World Rugby Junior World Championship 2026: Wales, Scotland and England win on electric first day in Georgia
- World Rugby
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
The World Rugby Junior World Championship 2026 kicked off with some electric rugby on the opening day of matches. Fans were treated to eight games split across Kutaisi and in front of a sell-out crowd at the Avchala Stadium in Tbilisi.
Wales edge out hosts Georgia in front of a sellout crowd in Tbilisi
Wins for England, France, Scotland, Australia and Argentina
New Zealand win over Japan to stand despite match being cut short by lightning
Defending champions South Africa score 104 points in defeating Uruguay
The World Rugby Junior World Championship 2026 kicked off with some electric rugby on the opening day of matches. Fans were treated to eight games split across Kutaisi and in front of a sellout crowd at the Avchala Stadium in Tbilisi.
There were opening day wins for England, Scotland, Argentina and over Ireland, Italy, USA and Uruguay respectively. Wales edged out hosts Georgia in a thrilling finish while New Zealand’s victory over Japan was cut short on account of lightning in Kutaisi. The subsequent delay proved no concern to France who ran out convincing winners over Fiji and Australia broke their record points total in beating Spain. Defending Champions South Africa scored 104 points defeating Uruguay.
WALES 25-24 GEORGIA: Big names see Georgia edged out by Wales in thrilling climax
A sellout crowd at Avchala Stadium in Tbilisi featured a star-studded cast list as hosts Georgia went agonisingly close to beating Wales for the first time at U20 level in an enthralling encounter.
The Junior Lelos pushed Richard Whiffin’s men all the way and watching on were some of Georgia’s most high-profile dignitaries, including President Mikheil Kavelashvili, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and Shalva Gogoladze, Georgia’s Minister of Sport.
Many iconic former players were also in attendance, including Davit Kacharava, who earned a record 122 caps for Georgia and is now the President of the Georgia Rugby Union, along with Mamuka Gorgodze and Ilia Zedginidze.
It was Wales that took control early on with classy tries from Caio James and Rhys Cummings. However, Georgia hit back before half-time with a superb brace from their talismanic number eight Mikheili Shioshvili, the top scorer at last year’s tournament in Italy.
They edged ahead early in the second half through tight-head prop Gabriel Razmadze’s close-range score. Wales lost winger Tom Bowen to a 42nd-minute yellow card but came back strongly through fly-half Carwyn Leggatt Jones’ try.
Georgia, who had Luka Tabatadze sin-binned, set up a tense finale with a penalty try as Bowen saw red for a second yellow card as the hosts were denied a matchwinning score right at the death with Wales holding them up over the line to the dismay of the vocal crowd.
ITALY 32-38 SCOTLAND: McHaffie at the double as Scotland edge out Azzurrini in thrilling opener
Scotland ran in six tries when beating Italy 36-10 in this year’s U20 Six Nations and they scored six again at AIA Arena in Kutaisi – but this Pool B opener was an altogether closer affair.
Winger Dan Kelly marked his Scotland debut with a delightful opening score on the right flank, collecting his own chip to touch down, while Jake Dalziel and Rory McHaffie also went over.
Italy scored through centre Riccardo Casarin and hooker Valerio Pelli to trail just 19-14 at the break before Scotland pulled clear with further tries from McHaffie, Nairn Moncrieff and Henry Kesterton.
The Azzurrini fought gamely throughout as second-half tries from David Luisato and Nikolaj Varotto – and Mattia Andretti’s crucial last-minute penalty – earned them a well-deserved losing bonus point.
ENGLAND 34-27 IRELAND: England recover from sluggish start to edge out Ireland but are pushed all the way
A significant rivalry has developed between these sides with Ireland having beaten England 31-21 in Bath in the U20 Six Nations en-route to winning a Triple Crown.
They looked set for another victory after two early scores from highly-rated Connacht winger Daniel Ryan put them 12-0 up at Avchala Stadium.
First-half yellow cards for Ireland forwards Ben Blaney and Dylan McNeice proved costly, though, as 24 unanswered points sent England in 24-12 ahead at the break, laying the platform for victory.
Ryan had proved England’s nemesis with a try in February and was quickest off the mark in Tbilisi when touching down in the left corner from Charlie O’Shea’s exquisite cross-field kick.
He scored again soon after with another smart finish on the left edge but Blaney's yellow proved costly for Ireland quickfire scores from hooker Jimmy Staples from a driving lineout and James Pater saw England hit back.
Hugh Shields converted both tries and added a penalty which left England in command following a second yellow for Ireland, this time for McNeice.
Shortly after half-time, Ryan touched down in clinical fashion again to complete his hat-trick for Ireland but centre Will Knight sidestepped through the Ireland defence for England’s fourth try.
Ireland rallied strongly, though, with tries from Noah Byrne and Jack Deegan, after England lost Seb Kelly to the sin-bin, to secure a losing bonus point.
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