Sanzaar U-20 Rugby Championship a boost for development in region

SA Rugby director of rugby Rassie Erasmus described the creation of a new Under-20 Rugby Championship as long overdue, saying it would accelerate player development for the big southern hemisphere countries. 

Sanzaar announced on Wednesday it was creating the new competition for junior teams, a direct response to the dominance of the northern hemisphere sides at this year’s U-20 Rugby World Cup. Three of the four semi-finalists were from Europe with France emerging victorious against Ireland in the final. The Baby Boks finished third. 

“It was clear that the Six Nations teams participating in this year’s World Rugby U-20 Championship came into the tournament better prepared for the rigours of international rugby,” Erasmus said.

“We’ve been trying for a long time to organise more competitive matches for the Junior Springboks, as quality game time is something we’ve identified as lacking from the U-20 programme.

“Nothing prepares a player better for top-level competition than regular exposure to match situations, and there isn’t a better way to do this than to play. We are excited about this new competition and would like to commend Sanzaar for putting it together.”

The competition will be played annually in one country and will comprise a round robin where all four teams play each other once across a three-week period. The top team after the three-round, six-match tournament will be the winner.

Baby Boks coach Bafana Nhleko also welcomed the new competition.

“This initiative is an important development for the Sanzaar teams’ pathway programmes, not only as match preparation for the world championship, but it’s also a life experience for the players to travel to different countries and experience different environments and cultures,” he said.

Sanzaar chair Hamish McLennan said the absence of a junior competition had been a hole in the organisation’s “junior pathways”.

“Exposure to additional international matches can only benefit the players in terms of experience and adapting to the demands of the top level of rugby.”

Sanzaar will give more details about the competition in due course.