The U20 Rugby World Cup 2025 runs in Italy from June 19 - July 19 and the TAB NZ have all the top odds and betting previews for the tournament!
U20 Rugby World Cup Info
- Host Nation: Italy
- Start Date: 19 June, 2025
- End Date: 19 July, 2025
Get ready for the future stars of rugby to collide at the U20 Rugby World Cup in 2025, and you know TAB NZ will be right there with all the juicy betting action!
With the U20 Rugby World Cup back for 2025 after a nail-biting 2024 season, more tense games and great betting opportunities await.
Whether you’ve got a hunch on which young guns will lift the trophy in Italy, fancy a flutter on the Baby Blacks’ chances, or want to get into the nitty-gritty of pool play upsets, TAB NZ will have you sorted.
It’s a fantastic chance to see the next generation of international legends battle it out and adding a bet or two just makes those epic tries and bone-crunching tackles even more exciting!
Follow along while we walk you through the latest U20 Rugby World Cup tournament and prepare you for the next championship, including which team might take the win – it’s going to be a cracking tournament to get amongst!
2025 U20 Rugby World Cup Preview
The next World Rugby U20 championship will be in Italy, and many of the usual teams will make a grand return.
England will have its head up high and might set its sights on two consecutive wins.
The recent Six Nations U20 tournament (including England, Scotland, Wales, Italy, France, and Ireland) was a strong showing from England and France. In the next World Cup, we might see a fierce rivalry here.
In terms of specific players, several top scorers are now off their teams, with Sean Kerr, Jack Murphy, Hugo Reus, and more now too old for the U20s. Many of 2025’s top scorers will most likely be fresh blood.
Although many of these clubs have very different teams now, 2024’s U20 Rugby World Cup results suggest a good 2025 for England, France, New Zealand, and Ireland. However, it could be anyone’s game.
U20 Rugby World Cup 2025 Teams
2025’s World Rugby U20 tournament will have twelve teams, namely:
- Argentina
- Australia
- England
- France
- Georgia
- Ireland
- Italy
- New Zealand
- Scotland
- South Africa
- Spain
- Wales
Scotland’s 12th-place finish in 2019 relegated them to the U20 Trophy, which they won in 2024, allowing them to make a glorious return to the U20 Championship. In addition, Fiji’s major 2024 loss has consigned them to the Trophy until they win it.
England’s return comes with a lot of pressure—their 2024 victory ended a French winning streak. France could fight them tooth and nail to get back on track, or the England team might push themselves further to start a streak of their own.
In addition, New Zealand’s third-place finish in 2024 also gives the Baby Blacks a fighting chance. Notably, New Zealand won the SANZAAR U20 Championship in 2024; they might carry this momentum into 2025’s World Cup.
Despite hosting, Italy has languished near the bottom of the World Rugby U20 Championship’s scoreboards since its inception in 2008, with two U20 Trophy stints. Could Italy fare better on home ground? Possibly, but hosting hasn’t helped them before.
U20 Rugby World Cup Tournament Preview
The round-robin “pool/knockout” format has been a part of the U20 Rugby World Cup since its debut in 2008. We can expect to see it return in 2025, though the matchups aren’t clear yet. Some particularly interesting possibilities here include:
- England vs. France as a “rematch” of the intense 2024 final.
- New Zealand vs. South Africa, a famous rugby rivalry.
- Scotland vs. Italy, a possible redemption for the former’s relegation.
England and France are semi-frequent winners, meaning they’ll likely have strong showings across the board. New Zealand has also performed well in the past, but the Baby Blacks’ seventh-place finish in 2024 is their lowest ranking yet.
Everything’s to play for once the first whistle blows, and the odds will change with every game. Whatever we expect for 2025, the tournament will still carry plenty of surprises.
2025 U20 Rugby World Cup Betting
The U20 Rugby World Cup has a strong range of betting markets—with a variety that’s quite close to the 20+ championship. Here are some of the most common types of wagers that U20 rugby fans often place.
