Emerging Nations Need Fairer Playing Field for Age-Grade Competitions

Among the proposals being considered for a re-imagined U20 Trophy, World Rugby said at the tail-end of 2024 that a cross-regional competition which would create “stronger pathways and more competitive matches for teams aiming to qualify for the expanded U20 Championship in 2026.”

World Rugby said at the time it was working closely with stakeholders to optimise competition structures and introduce mechanisms, such as promotion and relegation, to provide development opportunities for all unions. 

The regional U20 competitions would be supported by increased funding from World Rugby to bolster structures and opportunities for all unions.

With no U20 Trophy in 2025, World Rugby, said it “recognises that age-grade rugby is a proven pathway for international stars, and consultation is part of a broader strategy to better align international age-grade structures with the sport’s strategic mission of growing global competitiveness ahead of a new international calendar coming into effect in 2026 featuring a two-division Nations Cup and an expanded 24-team Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia.”

Chile To Host New World Rugby U20 Challenger Cup in 2026

This week, it was announced that Chile will host a new 2026 World Rugby U20 Challenger Cup, which will see the interregional competition featuring at least six teams which are still to be confirmed.

The U20 Challenger Cup announcement was made by Chile Rugby at the Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos in Santiago and Raúl Sigren, the Vice-President of Chile Rugby, said: “This is truly a milestone for Chile Rugby and our vision to become the second sport in our country. The confidence and support that World Rugby continuously gives us are vital to achieving this goal. We have an enormous responsibility to deliver a world-class event in 2026 and to consolidate the role that we want to build in this sport.”

World Rugby confirmed that the tournament will represent a significant boost for rugby in Chile and Nigel Cass, World Rugby’s Chief of Competitions, Performance and Development Manager, said: “We believe this will be an exciting addition to the global U20s calendar in 2026 with some of the world’s best young playing talent assembling in Chile for what promises to be an exciting event in a country that is embracing rugby, growing its fan and player base.”

Chile Rugby will announce more details on the U20 Challenger Cup participating teams, match schedules and ticket sales in the coming months. 

How is Asia Tackling The Need For More International Rugby Exposure

In Asia for example, Asia Rugby went ahead with their regional Asia Rugby Emirates Men's U19 Championship tournament in December 2024 which saw Japan, Hong Kong China, South Korea, and Chinese Taipei compete with the Japanese victorious - this came after the bombshell news that there would be no World Rugby U20 Trophy tournament in 2025.

Siân Moore, Hong Kong China Rugby’s Head of Performance Pathways said via HKCR, “The Asia Rugby U19s Men’s Championship is a huge part of our player pathway in terms of developing players to that exposure to a high-performance environment….We want to best prepare these rugby players to succeed in the senior setting and not throw them in when they are not well-rounded.”

Since then, Japan has already organised a Japan Schools tour to the UK, a U23 tour to Australia, and an upcoming Japanese U20 side will compete against Japan Rugby League One sides in April 2025. In addition, a New Zealand University (NZU) representative rugby side is confirmed to be touring Japan in May 2025 on a three-match tour against the U20 Japan, U23 Japan, and Japan XV representative teams. 

The JRFU has the funding to run these tours and build up its player base which is an essential part of Brave Blossoms Head Coach Eddie Jones’ plans for the future competitiveness of the Men’s national side.

This was echoed by Japan 7s Head Coach Phil Greening who said in a recent Rugby Asia 247 interview: “What I want to have is a sort of a waterfall effect, where all the techniques and all the terminology and all the philosophies, everything gets watered down into the younger players. So the more I can get a hold of the younger guys, the easier it’s going to become and we can fast track their development, not just for us, but their pathways for fifteens.”

The Japan Rugby Football Union and the SANIX Sports Foundation also confirmed details for the annual Sanix World Rugby Youth Tournament which takes place in April and May 2025 which attracts some of the top rugby schools and youth players over the years.

This 2025 edition of the youth rugby tournament will feature 16 Boys’ teams playing 15s rugby and a Girls Sevens competition with eight teams competing. Teams come from Japan, Australia, Fiji, England, Hong Kong China, Korea, and Chinese Taipei.

Some of the players to have gone on to represent their countries at the international level who have competed at the SANIX World Rugby Youth Tournament include Japan’s Timothy Lafaele, England’s Jack Nowell, South Africa’s JP Pietersen, and New Zealand stars Owen Franks, Colin Slade, and Matt Todd and many more.

At the 2019 Men’s Rugby World Cup in Japan, 26 Sanix World Rugby Youth Tournament alumni were involved in the global showpiece. RWC France 2023 had 35 players who had played in the SANIX tournament in Japan!

On the 7s side, the Sakura 7s women’s side have had an exceptional season, with a number of HSBC SVNS stars lauding the domestic women’s game in Japan. The Japan U18 Girls SDS won the Cup at the Global Youth Sevens 2024 and they were runners-up in 2023. In the December 2024 competition they defeated New Zealand and Australia on the way to the title. 

One of the most decorated Women’s 7s players, New Zealand’s Tyla King told Rugby Asia 247 recently: “Japan Sakura 7s made their first SVNS Cup semi-final a couple of tournaments ago, which was incredible to see. Like they’re actually a really good team, and their youth side are amazing. The U18s are Global Youth 7s champions. They beat Australia. They beat New Zealand. So if their U18s can stay in the Sevens program, I think we can see Japan win a tournament in the next few years.”

The upcoming Taiyo Seimei Women’s Sevens Series 2025 which sees the top Japanese women’s clubs involved has already seen the signing of 3 NZ Black Ferns Sevens players and 2 from the current Brazilian team as the top women appreciate the culture and appeal of the Sevens game in Japan.

The number of new agreements between unions in Asia and in the Pacific, Africa and Europe are new means to send teams and staff for cross-cultural and learning experiences to elevate the game in emerging markets. But ultimately age-grade boys and girls rugby at an international level and on a level-playing field is what will help these regions be more competitive in rugby in the long term, build the sports fan base but also give aspiring players something to aim for on the global stage.

Read Part 1 Of how Global Age-Grade Competitions Remain Key For Pathway Development.