Latest news with #Calvisano
RNZ News
09-07-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Junior All Blacks into World Championship semi-finals
Ireland's Derry Moloney and New Zealand's Frank Vaenuku contest the high ball during the 2025 under-20 Rugby World Cup, Ireland. Photo: ©INPHO/Sebastiano Pessina / PHOTOSPORT New Zealand has qualified for the semi-finals of the Under-20 Rugby World Championship in Italy. New Zealand beat Ireland 69-22 in Calvisano to finish unbeaten at the top of their pool. Ireland scored the first two tries of the match, but weren't in it after that as the Junior All Blacks ran away with the game. They scored five first-half tries to lead 31-15 at the break and then added another six in the second half. Otago halfback Dylan Pledger scored two first-half tries, while Tasman wing Maloni Kunawave and Southland hooker Shaun Kempton grabbed two each after the break. Hawke's Bay first five Will Cole kicked six conversions. New Zealand captain Manumaua Letiu wasn't concerned when they went behind early. "Really proud of the boys to keep our calm, we've experienced this before and we knew what to do, so proud of the effort," Letiu said. New Zealand beat Italy 14-5 in their first pool game and Georgia 38-19 in their second. "We had a lot of learnings from those first two games, we stayed tight as a team and leading into this week was great and I think the boys can take heaps of confidence out of this game," Letiu said. New Zealand's semi-finals opponents are yet to be determined. South Africa were also unbeaten in their pool and are likely to be the top seeds for the semi-finals. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Irish Times
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Four changes to Ireland Under-20s side for vital meeting with Junior All Blacks
Ireland head coach Neil Doak has made four changes from the side that lost a tight encounter against hosts Italy for Wednesday's World Rugby Under-20 Championship with New Zealand in Calvisano (5pm Irish time, RugbyPass TV). The 18-16 defeat to Italy in Viadana means Ireland will need to beat the Junior All Blacks with a bonus point or win and restrict New Zealand to a maximum of one bonus point if they are to qualify for the semi-finals. There are two changes in the pack with Conor Kennelly starting in the secondrow, while Oisín Minogue, who scored the last-minute try against Italy, coming in to the backrow. Jonny Scott comes into the centre alongside Ciarán Mangan and Daniel Green starts at fullback, while Charlie Molony moves to the wing. Tom Wood and Will Wootton continue as the halfbacks. READ MORE IRELAND (v New Zealand): Daniel Green (Queen's); Charlie Molony (UCD), Ciarán Mangan (Blackrock College), Jonny Scott (Banbridge), Derry Moloney (Blackrock College); Tom Wood (Garryowen), 9. Will Wootton (Sale); Alex Usanov (Clontarf), Henry Walker (Queen's), Alex Mullan (Blackrock College); Conor Kennelly (Highfield), Billy Corrigan (Old Wesley); Éanna McCarthy (Galwegians, capt), Oisín Minogue (Shannon), Luke Murphy (Young Munster). Replacements: Luke McLaughlin (Old Belvedere), Billy Bohan (Galway Corinthians), Tom McAllister (Ballynahinch), David Walsh (Terenure), Bobby Power (Galwegians), Clark Logan (Queen's), Sam Wisniewski (Old Belvedere), Gene O'Leary Kareem (UCC).
ABC News
30-06-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Junior Wallabies thrashed 73-17 by South Africa at World U20 Championship
Australia has made a disastrous start to rugby union's World U20 Championship in Italy with an embarrassing 73-17 loss to South Africa in its opening match. As the Wallabies prepare to host the British and Irish Lions in a three-Test series, Australian rugby's next generation of stars were given a reality check at Stadio San Michele, Calvisano. ABC Sport will have live blog coverage of the British and Irish Lions' tour of Australia this July and August. Coached by ex-Wallabies scrum-half Chris Whitaker, Australia conceded 11 tries. Fullback Sid Harvey scored a try and conversion for Australia, while winger Cooper Watters crossed for a double. South Africa led 33-5 at half-time. The final scoreline came as a shock to many observers, given Australia defeated South Africa 29-24 in the four-team U20 Rugby Championship in Port Elizabeth last month. New Zealand and Argentina also contested the tournament in South Africa. Australia faces Scotland in its second World U20 Championship pool match, which will be played in Viadana on Friday night AEST. The Australians finished sixth at last year's tournament, hosted by South Africa. They have twice reached the World U20 Championship final, most recently in 2019. The 2019 squad included Wallabies captain Harry Wilson, as well as the likes of Fraser McReight, Angus Bell, Noah Lolesio and Mark Nawaqanitawase.
