JWC 2026: Pool B preview (NZL, ITA, SCO, JPN)

We take a closer look at the teams in Pool B hoping to challenge for the World Rugby Junior World Championship 2026 title in Georgia.

Record six-time winners New Zealand will aim to erase the pain of last year’s final defeat to South Africa by going all the way this time around. They are joined by Italy, Scotland and newly-promoted Japan in an intriguing Pool B at the World Rugby Junior World Championship 2026 in Georgia.

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NEW ZEALAND

Best finish: Champions (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2017)
2025 ranking: Runners-up
This year’s U20 Rugby Championship: Runners up (W1, D1, L1)

Overview: In terms of silverware, record six-time winners New Zealand have been the team setting the standard in this competition from the outset. They won the first four tournaments – three under new All Blacks coach Dave Rennie – and also claimed the title in 2015 and 2017. However, it has now been nine years since they lifted the coveted trophy in Georgia and will hope to rectify that in 2026. They’ve finished as runners-up twice, in 2012 when they were beaten by hosts South Africa, and again last year to the same opposition. Their pedigree is clear, but in this year’s U20 Rugby Championship they lost out to South Africa again despite an enthralling 29-29 draw at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha. That thrilling encounter ensured the U20 Rugby Championship title went to the Junior Springboks for the first time – dethroning New Zealand in the process. Now New Zealand, a fiercely proud rugby nation, will be out to reassert their pedigree on the highest stage at the World Rugby Junior World Championship 2026.

Coach: Kane Jury
Captain: Haki Wiseman

Squad: Alani Fakava, Josh Findlay, Xavier Leota, Alexander Hewitt, Dane Johnston, James Moore, Henry Stuart, Ethan Webber, Max Fale, John Falloon, Jake Frost, Kobe Brownlee, Micah Fale, Jake Hutchings, Patrick Mauga, Bradley Tocker, Caleb Woodley, Jackson Hughan, Boston Krone, Charlie Sinton, Cohen Norrie, Mika Muliaina, David Lewai, Siale Pahulu, Triumph Voice, Haki Wiseman, Lautasi Etuale, Ollie Guerin, Kele Lasaqa, Logan Williams.

Player to watch: Kele Lasaqa (pictured)
He only turned 20 in May but Kele Lasaqa arrives in Georgia on a high after being named the men’s SVNS Rookie of the Year earlier this month following a maiden season with the All Blacks Sevens. He began the season only wanting to “nail down his role” in the squad, but after a number of eye-catching and match-winning performances he won’t be able to slip under the radar at the Junior World Championship.

Did you know…? New Zealand won their first 21 matches on the Junior World Championship stage before a 9-6 loss to Wales in Stellenbosch in the 2012 pool stage.

Pool fixtures:

Saturday, 27 June: New Zealand v Japan (Kutaisi, 15:30 local time, GMT+4)
Thursday, 2 July: New Zealand v Scotland (Kutaisi, 18:00 local time)
Tuesday, 7 July: New Zealand v Italy (Kutaisi, 13:00 local time)

ITALY

Best finish: Seventh (2025)
2025 ranking: Seventh
This year’s U20 Six Nations: Fifth (W1, D0, L4)

Overview: Italy head to Georgia having reached new heights last year when they claimed their best finish to date in the World Rugby Junior World Championship. The Azzurrini finished an impressive seventh and wowed their fanatical home support in the pool stage with a famous 18-16 victory over Ireland, a thrilling 19-19 draw with Georgia and a close-fought defeat to eventual beaten finalists New Zealand. They showed their class again with a 31-23 victory over Wales in the seventh place play-off to signal their emergence as a coming force on the world stage. In this year’s U20 Six Nations they suffered a setback of sorts after winning just one of their five games, beating Wales once again in their final match of the tournament. That should give Italy’s young guns the belief they can once again show that the future is bright for the national team as they seek to better last year’s seventh-placed finish.

Coach: Andrea Di Giandomenico
Captain: Riccardo Casarin

Squad: Christian Brasini, Emiliano Mastropasqua, Erik Meroi, Giacomo Messori, Luca Trevisan, Giorgio Bavaresco, Ettore Dinarte, Valerio Pelli, Simone Fardin, Christian Germanò, Enoch Opoku-Gyamfi, Fabio Salvanti, Marco Spreafichi, Carlo Antonio Bianchi, Antony Italo Miranda, Davide Sette, Jaheim Wilson, Mattia Andretti, Nikolaj Varotto, Francesco Braga, Roberto Fasti, Riccardo Casarin, Luca De Novellis, Giacomo Falchetto, Edoardo Vitale, David Luisato, Luca Rossi, Alessio Scaramazza, Pietro Celi, Alessandro Ragusi.

Player to watch: Riccardo Casarin
The all-action centre underlined his rich promise during the U20 Six Nations earlier this year, playing a key role in the Azzurrini’s midfield. Casarin was a rock in defence, topping the jackal (10) and dominant contact (15) stats for the entire tournament. Having helped Italy to their best-ever finish on home soil in last year’s Junior World Championship, Casarin will be keen to make his mark once again, this time as captain.

Did you know…? Italy found themselves in the relegation play-off five times between 2011-16 and dropped into the World Rugby U20 Trophy in 2013, but they have only faced that nervous final-day shootout once since in 2023, beating Japan to maintain their place in the premier age-grade tournament.

