The Australian Under 20s depart for France on Tuesday 28 May for the IRB Junior World Championship, which runs 5-23 June.
The squad features eight members of last year’s Australian Under-20 campaign, 16 players from the successful 2012 Australian Schoolboys tour and one capped Super Rugby player in captain Curtis Browning of the Queensland Reds.
In all, 19 of the 28-strong squad are current members of Australian Rugby Union’s National Academy program.
The Under 20s will face Fiji, Ireland and New Zealand in pool play at the tournament and coach Adrian Thompson said it was a blessing in disguise to get the tough match ups early in the contest.
“We’ve got a tough pool,” Thompson said.
“Ireland finished fifth and New Zealand have only ever lost two games at this tournament and Fiji are obviously another danger side.
“It’s going to be a tough start but you’ve got to play them sooner or later so we’ll get it done early.”
Five changes have been made to the original squad, with prop Pettowa Paraka being brought in for the injured Siotame Kavapalu, scrumhalf Angus Pulver coming in for the injured Jock Merriman, Ofiu Manukeu-Archibald for Matt Philip and Reece Hodge for Samu Kerevi.
Chris Feauai-Sautia has also been replaced, with Lalakai Foketi coming in, to allow the Super Rugby player to focus on his commitments with the Queensland Reds.
Paraka was a member of the 2012 Australian Under 20s, while Foketi, Hodge and Pulver were a part of last year’s Australian Schoolboys tour which included an historic 16-14 win over New Zealand Schools in Auckland. Manukeu-Archibald featured for New South Wales Schoolboys in last year’s Australian Schools Rugby Championship.
Preparation for the Junior World Championship has included three selection camps, two training camps and a trial match against the Papua New Guinea national side at Bond University, which the Australian Under 20s won 72-12.
The Australian Under 20s face Ireland first in pool play on Wednesday 5 June, followed by New Zealand on Sunday 9 June and Fiji on Thursday 13 June.
Australia’s matches at the IRB Junior World Championship will be broadcast live on Fox Sports, along with the semi-finals and finals.
Watch the squad's final training session in Australia ahead of World Championship on ARUTV here.
Click here to view the Australian Under 20s Media Guide.
Australian Under-20 IRB Junior World Championship squad
Click to view Australian Under-20 bios online.
Name
Position
State
Club
Allan Alaalatoa* **
Prop
NSW
Southern Districts
Mark Baldwin **
Flanker
NSW
Randwick
Curtis Browning (C) *
Flanker
QLD
University of Queensland
Luke Burton
Flyhalf/Centre
WA
University RC WA
Jack Dempsey * **
Flanker
NSW
Gordon
Lalakai Foketi **
Centre
NSW
Manly
Reece Hodge **
Fullback
NSW
Manly
Oliver Hoskins * **
Prop
WA
Cottesloe
Phillip Kite * **
Prop
QLD
GPS Old Boys
Brad Lacey
Wing
WA
Wests Scarborough
Silatolu Latu
Prop
NSW
Sydney University
Ofiu Manukeu-Archibald
Lock
NSW
West Harbour
Jake McIntyre * **
Flyhalf
NSW
Sunnybank
Ben Meehan
Scrumhalf
QLD
Sunnybank
Maile Ngauamo * **
Hooker
QLD
Sunnybank
Alex Northam * **
Wing
NSW
Manly
Pettowa Paraka **
Prop
QLD
Easts
Harry Parker **
Wing
QLD
University of Queensland
Jonah Placid * **
Fullback
QLD
Easts
Angus Pulver
Scrumhalf
NSW
Sydney University
Andrew Ready **
Hooker
QLD
Easts
Ulupano Seuteni *
Fullback
QLD
Easts
Patrick Sio **
Number 8
NSW
Northern Suburbs
Thomas Staniforth * **
Lock
ACT
Royals
Henry Taefu **
Centre
QLD
Sunnybank
Senio Toleafoa
Lock
NSW
West Harbour
Michael Wells * **
Flanker
NSW
Northern Suburbs
Waldo Wessels * **
Scrumhalf
NSW
Southern Districts
*Denotes members who progressed through ARU National Gold Squad
** Denotes current members of ARU National Academy
Australian Under-20 staff
Name
Position
Adrian Thompson
Head coach
Sean Hedger
Assistant coach
John McKee
Assistant coach
Adam Crane
Manager
Matthew Johnstone
Analyst
Campbell Hanson
Physiotherapist
Craig Twentyman
Strength and conditioning coach
Steve Freeman
Doctor
Sarah Rule
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