GQEBERHA – SANZAAR‘s U20 Rugby Championship competition returns to the iconic Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, when the best junior talent from South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina lock horns in Gqeberha.
The southern hemisphere’s next generation of stars descend on the metro in the Eastern Cape for the second successive year, with the action kicking off with Round 1 of the three-round tournament on Freedom Day (Monday 27 April), followed by match days on Sunday 3 and Saturday 9 May as the teams step up their preparations for the Junior World Championship in Georgia in June and July.
The defending champions are New Zealand, who edged out Australia by a single point in the standings after three rounds in a close and competitive tournament last year.
The tournament is a pathway for emerging talent to gain experience at international level and hopefully springboard them into international representation at senior level. It also provides the perfect preparation for the Junior World Championships.
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Nurturing talent
Following last year’s TRC U20 tournament, the Junior Boks and Baby Blacks went on to contest the final for the world crown, with captain Riley Norton’s team going on to take gold for South Africa.
“Following the success of the tournament in Gqeberha last year, SANZAAR is delighted that the 2026 U20 Rugby Championship is to be played at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium once again this year,” said SANZAAR CEO Brendan Morris.
“The third edition of this important U20 Championship will feature the best young talent from Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa who will go head-to-head over three rounds. Last year New Zealand retained the title with an exhilarating 48-45 win over hosts South Africa in the final round to narrowly take the title from Australia.”
He described the competition as a pathway for developing rugby talent through international exposure. “As in previous years the tournament will provide a vital pathway for up-and-coming rugby talent through exposure to essential international competition and provide development opportunities for the next generation of coaches, team management and match officials. SANZAAR sincerely thanks SA Rugby for its support of the championship.”
Eastern Cape connection
SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer said it’s a feather in the cap of SA Rugby and the Eastern Cape to host the third instalment of this tournament for a second time. “Last year’s event was a massive success, and we are thrilled that this tournament will be returning to Gqeberha,” said Oberholzer.
“The Eastern Cape has a rich rugby culture and a passionate fan base, and like last year we expect good crowds to come to the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium to see the four teams in action across three double-header match days.
“The combination of top-notch facilities at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium and superb accommodation and training options, coupled with the enthusiastic support of the people of the Eastern Cape will make this another memorable experience for everyone involved.”
Tickets for the U20 Rugby Championship will be priced from only R35 per person per day for two matches, and will be sold exclusively by Ticketmaster.
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