Pool fixtures:

Saturday, 27 June: Italy v Scotland (Kutaisi, 13:00 local time, GMT+4)
Thursday, 2 July: Italy v Japan (Kutaisi, 20:30 local time)
Tuesday, 9 July: New Zealand v Italy (Kutaisi, 13:00 local time)

SCOTLAND

Best finish: Fifth (2017)
2025 ranking: 10th
This year’s U20 Six Nations: Sixth (W1, D0, L4)

Overview: Last year saw Scotland return to the top table of U20 rugby for the first time since 2019. That ascent followed their promotion as winners of the U20 Trophy in 2024, although they found it tough going in Italy last year. Three straight pool losses at the hands of England, Australia and eventual winners South Africa served as a rude awakening for the young Scots on their return to the highest stage. They showed commendable fighting spirit, though, to beat Ireland 22-21 in the ninth place semi-final before losing 22-7 to Georgia and finishing the tournament in 10th. Nevertheless, that represented progress for Scotland and, despite a disappointing U20 Six Nations earlier this year, they head to Georgia aiming to take further steps in their development.

Coach: Fergus Pringle
Co-captains: Joe Roberts and Ross Wolfenden

Squad: Archie Appleby, Alfie Blackett, Ollie Blyth-Lafferty, Sam Byrd, Oliver Finlayson-Russell, Dan Halkon, Harry Jackaman, Christian Lindsay, Finlay Mather, Jamie McAughtrie, Oliver McKenna, Will Pearce, Harvey Preston, Jackson Rennie, Joe Roberts, Jamie Stewart, Jack Utterson, Alex Bryden, Ewan Caven, Jake Dalziel, Matthew Fick, Dan Kelly, Henry Kesterton, Hamish MacArthur, Rory McHaffie, Nairn Moncrieff, Harry Soboil, Asa Stewart-Harris, Campbell Waugh, Ross Wolfenden.

Player to watch: Jake Dalziel
The fly-half’s star has been on the rise for some time now at Melrose and through the Scotland international set-up. He joined Newcastle Red Bulls on a full-time rookie contract after a stellar 2025-26 season which saw him feature as the youngest player in the Scotland squad for the U20 Six Nations, winning player of the match on his debut against Italy. The Merchiston pupil started all five games for the Scots during the U20 Six Nations, and made the four-man shortlist for player of the tournament.

Did you know…? Scotland secured their highest-ever finish of fifth when the Junior World Championship was first staged in Georgia in 2017. They haven’t had a top eight finish since and were relegated to the U20 Trophy in 2019.

Pool fixtures:

Saturday, 27 June: Italy v Scotland (Kutaisi, 13:00 local time, GMT+4)
Thursday, 2 July: New Zealand v Scotland (Kutaisi, 18:00 local time)
Tuesday, 7 July: Scotland v Japan (Kutaisi, 15:30 local time)

JAPAN

Best finish: 10th (2015)

Overview: Japan are one of four teams, along with Fiji, USA, Japan and Uruguay, to take their place at the expanded World Rugby Junior World Championship 2026. The tournament will comprise 16 teams for the first time since 2009. They will arrive in Georgia in quietly optimistic mood, having intriguingly, had three warm-up games in New Zealand as part of their preparations. The tour began with a practice match against a Hawke’s Bay development side on 20 May before a two-match series against New Zealand Universities (NZU). Japan narrowly lost the first game 33-31 before 74-12 and 57-26 defeats to NZU, experiences which should hold them in strong stead for this tournament where they will face New Zealand, Italy and Scotland.

Coach: Naoya Okubo
Captain: Akihiro Tsubone

Squad: Keigo Aruga, Songha Ri, Seia Kawanai, Koshi Tsumura, Sota Miura, Kanta Kawagoe, Haruto Sasaki, Keitatsu Motoyama, Yuga Ichikawa, Kotaro Kumagae, Masato Hyakutake, Masato Yanase, Taiga Yamazaki, Yuta Otabe, Kise Shin, Chikara Fukuda, Riku Fujikubo, Akihiro Tusbone, Soshi Kataoka, Keigo Sato, Yuki Kobayashi, Takeru Niwa, Rio Iwakura, Kohaku Suda, Tsunehidemichi Fukuda, Yura Morioka, Shinnosuke Uchida, Gentaro Saskata, Isa Fukada, Ryuto Koga.

Player to watch: Tsunehidemichi Fukuda
The 19-year-old inside centre is a player who has emerged as one of Japan’s finest young prospects. That was illustrated earlier this year when Fukuda represented Japan High Schools on their tour of England, when they defeated England U19 31-45 in Oxford. Fukuda was vice-captain of the side and was on the scoresheet as Japan High Schools secured their first-ever victory over England. He also featured in Japan U20’s recent three-match tour of New Zealand in preparation for this tournament in Georgia.

Did you know…? Japan have lost their last 16 matches at a Junior World Championship since a 29-21 win over Samoa in the ninth place semi-finals in 2015. They are still searching for a first win in the pool stage (0/18).

Pool fixtures:

Saturday, 27 June: New Zealand v Japan (Kutaisi, 15:30 local time, GMT+4)
Thursday, 2 July: Italy v Japan (Kutaisi, 20:30 local time)
Tuesday, 7 July: Scotland v Japan (Kutaisi, 15:30 local time)

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