With a World Cup just two years away, this year’s fifth
renewal of the Junior World Championship may have more of a pronounced effect
than usual upon the makeup of the teams we’ll see going head to head in two
years time or even before that, and much like their senior counterparts, New
Zealand are the hot favourites to win yet another title.
And as winners in four of the five tournaments run so far,
while having only been beaten by 5 points by hosts South Africa, last season
it’s very hard to argue with their position at the head of the market.
With an outstanding pool of richly talented youngers to pick
from it was a surprise for many to see new Zealand beaten last year but many don’t see another shock in the offing . Highlanders
centre Jason Emery played an instrumental side in last year’s competition,
scoring three tries in the run towards the final, while flanker and 7’s star
Ardie Savea has an already burgeoning reputation which he could well already
boost further with good performances at this tournament. With themn being the
only two players with Super Rugby experience it would be easy to forget about
the multitude of ITM Cup talent waiting to burst through. Wing and Fullback Lolagi
Visinia impressed for Auckland throughought the last ITM Cup campaign, while halfbacks
Taylor Adams and Simon Hickey could form a potentially exceptional partnership
at 9 and 10. With their depth at loose forward also being amongst the best in
the tournament – Joesph Edwards adding to the depth that Ardie Savea brings –
they are the team to beat but a best price of just 4/7 they offer no value and
open up the each/way market for others.
No European side has ever won the Junior World Cup and with
hosts France as disappointing as their senior counterparts this season, while
also missing the fine young Toulouse talent Gael Fickou, the 6 Nations look to
be up against it. Their best chance probably lies with England – who missed out
on a grand slam by just a point when on the road against Ireland, who won with
a penalty at the death, while running out convicting winners to take the 6
Nations title – although much of that and this side are the same crop who
proved to be a massive disappointment last year, finishing a dismal seventh –
right to be exact, including captain Jack Clifford. However they should feel
confident of wins against the USA and France in the pool, and if getting past
those tests, have little to fear from anyone.
Of more interest however, would be a pair of Southern
Hemisphere sides who were at the forefront of proceedings last time around.
South Africa’s hopes of retaining their title were dealt a massive blow by Jan
Serfontein’s senior call up and Segeral Petersen’s injury, but they can still
call upon the likes of Blue Balls centre/flyhalf Handre Pollard (pictured) along with huge
depth at 9, including Sharks duo Hanco Venter and Stefan Ugererm while fullback
Cheslin Kobe is a class fullback. Retaining their title on foreign soli will be
a very tough challenge, but it would appear to be one that they’re well capable
of judged on how impressive they were last year and qualification from their
pool should pose no problems with England the only threat.
Australia have done realtively little to impress so far and
a better bet for value purposes might be Argentina, who were fourth last year,
are interesting at 18/1. In a pool where only Wales – who themselves boast a
strong squad headed by Rhys Patchell should feel confident of qualifying apart
from them, 6 of the side which won three out of three pool games last year are
still present including top class playmaker Patricio Fernández, and their
impressive performance in beating South Africa 46-20 in a warmup game, albeit
on home soil, suggests they’re ready to reach those heights once again. They’re
worth an interest to win their group, with the disparity between them and Wales
not meriting a price of 9/2.
Advice
1 pt each/way South Africa (8/1 Ladbrokes, 10/1 Sportingbet*)
1 pt each/way Argentina (16/1 Ladbrokes, 18/1 Bet365*)
1 pt Argentina to win Pool C (9/2 Boylesports)
*win only betting offered
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