How To Bet On 2025 U20 Rugby World Cup
Betting on the 2025 U20 Rugby World Cup with TAB NZ is simple and straightforward. Here’s how you can get in on the action:
- Log in or sign up with TAB NZ.
- Make a secure online deposit using one of the TAB NZ safe deposit methods.
- Check out the 2025 U20 Rugby World Cup betting previews and our expert 2025 U20 Rugby World Cup tips to make informed bets.
- Choose from the wide variety of 2025 U20 Rugby World Cup bets available. There are many options, so make sure you check out all the betting markets on offer.
- Select the 2025 U20 Rugby World Cup player or match you want to bet on.
- Select the ‘bet now’ option or add to a multi, then wait to see how your 2025 U20 Rugby World Cup bets unfold!
Whether you’re betting on individual matches or the 2025 U20 Rugby World Cup final, there’s no shortage of betting opportunities to explore. And don’t forget to visit the TAB NZ Punters Lounge and Sports Blog for expert insights and tips to guide your 2025 U20 Rugby World Cup betting strategy.
Match Winner
As the name suggests, these bets are for the team that wins the match. You may use each team’s past performance to make a more informed decision here.
Power Play
These bets look at how well one of the teams dominates the match. For example, you might bet for a team to be in the lead at the 20-minute mark.
Try Scorer
These wagers are all about who gets a try. You’ll have to choose a specific player, and you can choose between First Try, Anytime Try, and Multiple Try bets.
Total Points
You could also bet on how many points a team will have by the end of the match. This might take the form of an Over/Under bet; the number in question depends on the game.
Tackles
These bets let you select a player who you believe will get a certain number of tackles. 25+ and 30+ tackles are common options, though this can go up to 50+ and combine with other players’ tackles.
Competition Winner
Finally, you can bet on who’ll win the overall competition. The odds for each team will change as they progress through or even leave the tournament.
Bet on the 2025 U20 Rugby World Cup now!
U20 Rugby World Cup 2024 Final Result
2024’s last U20 match was between England and France on 19 July in Cape Town, with England winning 21-13. It was England’s fourth U20 Rugby World Cup win overall and their first in eight years, putting an end to France’s winning streak in the process.
France started the game strong, with the year’s top scorer, Hugo Reus, getting the match’s first try. Les Bleuets fought valiantly, with Reus also tackling the ball from England’s Henry Pollock’s hands. Sean Kerr soon turned the tide to 7-3.
From here, England slowly took more control, dominating in the second half. Kerr scored several penalties—keeping his status as England’s top scorer. France tried for a comeback, but England’s turnovers let them stay on top until the final whistle.
U20 Rugby World Cup Records
New Zealand has six U2 Rugby World Cup wins, which ultimately means they have the most U20 tournament wins—their 2008-2011 streak also means they have the highest number of consecutive victories. While France came close to matching this in 2024, England ultimately won.
Focusing more on New Zealand, their 2017 victory came with a record-breaking winning margin. The final score was 64-17, the Baby Blacks beating England by 47 points. This beats their previous 2010 record of 62-17 against Australia. There have also been a few close final games. However, special mention goes to 2014 (England vs. South Africa) and 2019 (France vs. Australia), where England and France each won by just one point.
In terms of overall tries in a tournament, 2023 wins with 259; over eight per game. This was the first championship since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it seems everyone brought their best on the competition’s grand return. As for another type of record, Uruguay has currently gone the longest without a place in the U20 World Rugby Championship. Their team has been relegated to the U20 Trophy since 2009, where they’ve performed well.
