Under-20 graduates set to show their spurs at Rugby World Cup

Three Under-20 Six Nations Championship Grand Slams since 2019 endorse the Ireland elite player pathway as the most successful in the northern hemisphere tournament during that time frame from a results perspective.

France can claim a loftier achievement in that they have won the last three Under-20 World Cups staged (2018, 2019, 2023) including avenging a Six Nations defeat to Richie Murphy’s Irish side in the most recent global final in South Africa during the summer.

The IRFU’s preferred stance is to expose as many players of potential as possible to underage international rugby at the Under-18 and Under-19 levels without being unduly concerned about results, a developmental phase in the elite pathway that focuses on the aptitude of the individual to function and flourish in a rarefied playing environment.

Under-20s to senior level

From an Irish perspective at the Under-20s grade results become a greater consideration without losing sight of continued development because there is also a World Junior Championship at the end of the season where talent can be measured on a global scale.

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Ireland have also managed a decent throughput from Under-20s to senior level but in drawing a line from the last senior World Cup in Japan to the squads that will contest the Webb Ellis trophy in France, it is England and Wales that boast the highest numbers with six different players apiece.

There are 30 different players or so that have featured for Ireland, France, England, Scotland, Wales and Italy across the Under-20 Six Nations tournaments from 2019 to 2023 — the 2021 tournament was played under different regulations in Italy in June — and as expected the biggest single tranche comes from the first year under review.

Noel McNamara’s Irish squad claimed a Grand Slam when they beat Wales at Colwyn Bay in the final round of fixtures. Craig Casey and Ryan Baird featured despite missing matches through injury and a third member of the panel might become a quiz question in years to come. Tipperary native Ben Healy played his part in that campaign but will wear the Scottish colours in France.

Warren Gatland’s Wales squad contains five of the side from that windy night in Colwyn Bay, his co-captains, hooker Dewi Lake and flanker Jac Morgan, flanker cum number eight Taine Basham and a tearaway openside and poacher extraordinaire, Tommy Reffell, whose brother Sean plays with Ulster.

Outhalf Sam Costelow, who enjoyed the notable achievement of playing three years at that age grade for Wales, is one of three outhalves at Gatland’s disposal in France alongside Dan Biggar and Gareth Anscombe.

Under-20 Six Nations

France were able to call upon centres Arthur Vincent and Yoram Moefana, prop Jean-Baptiste Gros and La Rochelle’s Champions Cup-winning flanker Paul Boudehent four years ago and the quartet have graduated to Fabien Galthie’s group that will look to win a World Cup on home soil.

Outhalf Marcus Smith, prop Bevan Rodd and centre/wing Ollie Lawrence are in Steve Borthwick’s England squad while Scotland coach Gregor Townsend has included fullback/wing Ollie Smith, hooker Ewan Ashman and outhalf Ben Healy. A brace of Italian 10s, Paolo Garbisi and Giacomo Da Re complete the class of 2019 who will be in France.

Inspired by Munster outhalf Jack Crowley, Ireland were unbeaten after three matches in the 2020 Under-20 Six Nations before the tournament was abandoned due to Covid-19. Joe McCarthy is the second member of that group who will be in France while hooker Tom Stewart and flanker cum number eight Cian Prendergast, both of whom played in the recent World Cup warm-up matches were part of that underage group.

As the list below indicates, several players returned for a second year at 20s such as Costelow, Morgan, Smith, Ashman, Garbisi and Moefana but three Italians, scrumhalf Stephen Varney and versatile backrow forwards Lorenzo Cannone and Manuel Zuliani, will be part of Italian head coach Kieran Crowley’s squad in France.

Saracens hooker Theo Dan and Leicester Tigers fullback Freddie Steward are in Borthwick’s squad while a third player from three years ago, scrumhalf Jack van Poortvliet, would have gone to France but for an ankle injury sustained in a warm-up match. There were no new faces in the 2021 Under-20 Six Nations that have subsequently graduated to play in the upcoming World Cup.

Ireland and Leinster three-quarter Jamie Osborne played that year and made Farrell’s extended Irish squad. England’s Henry Arundell, who will play under Stuart Lancaster at Racing 92 this season, stands alone in 2022, while arguably even more impressive is how 20-year-old Bordeaux-Bègles flyer Louis Bielle-Biarrey made the Galthie’s World Cup squad.

It’s only been a little over six months since he played fullback in a Six Nations defeat to Ireland at Musgrave Park.

Under 20 Six Nations graduates from 2019-2023 going to World Cup in France

2019

Ireland: Craig Casey, Ryan Baird

England: Marcus Smith, Bevan Rodd, Ollie Lawrence

Wales: Sam Costelow, Taine Basham, Tommy Reffell, Dewi Lake, Jac Morgan

France: Arthur Vincent, Jean-Baptiste Gros, Yoram Moefana, Paul Boudehent.

Italy: Paolo Garbisi, Giacomo Da Re.

Scotland: Ollie Smith, Ewan Ashman, Ben Healy (he played for Ireland at Under-20 level)

2020

Ireland: Jack Crowley, Joe McCarthy

Scotland: Ollie Smith, Ewan Ashman, Rory Darge

Wales: Mason Grady, Sam Costelow, Jac Morgan

Italy: Paolo Garbisi, Stephen Varney, Lorenzo Cannone, Manuel Zuliani

France: Yoram Moefana

England: Theo Dan, Freddie Steward

2021

Wales: Sam Costelow

2022

England: Henry Arundell

2023

France: Louis Bielle-Biarrey