All eyes will be on the Georgian cities of Tbilisi and Kutaisi on Thursday for the second round of the World Rugby Junior World Championship 2026 with fans able to follow the action on RugbyPass TV where there is no local broadcaster.
South Africa, Wales, New Zealand, Scotland, Argentina, England, France and Australia will all be hoping to build on opening day victories and take a step closer to a potential semi-final appearance.
Hosts Georgia will be eager to bounce back from a heart-breaking 25-24 loss to Wales but face defending champions South Africa in the final game in Tbilisi.
Their Pool A rivals Wales and Uruguay open proceedings at Avchala Stadium at 13:00 local time (GMT+4), while France meet Spain in the first game at AIA Arena in Kutaisi.
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Pool A: Wales v Uruguay 13:00 local time (GMT+4)
Wales coach Richard Whiffin has made 13 changes to his starting line-up from the dramatic 25-24 victory over hosts Georgia on Saturday with only winger Tom Bowen and co-captain Deian Gwynne retained.
Bowen, who was cleared to play by the independent Foul Play Review Committee after receiving a red card against Georgia, switches from wing to full-back with scrum-half Cai Gealy, winger Brogan Leary and centre Jack Hoskins all earning their first caps..
Whiffin’s squad is in buoyant mood as they look to overcome a Uruguay side who lost 104-7 to South Africa in their opener.
“It was satisfying to get a win in our opening pool game against Georgia, the first time Wales had won their opening game since 2019, so it sets us up nicely for the tournament,” said Whiffin.
“We’ve freshened the squad up to give other players an opportunity so hopefully everyone has had a crack in the tournament after the two opening games. We had a few sore bodies after the physical encounter against Georgia, but the boys have recovered well.
“The boys are excited to get going against Uruguay as they are an opponent we don’t come across very often so that provides a unique challenge in itself. They will be smarting after a heavy defeat to defending champions South Africa in their opening pool match.
“As always though we won’t be taking anything for granted and will go into the match determined to put in a good performance. If we do that, then the result should take care of itself.”
This will be the first meeting between Wales and Uruguay at the Junior World Championship. Wales are just the second European nation Uruguay have faced in the competition, after Ireland, who they lost to in 2009.
Los Teritos make nine changes to their starting line-up with props Dario Rodriguez and Juan Manuel Sagario, second-row Guillermo Curuchet, flanker Mateo Guarch and number eight and captain Ignacio Merli coming into the pack. In the backline, centre Joaquin Fresnedo, scrum-half Pierre Cotarmanac’h, fly-half Juan Francisco Pereira and wing Alfonso Fernandez all earn starts.
Pool A: South Africa v Georgia 20:30 local time (GMT+4)
Defending champions South Africa, who laid down a stunning marker by scoring their third century in JWC history in their opening game against Uruguay, have made 11 changes for the encounter with hosts Georgia.
Coach Kevin Foote has retained second-row JD Hattingh and the backline trio of Hendré Schoeman, Luan Giliomee and Markus Muller for their second meeting with Georgia this year, the Junior Springboks having run out 54-17 winners in the U20 International Series in May.
Number eight Kebotile Maake and Giliomee, who moves from full-back to fly-half for this game, both scored braces in that victory in Stellensbosch.
Captain Siphosethu Mnebelele returns to the starting front row at hooker and will pack down between prop Oliver Reid and Danie Kruger, with Hattingh and Heinrich Theron named in the engine room.
Foote explained his rotation policy, saying: “We are fortunate to have a quality squad that has played together several times already this year. Player load management is one of the key aspects of a tournament of this nature, and squad rotation plays a very important role in that regard.”
Georgia make six changes with two new props in Luka Iaseshvili and Levani Ezieshvili and second-row Giorgi Meparishvili among the forwards with scrum-half Daviti Tsiklauri, outside centre Data Akhvlediani and winger Leonide Saldadze the new faces in the backline.
South Africa have won each of their last seven matches at the Junior World Championship, their best run since winning seven on the bounce across the 2012 and 2013 editions. They have never won eight in a row before and will aim to set a new record against the Georgians.
Pool B: New Zealand v Scotland 18:00 local time (GMT+4)
New Zealand have made just three changes to the side who secured a hard-fought 38-21 win over Japan in their opening game at AIA Arena in Kutaisi on Saturday, a match abandoned after 68 minutes due to lightning.
