2007 Under 19 Rugby World Championship

The International Rugby Board (IRB) awarded the 2007 Under 19 Rugby World Championship to the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) and the Ulster branch hosted it. The Tournament, which took place in Belfast, Northern Ireland from 4–21 April, was split into two divisions of twelve teams. Division A games took place in Belfast at Belfast Harlequins' Deramore Park, Ulster Rugby's Ravenhill Stadium, and Cooke RFC/Instonians' Shaw's Bridge complex. Division B games were held in Queen's University of Belfast's The Dub complex and Malone RFC's Gibson Park in Belfast, and Bangor RFC's Upritchard Park in Bangor.

2007 Under 19 Rugby World Championship
Tournament details
Host nation Ireland
Dates2007-04-04 – 2007-04-21
No. of nations24
Final positions
Champions  New Zealand
Runner-up  South Africa
Third place  Australia
Tournament statistics
Matches played60
Top scorer(s)Leigh Halfpenny  Wales
← 2006
Australia narrowly defeat Wales for third place

Defending champion and top seed Australia began its title defence against Ireland on 5 April as part of a Round One double-header at Ravenhill that also included number three seed New Zealand against France.

The seedings of all teams in Division A and the top six teams in Division B were based on the final standings at the 2006 Tournament. Seeds 7 – 12 inclusive in Division B represented teams who had qualified for 2007 via regional tournaments and their seeding was drawn randomly. All 24 participating teams were confirmed in January 2007.

This was the final Under 19 World Championship. The IRB decided to fold its under-19 and under-21 world championships into a two-tiered under-20 tournament structure starting in 2008. The top tier, the IRB Junior World Championship, will feature 16 teams, while eight teams will compete in the second-tier IRB Junior World Trophy.

Qualification

The following 24 teams, shown by region, qualified for the 2007 Under 19 Rugby World Championship .

Match officials
The New Zealand vs South Africa 2007 Under 19 Rugby final at Ravenhill
Host nation Ireland beats Scotland 34–0 in the playoff for 9th place

Referees

These were chosen to Officiate at the 2007 Under 19 Rugby World Championship in Belfast, Northern Ireland from 4–21 April.

  • James Bolabiu (Fiji)
  • Phillip Bosch (South Africa)
  • Sarah Corrigan (Australia)
  • Alan Falzone (Italy)
  • Jérôme Garcès (France)
  • James Jones (Wales)
  • David Keane (Ireland)
  • Javier Mancuso (Argentina)
  • João Mourinha (Portugal)
  • Neil Paterson (Scotland)
  • Julian Pritchard (Australia)
  • Dean Richards (England)
  • Phil Smith (Canada)
  • Matt Stanish (New Zealand)

Touch judge panel
  • Peter Ferguson (Ireland)
  • Richard Kerr (Ireland)
  • Kyosuke Toda (Japan)
  • Laifaga Unasa (Samoa)

Sarah Corrigan the Australian match official created history when she took charge of the Division B match between Zimbabwe v Canada on 4 April 2007, becoming the first female to referee at an IRB 15-man tournament outside the Women's Rugby World Cup. (The first woman ever to officiate at any IRB tournament outside the Women's Rugby World Cup was American Dana Teagarden, who was referee for six matches at the 2007 USA Sevens, an event in the IRB Sevens World Series held in February 2007.)

Pool/standings

The IRB setting for this tournament was that the matches were to be played between two pools from which the top 8 teams qualified for the Quarter finals and the team that finished at the bottom of the Division A pool was to be relegated to the Division B.

  • Pool A played against Pool D
  • Pool B played against Pool C

Match points were awarded on the basis of 4 points for a Win, 2 points for a draw and 0 points for a Loss. Bonus points were awarded for teams scoring 4 tries or more and to losing teams who lost be 7 points or less.

Division A

Pool A

Team Pld W D L F A BP TOTAL
 Australia 33006833214
 South Africa 32017527210
 Scotland 3003414922


Pool B

Team Pld W D L F A BP TOTAL
 New Zealand 330017833315
 Argentina 3102565426
 Samoa 3102606505

Pool C

Team Pld W D L F A BP TOTAL
 Wales 32017657210
 England 3201506108
 Japan 30032617600

Pool D

Team Pld W D L F A BP TOTAL
 France 3201394408
 Ireland 3102285815
 Fiji 3102428204

New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Wales qualified for the Division A semi-finals by virtue of having the highest points in the pool stage.

