
There was drama in the day’s two early games as Italy celebrated their highest-ever finish in the World Rugby U20 Championship by beating Wales 31-23 in the seventh-place play-off.
Having surrendered half-time leads to France and Argentina during the pool phase, Wales again led early on here, but – in a game featuring seven cards – their lineout malfunctioned again as the hosts gradually pulled away.
“Amazing to finish with a win at home, incredible emotions,” Azzurrini captain Giacomo Milano said. “To finish here in front of our people, our family our friends, I’m very happy because we won and made history.”
In the 11th-place play-off, Spain were within minutes of beating 2024 semi-finalists Ireland. Spain trailed 26-8 late in the first half but clawed their way back into the contest, courtesy of their forwards, who scored four tries between them before fly-half Luciano Richardis jinked inside from the right wing to grab the fifth on 62 minutes.
But after enjoying 80% possession and 73% territory in the final 10 minutes, Ireland’s pressure finally told. Hooker Henry Walker gathered his own lineout throw from the subsequent maul and rumbled over to clinch a 38-27 victory.
In the ninth-place play-off, Georgia overpowered Scotland 22-7. The Junior Lelos, who will host an expanded World Rugby U20 Championship in 2026, again had number eight Mikheili Shioshvili to thank. He scored twice more to finish as the tournament's top try scorer with seven.
Scotland, whose try came from the impressive Reuben Logan, will rue two yellow cards.
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