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The best of Hong Kong’s youth rugby players will travel to Kenya this summer for the Under-20 Trophy. Photo: Edmond So

World Rugby Under-20 Trophy: Hong Kong to face Spain, Samoa and Kenya in Pool B as tournament returns

  • Event will be held between July 15 and 30, with eight teams battling it out for the right to play in the U20 Championship next year
  • Scotland and Uruguay in Pool A, with two qualifiers from North America and Africa still to be decided

Hong Kong will face off against Spain, Samoa and Kenya in the World Rugby Under-20 Trophy this summer.

The side have been drawn in Pool B for the eight-team competition, which will be held in Kenya from July 15 to 30.

Scotland, who were relegated from the Under-20 Championship in 2019, and Uruguay are in Pool A, where they will be joined by qualifiers from North America and Africa.

Kenya will host the tournament for a second time, having previously staged it in 2009, and it will be the third time the competition has been played in Africa with Zimbabwe having acted as hosts in 2016. The winners will be promoted to next year’s Under-20 Championship.

That tournament will take place in South Africa between June 24 and July 14, and will be played over five match days in the Western Cape Wineland regions of Stellenbosch, Paarl and Wellington.

Hong Kong have been drawn in Pool B alongside Spain, Samoa and Kenya. Photo: Edmond So

The world’s best 12 nations - Argentina, Australia, England, Fiji, France, Georgia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa and Wales - have been placed into three pools and will all hope to clinch the coveted title and succeed two-time defending champions France. The team finishing last will be relegated.

“We are thrilled to unveil our two exciting hosts for the World Rugby U20 Championship and U20 Trophy taking place later this year,” Bill Beaumont, the chairman of World Rugby, said. “South Africa and Kenya will provide the perfect stage for the return of our flagship U20 competitions that play such a crucial role in the development of young talents within our unions.

“The U20 Championship and Trophy have been hugely popular since their inception 15 years ago and have proven successful with countless stars moving on to play test rugby and shine on the biggest stage and many of them will be on display when Rugby World Cup 2023 kicks off in September.

“Africa is a significant growth region for rugby and I would like to thank our friends in Kenya and South Africa respectively for hosting in rugby’s bicentenary year. We look forward to seeing the 20 teams inspiring the African continent with breath-taking action.”

Mark Alexander, the president of SA Rugby, added: “South Africa have a proud tradition and excellent track record of hosting world-class events and we are ready to welcome the next generations of rugby’s future to our shores in July, and again next year.

“We have the infrastructure and proven expertise to deliver excellent rugby events and, combined with fantastic backing from our passionate supporters, I have no doubt we will deliver two more very successful World Rugby U20 Championships.”

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