The Junior Springboks have been drawn to face hosts France in Pool C of the 2018 World Rugby U20 Championship.

The two other teams in the Junior Boks’ pool will be Ireland and Georgia.

Defending champions, New Zealand, have been drawn in Pool A with Australia, Wales and Japan, while 2017 runners-up, England, will take on Scotland, Italy and Argentina in Pool B.

The Junior Boks met France twice in this year’s tournament in Tbilisi, Georgia, where they drew 23-23 in their opening pool match, and they defeated the French 37-15 in the third-place playoff to win the bronze medal.

The SA U20s also defeated France in the 2016 and 2015 tournaments, and overcame a strong challenge from Georgia in Tbilisi in June this year to secure a 38-14 victory in their second pool match.

The last time the Junior Boks met Ireland in the tournament was in 2012 where the South Africans went down 23-19 in Stellenbosch, before recovering well to win the tournament.

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