Pool A vs Pool D Results

Date Team Score Team Venue
5 April 2007, 17:30  South Africa 36–5  Fiji Belfast Harlequins, Belfast
5 April 2007, 19:30  Australia 15–10  Ireland Ravenhill, Belfast
5 April 2007, 19:30  Scotland 6–11  France Belfast Harlequins, Belfast
9 April 2007, 17:30  South Africa 8–17  France Ravenhill, Belfast
9 April 2007, 19:30  Scotland 12–13  Ireland Ravenhill, Belfast
9 April 2007, 19:30  Australia 23–12  Fiji Shaw's Bridge, Belfast
13 April 2007, 17:30  Scotland 23–25  Fiji Shaw's Bridge, Belfast
13 April 2007, 19:30  Australia 30–11  France Belfast Harlequins, Belfast
13 April 2007, 19:30  South Africa 31–5  Ireland Ravenhill, Belfast

Pool B vs Pool C Results

Date Team Score Team Venue
5 April 2007, 17:30  New Zealand 37–14  Wales Ravenhill, Belfast
5 April 2007, 17:30  Argentina 41–8  Japan Shaw's Bridge, Belfast
5 April 2007, 19:30  Samoa 12–20  England Shaw's Bridge, Belfast
9 April 2007, 17:30  New Zealand 107–6  Japan Belfast Harlequins, Belfast
9 April 2007, 17:30  Samoa 20–33  Wales Shaw's Bridge, Belfast
9 April 2007, 19:30  Argentina 15–17  England Belfast Harlequins, Belfast
13 April 2007, 17:30  New Zealand 34–13  England Ravenhill, Belfast
13 April 2007, 17:30  Samoa 28–12  Japan Belfast Harlequins, Belfast
13 April 2007, 19:30  Argentina 0–29  Wales Shaw's Bridge, Belfast

Division B

Pool A

Team Pld W D L F A BP TOTAL
 Romania 3003175911
 Russia 3003116311
 Zimbabwe 3102405615


Pool B

Team Pld W D L F A BP TOTAL
 Tonga 320111419311
 Chile 3102627615
 Chinese Taipei 30122112702

Pool C

Team Pld W D L F A BP TOTAL
 Italy 330010225214
 Uruguay 3201906119
 Cook Islands 30123011102

Pool D

Team Pld W D L F A BP TOTAL
 Canada 33005612113
 Georgia 32017839412
 United States 33004417012

Italy, Canada, Georgia and the USA qualified for the Division B semi-finals by virtue of having the highest points in the pool stage.

Pool A vs Pool D Results

Date Team Score Team Venue
4 April 2007, 19:30  Romania 0–28  Georgia Bangor, Bangor
4 April 2007, 19:30  Russia 0–6  United States Malone, Belfast
4 April 2007, 19:30  Zimbabwe 0–8  Canada Queen's, Belfast
8 April 2007, 14:30  Romania 10–16  United States Queen's, Belfast
8 April 2007, 14:30  Russia 5–33  Canada Bangor, Bangor
8 April 2007, 16:30  Zimbabwe 33–26  Georgia Malone, Belfast
12 April 2007, 17:30  Zimbabwe 7–22  United States Queen's, Belfast
12 April 2007, 19:30  Romania 7–15  Canada Bangor, Bangor
12 April 2007, 19:30  Russia 6–24  Georgia Malone, Belfast

Pool B vs Pool C Results

Date Team Score Team Venue
4 April 2007, 17:30  Tonga 36–5  Uruguay Bangor, Bangor
4 April 2007, 17:30  Chile 29–14  Cook Islands Queen's, Belfast
4 April 2007, 17:30  Chinese Taipei 6–62  Italy Malone, Belfast
8 April 2007, 14:30  Tonga 72–6  Cook Islands Malone, Belfast
8 April 2007, 16:30  Chile 13–32  Italy Bangor, Bangor
8 April 2007, 16:30  Chinese Taipei 5–55  Uruguay Queen's, Belfast
12 April 2007, 17:30  Chile 20–30  Uruguay Bangor, Bangor
12 April 2007, 17:30  Chinese Taipei 10–10  Cook Islands Malone, Belfast
12 April 2007, 19:30  Tonga 6–8  Italy Queen's, Belfast

Knock out phase

Using the final positions from the pool phase the knock-out round 1 matches were made on the following basis:

  • Match 1 – 10th versus 11th
  • Match 2 – 9th versus 12th
  • Match 3 – 6th versus 7th
  • Match 4 – 5th versus 8th
  • Match 5 – 2nd versus 3rd (deemed a semi-final)
  • Match 6 – 1st versus 4th (deemed a semi-final)

For round 2 of the knock out phase

  • The loser of Match 1 plays the loser of Match 2 for 11th place
  • The winner of Match 1 plays the winner of Match 2 for 9th place
  • The loser of Match 3 plays the loser of Match 4 for 7th place
  • The winner of Match 3 plays the winner of Match 4 for 5th place
  • The loser of Match 5 plays the loser of Match 6 for 3rd place
  • The winner of Match 5 plays the winner of Match 6 for 1st place (the final)

Division A

Round 1

Category Date Team Score Team Venue
10th v 11th 17 April 2007, 17:30  Fiji 7–11  Scotland Belfast Harlequins, Belfast
9th v 12th 17 April 2007, 19:30  Ireland 31–10  Japan Shaw's Bridge, Belfast
6th v 7th 17 April 2007, 17:30  England 31–13  Argentina Shaw's Bridge, Belfast
5th v 8th 17 April 2007, 19:30  France 25–13  Samoa Belfast Harlequins, Belfast
2nd v 3rd 17 April 2007, 17:30  Australia 18–32  South Africa Ravenhill, Belfast
1st v 4th 17 April 2007, 19:30  New Zealand 36–12  Wales Ravenhill, Belfast