U20 Rugby World Cup Winners
It’s no secret that there have only been four U20 Rugby World Cup winners, namely New Zealand, England, France, and South Africa. Here’s a refresher on the U20 tournament’s victors:
| Year | Champions | Runners-up |
| 2008 | New Zealand | England |
| 2009 | New Zealand | England |
| 2010 | New Zealand | Australia |
| 2011 | New Zealand | England |
| 2012 | South Africa | New Zealand |
| 2013 | England | Wales |
| 2014 | England | South Africa |
| 2015 | New Zealand | England |
| 2016 | England | Ireland |
| 2017 | New Zealand | England |
| 2018 | France | England |
| 2019 | France | Australia |
| 2023 | France | Ireland |
| 2024 | England | France |
New Zealand is, without a doubt, the most successful team here, with six wins. In fact, this is the longest they’ve gone without winning the title. 2025 could see the Baby Blacks make a comeback!
Ultimately, there’s no telling what this year’s U20 Rugby World Cup will bring. At TAB NZ, we’ll help you find great U20 rugby bets. Check back in between games for plenty of new markets and odds.
U20 Rugby World Cup Champions
Knowing which teams have dominated in the past can show us who’s likely to win big in 2025. The final U20 World Cup Rugby results since the tournament’s 2008 beginning are as follows:
- 2008-2011: New Zealand
- 2012: South Africa
- 2013-2014: England
- 2015: New Zealand
- 2016: England
- 2017: New Zealand
- 2018-2019: France
- (No tournaments 2020-2022)
- 2023: France
- 2024: England
New Zealand, England, and France have all enjoyed consecutive U20 Rugby World Cup wins—and these three and South Africa are the only World Rugby U20 championship winners so far. In all likelihood, one of these teams will win again. However, other countries have broached second and third place before.
It’s still possible that 2025 could be the year that Ireland, Australia, or even Argentina finally win big!
U20 Rugby World Cup Finals
After the pool stage, the top four teams face off in two semi-finals; the winners of each then enter the finals. The format here is just like any other rugby match— but with higher stakes and more pressure than ever.
2024’s final U20 Rugby World Cup match was between England and France, with France aiming for their fourth win in a row. However, England ultimately managed to secure their first title win in eight years, with centre Sean Kerr scoring the most points. However, 2012’s final might be the most memorable so far—this was when South Africa ended New Zealand’s winning streak. The two teams are historically rugby rivals, adding a more personal sting to this defeat.
2014 was another intense final, with England beating South Africa by just a single point (21-20). As for 2025, we can expect that at least one of the previous winners will make it to the final, as is tradition.
U20 Rugby World Cup Awards
There are currently no formal awards for the U20 tournament. From 2008 to 2023, however, the World Rugby Junior Player of the Year accolade recognised each tournament’s top player. While there was no 2024 award, France’s Hugo Reus was the season’s top scorer (57), and Argentina’s Juan Greising Revol got the most tries (5).
On a team basis, here’s a quick look at the top scores across the squads:
- Tries: New Zealand (26)
- Tackles: Spain (830)
- Kicks: Italy (142)
- Points: New Zealand (182)
Players who progress past the U20s could still earn a World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year award. Its most recent winner is Wallace Sititi, formerly of the U20 New Zealand team.
The biggest award, however, is always the U20 Rugby World Cup title! And you can bet on which team will take out the top honours this season through the TAB NZ!
2025 U20 Rugby World Cup Prize Money
The U20 Rugby Championship has no prize money. This is unlike the main Rugby World Cup, where every team gets a sizable cut, including those that don’t reach the semi, or even quarter-finals. Here’s how it worked in 2023:
- Pool stage teams earned NZ$565,000
- Quarter-final teams earned NZ$1.35 million
- Semifinal teams earned NZ$2.7 million
- The runner-ups earned NZ$5.6 million
- The winners earned NZ$10.8 million
Prestige is the main reward for playing in (and winning) the U20 championship. As these players are hoping to play rugby beyond teen leagues, every game and try under their belt helps their careers.
World Rugby scouts and teams are always looking for new standout players, with 2024 top scorer Hugo Reus already now at Top 14 club La Rochelle. Every player’s goal is, ultimately, to make an impression.
This page and the written content within it were partially generated using AI or automated technology and edited and verified by our editorial team.