The United States Under-20s wrote a page of history at the World Rugby Junior World Championship 2026. On 17 July, in Kutaisi, Georgia, they beat Uruguay U20 39-15 to secure their first-ever win in the tournament at the 15th attempt, finishing 15th overall.
The penultimate day in Georgia was full of milestones. Scotland matched their best-ever finish of fifth by edging Wales 28-21 in a thrilling encounter at Avchala Stadium in Tbilisi; the last time the tournament was hosted in Georgia, in 2017, the Scots also finished fifth. Australia defeated Argentina 52-29 to claim seventh place, while Japan beat Spain 34-26 for their first two wins in a single Junior World Championship.
For the USA, the victory over Uruguay ends a drought stretching back to their debut in the competition. The Stars and Stripes, developed with the aim of building a competitive youth pathway, can now look to the future with renewed momentum. The tournament closes on Saturday with France meeting defending champions South Africa in the final at Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, while New Zealand and England contest third place.
