Future Wallabies? Eight reasons to watch Australia’s World Rugby Under-20 Championship charge starting Sunday
Australia’s next generation World Cup rugby prospects will feature at the World Rugby Under-20 Championships. These are the names you should be following.
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Rugby’s future stars will be on show from Sunday when the World Rugby Under-20 Championships kick off in Italy.
The tournament runs from June 29, with the final set for July 19.
Australia’s Junior Wallabies have been drawn in a confronting Pool A which comprises England, South Africa and Scotland — two of which are former champions of this tournament.
South Africa won in 2012 while England have won four times — 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2024.
Meanwhile, Australia has finished as runners-up twice, 2010 and 2019, although Christian Leali’ifano’s star-studded team of 2006 won the then-Under 19 World Championship.
Scotland are back in the tournament for the first time since 2019 after winning last year’s U20 trophy.
Australia begin its campaign on Sunday when it takes on South Africa in Calvisano, with games broadcasted on RugbyPass TV.
Here are eight reasons why the Australian Under-20s are worth watching, and backing, in the World Rugby Championships.
THE ELITE EIGHT
SHANE WILCOX
If you watch Wilcox you might just be looking at the successor of current Brumbies fullback Tom Wright.
Wilcox, a fleet-of-foot fullback, is the cream of Brumbies Academy players.
In 2023 and 2024, against all odds, Wilcox and his boys from the nation’s capital won the Super Rugby Under-19s tournament.
He is a winner.
Watch for the polished No. 15 throughout the tournament.
GLIMPSE INTO THE FUTURE
Coach Whitaker has two halfbacks who couldn’t be more different but they will come together to form a combination that can bring the best out of the baby Wallabies — James Martens and Hwi Sharples.
Martens is the livewire, running halfback with no fear and fancy feet. He can break open a game in the blink of an eye.
The Queensland Reds prospect has the perfect punch to complement trusty Waratahs Academy ace Hwi Sharples, a more traditional No.9.
Sharples’ service is first-class. With Martens his partner in crime, he can have a big say in how this tournament unfolds for the Aussies.
ONE MAN’S TRASH IS ANOTHER MAN’S TREASURE
Watch for forward marvel Eli Langi to let rip at blindside flanker — or even elsewhere.
Langi was a supreme lineout operator in the 2023 and 2024 GPS First XV rugby seasons for Brisbane State High but was not offered a spot in the Queensland Reds Academy.
Since the school season concluded last September, Langi, 18, has made every post a winner and the Brumbies now have him under lock and key.
Once a high-class basketballer, Langi was so good in the Australian Under-18s outfit last year that he has earnt selection for the Rugby Championship in South Africa and now the World Rugby Championship Under-20s.
TWINKLE TOES
His names Nick Conway.
The winger or fullback has flair and is an entertainer. He is worth watching, that is for sure.
A proud Nudgee College product, Conway was meant to play Wests Colts 1 club rugby this season but his services have been lapped up by coach Chris Whittaker.
He is the youngest in the squad, having turned 18 in February.
But the elusive Conway can do things others can’t and if he gets room to rove other teams will pay.
SEVENS STUDS IN THEIR ELEMENT
Australian Men’s Rugby 7s rugby rookies Sid Harvey and Aden Ekanayake will return to the 15-a-side format that started it all for them when Sunday rolls around.
The boom boys from New South Wales are making a name for themselves on the 7s circuit but first sprung to the surface as rugby union weapons.
Narrabri product Harvey is a classy type at fullback and his kicking, running and passing will be crucial at the back.
His sevens teammate Ekanayake, recently nominated for SVNS Rookie of the Year after an excellent season in the gold jersey, is an athletic backrower who just has it.
Watch the pair in action for a closer look into the future of both rugby formats.
SONS OF GUNS
Keep a watch on No. 6 Tom Robinson and No. 8 Toby Brial, sons of former Wallabies who are coming through the Reds and Waratahs pathways respectively.
Tom, a first-grade flanker at University of Queensland, is the son of current World Rugby Chair Brett Robinson.
Flanker Brett started at the Reds before becoming a pivotal figure in the Brumbies team as captain.
His son Tom is also a great leader.
The former Gregory Terrace school captian trains regularly with the Reds top squad at its home base of Ballymore.
Backrower Brial also comes from good stock.
His brother Joe has been a breakout performer for the Reds. The backrow genes are strong in the family because their father is former Wallaby hardman Michael.
But wait, there’s more.
Emerging prop Finn Baxter is the son of broad-backed former Waratahs and Wallabies prop Al who played for Australia at the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
Hopefully Finn has a greater capacity for tryscoring than his father, who scored his first Super Rugby try on his 100th appearance for the ‘Tahs.
Al, who played 69 Wallabies tests, is now an architect who plans major stadium builds.
It’s worth noting outside back Conway is also the son of athletic ex-Broncos player Bob and the impressive Martens is also of good pedigree.
His father Hentie was a halfback himself who played three tour matches for the Springboks on its 1993 tour of Argentina, as well as more than 100 provincial games in South Africa.
DOYLE DELIVERING THE GOODS
When big lock Eamon Doyle, 19, runs the ball hard and fast into traffic think about where he has come from to get here.
Doyle’s superb Rugby Championship campaign and now World Rugby Championship berth is the product of sheer determination and grit after the ferocious forward came back from a meniscus tear in 2023 to be Australia’s skipper.
Woonona Shamrocks junior Doyle, a versatile forward from Austinmer, near Wollongong, went to the same school as Kurtley Beale — St Joseph’s College.
It was there where a meniscus tear kept him out for much of his Year 12 season back in 2023.
But he has made up for lost time over the past 18 months.
He will lead from the front as captain.
PROP POWERHOUSES
If you’re a rugby fan you’ll love watching prop powerhouses Trevor King (Queensland) and Edwin Langi (New South Wales) packing down the scrum.
There is a combined 230 kgs between them and both can make a thud away from the scrum in pick-and-drive play and on defence.
Langi is a Kings School old boy and King a Downlands College old boy from Gladstone.
Originally from Fiji, King started rugby when he arrived on Australian shores in 2012 for Year 2.
Langi is a Northern Suburbs rugby junior.
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