Patrick Mauga is named at number eight after missing the opening game through injury, while Ethan Webber and Cohen Norrie move into the starting line-up at tight-head prop and full-back respectively.
New Zealand have won each of their four meetings with Scotland at the Junior World Championship by an average margin of 37 points, including a 42-20 victory en route to lifting their sixth and last title in Georgia in 2017.
Even more impressively, New Zealand have won 41 of their 46 pool matches at the tournament – including their last eight in a row – with their 89 per cent win rate being the best of any team at this stage of the competition.
“The first up match against Japan was valuable to get into the tournament against a competitive opponent and in difficult conditions,” said coach Kane Jury. “It was a great reminder that you can’t take anything for granted in this tournament and we’ll need to be disciplined and clinical against Scotland.”
His Scotland counterpart Fergus Pringle has made four changes to his starting line-up, with Asa Stewart Harris, Alex Bryden, Ollie McKenna and Harvey Preston coming into the side.
“The players put in strong performance against Italy to start the championship,” Pringle said. “The most pleasing aspect was how we responded to some big momentum swings in the game, finding a way to get back into the game after some costly errors.
“Looking ahead to New Zealand, we want to build on our Italy performance and show consistency in key areas of our game. We’re aware that New Zealand will pose a different challenge to Italy, and it’s a great opportunity to test ourselves against a quality team. The players are really excited by the challenge ahead.”
Pool B: Italy v Japan 20:30 local time (GMT+4)
Italy showed plenty of encouraging signs in their close-fought 38-32 defeat to Scotland on Saturday and make six changes for the must-win encounter with Japan.
Luca Trevisan and Fabio Salvanti are named in the pack with scrum-half Mattia Andretti, fly-half Roberto Fasti, full-back Pietro Celi and centre Giacomo Falchetto coming into the backline.
Italy have won each of their four matches against Japan at the Junior World Championship and will look to extend that record in Kutaisi.
“We were obviously disappointed after the first game, which didn’t go as we had hoped – both in terms of the result and the style of play we wanted to execute,” said Azzurrini coach Andrea Di Giandomenico:
“We are now focusing on the task ahead, which presents potential pitfalls given the high volume of play Japan generates and the great speed they display. We are well aware that a disciplined and consistent performance will be required.”
Japan, meanwhile, are also looking for their first win after Saturday’s opening loss to New Zealand, a match in which they showed plenty of skill despite the wet conditions and went in level at 21-21 at half-time.
They make just one change with Akihiro Tsubone coming into the side at number eight and he will wear the captain’s armband.
Pool C: Argentina v Ireland 15:30 local time (GMT+4)
Argentina have made five changes as they look to build on their record-breaking 78-14 opening win against USA at Avchala Stadium in Tbilisi on Saturday.
Los Pumitas’ 64-point margin of victory marked their biggest success in the Junior World Championship, surpassing a 46-5 win against Italy in 2015.
Prop Benjamin Farias Cerioni and number eight Federico Torre come into the pack while scrum-half Juan Preumayr, wing Luciano Avaca and centre Benjamin Ordiz Yujnovsky join the backline.
Argentina and Ireland have faced each other five times in the Junior World Championship, winning two pool games apiece with the Irish emerging victorious in their semi-final in 2016 – the last time they met on this stage.
Ireland coach Andrew Browne has made four changes with Leinster’s Jack Deegan and Munster’s Tom Wood, the son of former Ireland hooker Keith Wood, named in the starting backline.
Munster duo Joe Finn and Alex Lautsou have been named at second-row and openside flanker respectively while Rob Carney, Charlie O'Shea, Dylan McNeice, and Ben Blaney drop out from the team who lost 34-27 to England on Saturday.
Pool C: England v USA 18:00 local time (GMT+4)
England coach Andy Titterrell has made 12 changes for the encounter with USA as his young guns bid to build on Saturday’s hard-fought opening win over Ireland.
Titterell’s men beat the Irish 34-27 in an entertaining, hard-fought encounter and they will be confident of taking another huge step towards topping Pool C.
Back-row Seb Kelly, who recently made his Gallagher PREM debut at club level, captains the side for the first time on what will be his ninth cap.