RNZ News
29-06-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
NZ edge Italy in opening match at World Rugby under-20 Championship
New Zealand's under-20 captain Manumaua Letiu playing against Australia earlier this year. Photo: Photosport New Zealand has hung on to win their opening match at the men's World Rugby under-20 Championship beating hosts Italy 14-5 in stifling heat in Calvisano, northern Italy. In temperatures of 30 degrees plus, New Zealand scored first going up 7-nil inside the opening 10 minutes with a try to skipper and hooker Manumaua Letiu. They extended the lead to 14-nil just before halftime when halfback Dylan Pledger scored, bursting clear from the base of a ruck just outside the 22 metre mark. Italy however bounced back early in the second half with an unconverted try to narrow the gap to 14-5. That was all the scoring for the remainder of the match as both sides made numerous errors and found the going tough in the heat. New Zealand's next pool game is against Georgia on Saturday morning. New Zealand last won the under-20 title in 2017. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Irish Times
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Neil Doak names Ireland Under-20 side for World Championship opener against Georgia
Under-20 World Championship Ireland v Georgia, Stadio San Michele, Sunday, 5pm Irish time (Live on Rugby Pass TV) It's been a difficult season to date for the Ireland Under-20s, losing four of five matches in the Six Nations and finishing bottom of the table. To compound matters they suffered a heavy defeat to Scotland, the only team they beat in that tournament, in a warm-up game ahead of the World Championship. There were some mitigating circumstances for Neil Doak's side, injuries depriving them of key players, but it doesn't begin to explain the recurring performance glitches that undermined their ambition. Aspects of their patterns were good, they didn't lack courage or character, but they got lost very easily in the weeds of their mistakes. The playing personnel didn't deviate much despite the results with the majority of changes coming in a turnstile selection within the matchday 23 from one game to the next, where starters were benched and then reinstated and vice versa. READ MORE There is a presumption that secondrow Alan Spicer and tighthead prop Niall Smyth are still sidelined through injury. In more uplifting news, prop Alex Usanov, Luke Murphy and Derry Moloney are all fully rehabilitated in time for Sunday's opening game in Calvisano. Ireland's Páidí Farrell. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho Tullamore native Páidí Farrell, who plays with Old Wesley, will make his first start in a tournament game. He possesses a rare attribute in Irish rugby circles, top-end pace and given reasonable ball is a try-scoring threat as he demonstrated capably and consistently in the All-Ireland League. There is a nice balance and plenty of footballing ability in the back three of Farrell, Charlie Molony and Derry Moloney, while the relocation of Ciarán Mangan (younger brother of Leinster's Diarmuid) from wing to outside centre bodes well from an attacking perspective. He plays alongside the hard running Eoghan Smyth in midfield. Tom Wood, son of former Ireland international Keith, has won the number 10 shirt, with Clark Logan at scrumhalf. In the Six Nations, Wood showed a nice skill set and self-possession to play his way through tougher moments. He has a better kicking game than his dad. Billy Bohan, a player to emerge with credit during the Six Nations, teams up with Henry Walker and Alex Mullan in a ball-playing frontrow. Mahon Ronan and Billy Corrigan put in huge shifts in every match, while Murphy's addition to a backrow which also contains captain Éanna McCarthy and Michael Foy, introduces steel and quality. Foy was arguably Ireland's best player in the Six Nations, a turbocharged presence on both sides of the ball. Ireland's bench has a number of players who can change the tempo of a match, none more so than replacement scrumhalf Will Wootton. Georgia will test Ireland's mettle at the set piece, breakdown and on the gain-line. As they demonstrated last year when the sides met in this tournament, the Georgians are very sticky opponents, with Ireland squeezing home in a one-score game. They'd bite your hand off for a similar result here. Doak's side will later play hosts Italy and New Zealand in their other pool games. IRELAND: Charlie Molony (UCD); Páidí Farrell (Old Wesley); Ciarán Mangan (Blackrock College), Eoghan Smyth (Cork Constitution), Derry Moloney (Blackrock College); Tom Wood (Garryowen), Clark Logan (QUB); Billy Bohan (Galway Corinthians), Henry Walker (QUB), Alex Mullan (Blackrock College); Mahon Ronan (Old Wesley), Billy Corrigan (Old Wesley); Michael Foy (UCC), Éanna McCarthy (Galwegians, capt), Luke Murphy (Young Munster). Replacements : Mikey Yarr (UCD), Alex Usanov (Clontarf), Tom McAllister (Ballynahinch), Conor Kennelly (Highfield), Bobby Power (Galwegians), Will Wootton (Sale Sharks) Sam Wisniewski (Old Belvedere), Daniel Green (QUB). Referee : J Rozier (France). Under-20 World Championship Fixtures (all Irish times) Sunday, June 29th Ireland v Georgia, Calvisano, 5pm Friday, July 4th Ireland v Italy, Viadana, 7.30pm Wednesday, July 9th Ireland v New Zealand, Calvisano, 5pm