Round 2 (Play-offs)

Category Date Team Score Team Venue
11th Place Play-Off 21 April 2007, 15:30  Fiji 60–12  Japan Belfast Harlequins, Belfast
9th Place Play-Off 21 April 2007, 15:00  Scotland 0–34  Ireland Ravenhill, Belfast
7th Place Play-Off 21 April 2007, 13:30  Argentina 12–13  Samoa Shaw's Bridge, Belfast
5th Place Play-Off 21 April 2007, 15:30  England 17–43  France Shaw's Bridge, Belfast
3rd Place Play-Off 21 April 2007, 17:30  Australia 25–21  Wales Ravenhill, Belfast
Final 21 April 2007, 19:30  South Africa 7–31  New Zealand Ravenhill, Belfast

Division B

Round 1

Category Date Team Score Team Venue
10th v 11th 16 April 2007, 17:30  Chinese Taipei 10–35  Romania Queen's, Belfast
9th v 12th 16 April 2007, 17:30  Cook Islands 14–22  Russia Malone, Belfast
6th v 7th 16 April 2007, 17:30  Uruguay 21–3  Chile Bangor, Bangor
5th v 8th 16 April 2007, 19:30  Tonga 26–11  Zimbabwe Bangor, Bangor
2nd v 3rd 16 April 2007, 19:30  Canada 19–3  Georgia Malone, Belfast
1st v 4th 16 April 2007, 19:30  Italy 31–6  United States Queen's, Belfast

Round 2 (Play-offs)

Category Date Team Score Team Venue
11th Place Play-Off 20 April 2007, 17:30  Chinese Taipei 29–10  Cook Islands Malone, Belfast
9th Place Play-Off 20 April 2007, 17:30  Romania 20–10  Russia Queen's, Belfast
7th Place Play-Off 20 April 2007, 19:30  Chile 10–12  Zimbabwe Malone, Belfast
5th Place Play-Off 20 April 2007, 19:30  Uruguay 15–24  Tonga Queen's, Belfast
3rd Place Play-Off 20 April 2007, 18:00  Georgia 5–24  United States Bangor, Bangor
Final 20 April 2007, 19:30  Canada 3–22  Italy Shaw's Bridge, Belfast

Semi-finals
Year Division Semi-Final (2nd vs 3rd) Semi-Final (1st vs 4th)
Winner Score Loser Winner Score Loser
2007
A
South Africa		 32–18
Australia
New Zealand		 36–12
Wales
2007
B
Canada		 19–3
Georgia
Italy		 31–6
United States

Finals
Year Division Final Third place match
Winner Score Runner-up 3rd place Score 4th place
2007
A
New Zealand		 31–7
South Africa
Australia		 25–21
Wales
2007
B
Italy		 22–3
Canada
United States		 24–5
Georgia

Therefore, New Zealand are the Under 19 Rugby World Champions for 2007 and Italy are promoted to Division A.

Final standings

The final standings are based on the 3 pool matches plus a further 2 matches to determine standings.

Division A Pos Division B
 New Zealand 1  Italy *
 South Africa 2  Canada
 Australia 3  United States
 Wales 4  Georgia
 France 5  Tonga
 England 6  Uruguay
 Samoa 7  Zimbabwe #
 Argentina 8  Chile #
 Ireland 9  Romania #
 Scotland 10  Russia #
 Fiji 11  Chinese Taipei #
 Japan * 12  Cook Islands #

* Japan was initially demoted to Division B and Italy promoted to Division A for future World Championships. However, with the creation of the IRB Junior World Championship, both teams competed in its 2008 inaugural edition. This event featured all teams from the 2007 Division A, plus Italy, Canada, the US, and Tonga.

# Zimbabwe, Chile, Romania, Russia, Chinese Taipei and the Cook Islands were initially relegated from Division B and had to enter regional competitions to qualify for future World Championships. This did not change with the creation of the Junior World Championship and IRB Junior World Trophy; Georgia and Uruguay were given automatic berths to the 2008 IRB Junior World Trophy, while remaining nations had to play in regional qualifying for the remaining six berths.

Overall Stats
Overall Points[1]
Pos. Player Country Points
1Leigh Halfpenny Wales57
2Germán Albanell Uruguay56
3Sione Toke Tonga54
4Riccardo Bocchino Italy50
5Trent Renata New Zealand42
6Hamish Roberts United States32
7=Daniel Kirkpatrick New Zealand37
7=Stefan Watermeyer South Africa37
9Mathieu Belie France35
10Nathan Hirayama Canada33
11Alex Goode England31
12Kade Poki New Zealand30
13Titi Jnr Esau Samoa28
14=Stephen McColl Scotland26
14=Eoin O'Malley Ireland26
16=Andrew Barrett Australia25
16=Alberto Chiesa Italy25
16=Francisco González Chile25
16=Bogdan Petreanu Romania25
16=Henry Speight Fiji25

References
  1. "Player Statistics". International Rugby Board. Retrieved 16 May 2007.
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