Brumbies flanker Colby Faingaa has been announced as captain of the Australian Under 20s squad which will compete at the Junior World Championship Rugby tournament in Italy in June.
Fanigaa, the young brother of Qantas Wallabies twins Saia and Anthony, follows in his siblings footsteps in leading his country at age-grade tournaments after Saia headed Australia’s successful Under 19s campaign in Dubai in 2006, with Anthony his deputy.
Coach David Nucifora’s 26-man touring party will assemble at the Sydney Institute of Sport in Narrabeen on Friday, with two changes made to the original squad.
Rising Queensland winger Dominic Shipperley has been released from the squad to boost the Reds run into the Super Rugby finals due to their growing injury toll, with NSW back Jacob Woodhouse coming into the side to take his place.
NSW centre Bill Meakes also joins the squad as an injury replacement Queensland outside back Joel Faulkner (shoulder).
Nucifora said he’ll be looking to his more experienced players to lift the group to the level required to take out the tournament.
“We’re looking to build on last year’s performance and experience will definitely play a part in helping us rise to the challenge of being competitive playing high level international Rugby,” Nucifora said.
“We’ll need to work hard as a group in the lead up to the tournament to ensure we’ve got a team capable of playing to the level required to win this tournament.”
The squad features nine players who will return for a second tilt at the JWC title, keen to reverse the disappointment of finishing runners-up to three-time champions New Zealand 62-17 in Argentina last year.
Prop Paul Alo-Emile, hooker Siliva Siliva, second rows Greg Peterson and Luke Jones, flankers Liam Gill, Faingaa and Ed Quirk, centre Kimami Sitauti all played in the final defeat, while Scott Sio is another from the 2010 squad who returns for a second shot at the title.
Australia has been drawn alongside Fiji, France and Tonga in Pool B for the June 10-26 tournament. (Pools and Draw attached)
The team departs for Italy on 29 May and the Young Wallabies will set up camp at the AIS in Varese before basing themselves in Padova from 6 June.
Queensland fields the majority of the 26-man squad with nine players, NSW has eight, ACT six, WA has two representatives and Luke Jones is the sole player selected from Victoria .
In the last three years, 26 Australian U20 representatives have gone on to earn Super Rugby contracts, and from that group, 13 have gone on to represent the Qantas Wallabies.
New Zealand has won all three titles and not dropped a match since the JWC replaced the IRB's former age-grade tournaments, the Under 19 and Under 21 Championships in 2008.
Fox Sports will telecast Australia’s third pool match against France LIVE on Fox Sports 1 at 4am AEST and the semi-finals (Fox Sports 2 from 2am AEST) and finals LIVE on Fox Sports 3 from 1am AEST.
Australia U20s
Forwards: Paul Alo-Emile (WA), Jarrad Butler (QLD), Blake Enever (QLD), Colby Faingaa (ACT), Liam Gill (QLD), Michael Hooper (ACT), Luke Jones (VIC), Bill Meakes (NSW), Tim Metcher (ACT), Greg Peterson (NSW), JP Pradaud (ACT), Eddie Quirk (QLD), Hugh Roach (ACT), Siliva Siliva (WA), Scott Sio (NSW)
Backs: James Ambrosini (ACT), Eddie Bredenhann (ACT), Joel Faulkner (QLD), Tom Kingston (NSW), Tevita Kuridrani (QLD), Apo Latunipulu (NSW), Matt Lucas (QLD), Simon Morahan (QLD), Rohan Saifoloi (NSW), Kimami Sitauti (QLD), Ben Volavola (NSW), Jacob Woodhouse (NSW)
Match Schedule/Telecast details
Pool Game 1
Friday 10th June – Australia v Tonga
Venue: Stadio Mario Battaglini, Rovigo
Kickoff: 6:10pm local / 2:10am (Sat) AEST
Not telecast
Pool Game 2
Tuesday 14th June – Australia v Fiji
Venue: Stadio Plebiscito, Padova
Kickoff: 6:10pm local / 2:10am (Wed) AEST
Not telecast
Pool Game 3
Saturday 18th June – Australia v France
Venue: Stadio Comunale di Monigo, Treviso
Kickoff: 20:10 local / 4:10am (Sun) AEST
LIVE Fox Sports 1 – 4am
Semi Finals
Wednesday 22nd June, Treviso
Venue: Stadio Comunale di Monigo, Treviso
Semi 1 (2nd seed v 3rd seed): 18:00 local /2am (Thurs) AEST
Semi 2 (1st seed v 4th seed): 20:10 local/4.10am (Thurs) AEST
LIVE Fox Sports 2 - 2am/ 4am
JWC Finals
Sunday 26th June
Venue: Stadio Plebiscito, Padova
3 v 4
Kickoff: 17:10 local / 1:10am (Mon) AEST
LIVE Fox Sports 3 – 1am
1v 2
Kickoff: 19:10 local / 3:10am (Mon) AEST
LIVE Fox Sports 3 – 3am
