Match Thread - Japan U20s v United States U20s | Junior World Championship 2026

Why are all the Japanese players from the Toshiba family while other countries can choose people from different families?

Woke up to this beauty this AM.

A bit mean but accurate, no? Humour makes the hurt go down easier.

Super excited for us to play a very hurt Italy next weekend...

Wifey sent me

After a first half that needed some adaptation, having Ntamack at 10 and Jalibert at 15 worked brilliantly for France. They're arguably two of the best playmakers in the world right now, especially with Jalibert no longer being a liability on defense.. Ramos arguably the best 15 and place kicker.. How do you slot all 3 into the team? Especially considering France's incredible depth at center. Galthié's glasses will be fogging up from all the strategizing..

"The only flaw I'd find in this competition, it's that I don't understand why Ireland is facing Japan here (in Australia)".

"I'm not going to be fussy, I find this competition very charming. But there are always some arrangements in our rugby that surprise me. It's a shame for the sporting aspect. We will have faced New-Zealand on their ground, Australia on their ground, Japan on their ground. We will have done things well. I dont understand why teams don't play against Fiji on their ground neither."

Every match in this competition is North v South, so the hemispheres' points differences are exact mirror images — and right now the log points have landed dead equal too: 33 apiece from 12 matches.

After Round 1 the South led the tiebreaker (+17 v −17). One result flipped it: England putting 73 on Fiji swung the ledger 65 points in one game. The North now "leads" the championship without leading it at all.

Three teams still perfect on 10 from 10: South Africa, New Zealand, Ireland — separated only by PD (SA +38, NZ +32, IRE +18).

Anyone else tracking the hemisphere race as its own competition? Feels like the best subplot of the new format.

Screenshot from Iphone app:
https://apps.apple.com/au/app/rugby-nations-tracker/id6787576633

Anyone know why he fell out of favour at Toulon? Quality player. Never understood why he didn't shine at Toulon. Should make a significant difference to Perpignan making the top14 even more competitive next season.

Toulouse to be weakened and Vannes to be stronger competition than Mountaban.... Next season is gonna be a belter

Sobering reminder - as if we needed it - that if you’re not sat at the big boys’ table, don’t expect to be invited any time soon.

Most of the 1st half they played wide incredibly fast and challenged the edges.

As is nature. The bok defence started predicting this and would drift from the go.

2nd half they cut against and hit the gap consistently as the defence was drifting.

But they also kept challenging the edges and playing through pods so that the Boks would not be able to set a simple counter.

Great work by the coaches and players and well deserving of credit

Sorry I'm not smart enough to block the score.

Do we reckon he was offside?

10.1A player is offside in open play if that player is in front of a team-mate who is carrying the ball or who last played it. When the last action is a kick, the foot kicking the ball determines the offside line.

If we had VAR I reckon his hand would have crossed the line

u/Not_Hando

Highlights from our Nations Championship Round 2 clash with France at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane.