By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
SA Rugby (SARU) has confirmed that the 2025 U20 Rugby Championship will be held in South Africa next month.
Gqeberha will host the second edition of the tournament, which features the junior teams of South Africa, Argentina, Australia, and New Zealand.
The inaugural TRC U20 was a huge success and took place on The Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia in 2024 when New Zealand U20 won the title after remaining unbeaten.
After a draw with South Africa in the first round the NZ U20 team subsequently beat Argentina and Australia to pip the Junior Springboks for the title.
The tournament will once again prove invaluable in the Junior Springboks’ preparations for the 2025 World Rugby U20 Championship, which will be staged in the Lombardia and Veneto regions of Italy from 29 June to 19 July.
The Championship matches will be played at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium and the format remains the same with all teams playing each other once in a three-match round robin, across three match days.
SANZAAR CEO Brendan Morris stated, “Following the success of the inaugural tournament in Queensland, Australia in 2024 SANZAAR is pleased to announce that the TRC U20 Championship will head to South Africa this year. Last year the title went down to the last round and we witnessed some very competitive and absorbing rugby.”
“This important Championship, to be played at the Nelson Mandela May Stadium in Gqeberha, will not only provide a vital pathway for up-and-coming rugby talent through exposure to essential international competition but will also provide development opportunities for the next generation of coaches, team management and match officials.”
“SANZAAR sincerely thanks South Africa Rugby, that has an excellent reputation for hosting such events, for its support of the Championship, and especially to the Eastern Cape Government who are providing invaluable assistance with the staging of the tournament.”
SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer believes the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropole will be an excellent host for the second edition of the tournament.
“We are thrilled to bring this tournament to Gqeberha, a city with a rich rugby culture and a passionate fan base and we are very grateful for the assistance from the Eastern Cape government in this regard,” said Oberholzer.
“The Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium offers top-class team facilities and an exceptional viewing experience for fans, making it the perfect venue for this event.
“The combination of top-notch facilities and accommodation, coupled with the enthusiastic support of the Eastern Cape government and the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropole, will undoubtedly create a memorable experience for everyone involved.
The action kicks off on 1 May, with New Zealand taking on Australia at 14:00, followed by the Junior Boks facing Argentina at 16:10.