Centre Nick Lilley and winger Zac Finch are also retained while centre Finlay Cunnison is awarded his first U20 cap with George Pearson, George Newman, Tyler Offiah and Finn Keylock also coming into the starting XV.
With Titterrell refreshing the pack, Jerold Gorleku, Freddie Ogden-Metherell and George Marsh will make their first Junior World Championship starts.
“We’re pleased with the opener against Ireland, and this week we’ve challenged players to level up with greater decisiveness and energy in everything we do,” England assistant coach Kevin Sorrell said.
“The work behind-the-scenes from staff and players alike has been excellent, particularly in a short turnaround. The players understand that standards must continue to rise for a different challenge against USA.”
England have faced the USA just once before in the Junior World Championship, winning 109-0 back in 2013, which remains the biggest victory by any team in the history of the tournament.
That was the USA's most recent appearance at this tournament and they have refreshed their starting line-up from the heavy loss to Argentina by bringing Aidan Stewart, Liam Hill and Frank Finicle into their pack while fly-half Jack Firebrace, wingers Finnian Love and Blake Miller and centre Jameson Beatty earn starting roles.
Pool D: France v Spain 18:00 local time (GMT+4)
France underlined their credentials for a fourth Junior World Championship title with a 45-15 win over Fiji in Kutaisi on Saturday and have made 11 changes to their side for the encounter with Spain.
Flanker Raphael Audebert, captain Lucas Andjisseramatchi, winger Hugo Avogadro and centre Bastien Rasal are the only players retained in the starting line-up.
Hooker Gabin Garault, who was one of five players to score a hat-trick of tries in opening round, is among the France players rested completely.
France have won both of their previous meetings with Spain at the Junior World Championship with almost identical scorelines exactly one year apart. Les Bleuets beat Spain 49-12 on 29 June, 2024 and then 49-11 on 29 June, 2025.
Spain coach Ricardo Martinena has made seven changes to the side beaten 90-22 by Australia on Saturday.
In the front row, Solomon Ibeoba comes in at tight-head prop while Max Artigas and Unax Carballo earn starts in the second row. Additionally, Bosco Vilallonga takes over at number eight from Marçal Carreras, who hands over the captaincy duties to centre Marcos López.
Mateo Antem takes the reins at fly-half with test-capped Oriol Marsinyac coming in at centre and Malakai Hafoka at full-back.
Pool D: Australia v Fiji 20:30 local time (GMT+4)
Australia coach Chris Whitaker has made 10 changes to the team who beat Spain 90-22 in Saturday’s opener, which marked their highest-ever points total in a Junior World Championship match and their third-biggest victory overall.
The Junior Wallabies have won each of their four previous matches against Fiji at the Junior World Championship – scoring more than 45 points in each game.
They will be captained by Eli Langi and the rising Brumbies star will be joined in the back row by Marshall Le Maitre and Isaac Fonua. Lehopoame Leota, who made his debut against Spain from the bench, will now start at tight-head prop, with Jacob Job and Ewald Kruger retaining their spots in the front row.
Zach Fittler was a late inclusion against Spain after Tom Farr-Jones was ruled out due to illness, and made the most of his opportunity by scoring two tries from the bench to earn a starting berth in midfield against Fiji. Farr-Jones, the nephew of Australia's Rugby World Cup 1991 winning captain Nick, has recovered to start on the wing.
Wallace Charlie moves to full-back after Chayse Geros suffered a tournament-ending injury against Spain while hooker John Grenfell and prop Matthew Sauao are poised for their Junior World Championship debuts from the bench.
Fiji, back on the Junior World Championship stage for the first time since 2024, make several changes following the loss to France with props Marika Koroi and Jehoshua Paul Serupepeli Ratulomai earning starts along with flanker Savenaca Qabale and number eight Ratu Epeli Roseruvakula.
In the backline, Cale Maurice is named at fly-half while Sailosi Vodonaivalu Taka and Tevita Vuniwaqa Ledua form a new centre partnership and Netani Immanuel Shane Lesimaikimatuku lines up at full-back.
Fiji coach Andrew Tui Osborne is seeking a major improvement in discipline from his players following the opening-round defeat to France.
“Our main focus this week is improving that discipline and accuracy,” he said. “If we reduce those penalties, keep possession and execute well, we’ll play the brand of rugby we’re capable of.”
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