New Zealand win fifth world under-20 title
‘Baby Blacks’ edge defending champions England 21-16 in final in Italy
New Zealand’s “Baby Blacks” won the World Rugby U20 Championship for the fifth time with a 21-16 victory over defending champions England in Cremona, Italy on Saturday.
It was New Zealand’s first triumph since 2011 after they had captured the first four editions, starting in 2008.
England, the double-defending champions, had led 7-0 at one stage after centre Max Clark scored what turned out to be his side’s only try of the game.
Replacement centre Vincent Tavae-Aso helped pull the New Zealanders back into the final with his team’s first try as they went on to carve out a narrow 11-10 lead at the interval.
Powerful number eight Akira Ioane grabbed his team’s second try before he was sin-binned, and in a dramatic finale England had a try ruled out when Piers O’Connor was judged to be offside.
New Zealand coach Scott Robertson said he had used history as motivation, reminding his squad of the sacrifices made by the country’s famed 28th Maori Battalion which fought in Italy during the second world war.