While there's not much on the line in the other fixtures - apart from seedings - there are still some really eye-catching fixtures with the Georgia versus New Zealand game and the South Africa versus England two games certainly worth watching.
Friday 14 July
Italy 1/8 | Draw 33/1 | Japan 5/1
Arguably the second biggest game of the final match day is first up with Italy taking on Japan in a battle to avoid relegation.
The young Azzurri will be wondering how they are playing a relegation fixture having beaten hosts South Africa 26-34 in Round 2. That was as good as it got for the Italians with an opening Round 43-15 defeat to Argentina and a 3-17 loss to Georgia seeing them finish at the foot of their pool.
Things didn’t get much better for them in the first round of play off fixtures as they struggled against the Fjians, whom they would ultimately go down 26-41. That defeat has seen them thrust into the game that noone wants to play: the relegation game.
While Argentina do have a win under their belts, Japan have not with the Junior Brave Blossoms going down 75-12 to France 41-19 to Wales and 62-19 to New Zealand during the pool phase. And while they did give a good account of themselves against Argentina in the first round of play-off fixtures, they would ultimately go down 54-20 to the South Americans.
Verdict: Japan (+)
While I see the Italains taking the spoils here, I reckon it will be a tight encounter which is why I’m on the Japanese plus.
Wales 3/1 | Draw 25/1 | Australia 1/4
Next up it’s the battle for fifth and sixth place with a Welsh side that has been a lot better than expected taking on a strong Junior Wallabies outfit.
The young Dragons came into the tournament in dire straits having finished at the foot of the Junior 6 Nations table and seeing a large amount of coaching staff turnover. They have defied the odds however, running New Zealand close in their opening fixture with the Kiwis only beating them by a solitary point. They then beat Japan 41-19 in Round 2. They finished their pool phase with a good showing against the French going down 43-19 to tournament favourites France.
Wales saved their best performance for the first set of play-off fixtures as they beat an admitebly jaded Georgia side 21-40. The Welsh looked full of industry in that fixture and should they repeat the performance then they wll give the Asutralians a real run for their money.
The Junior Wallabies can count themselves rather unlucky to miss out on a semi-final berth after they enjoyed a solid pool phase which featured a 46-37 win over Fiji and a 22-22 draw with England. While they will be annoyed at missing out on one of the big ticket games, they will be pretty happy with their first play-off fixture which saw them beat old foes New Zealand 35-44.
Verdict: Australia (-)
With the weather in the Cape being rather dry and sunny over the past few days, the fields should have dried up which wll allow the Australians to play their running game. I reckon the Welsh will struggle against what should be a free flowing Australian outfit.
Fiji 22/10 | Draw 22/1 | Argentina 7/20
It’s the ninth/tenth play-off next and this should be a cracker of a game with the free-flowing Fijians taking on an Argentine outfit that knows its way to the tryline.
The Fijians, while failing to grab a win during the three pool phase games, did impress at times during the early salvos of the tournament going down by just nine points to Australia and giving Ireland a real run for their money before running out of gas which saw them concede a number of late tries and Ireland win the game by 20-points.
The Islanders would save their best performance for the first set of play-off fixtures as they beat a much-fanciedItalian outfit 26-41.
Argentina went one better than Fiji in the pool phase as they managed to record a win beating Italy 43-15 in their opener. Defeats to Georgia (0-20) and South Africa (24-16) would end their semi-final aspirations. Despite the disappointment of missing out on one of the big games, the Argentinians managed to put in a solid if not spectacular display in the first set of play-off fixtures as they beat a fired up Japanese outfit 45-20.
Verdict: Fiji (+)
I’m definitely having my main strikes on the Live In-Play points lines but I’ll also be having smaller strikes on the Fijians staying within the handicap and also taking the win here.
South Africa 17/10 | Draw 20/1 | England 5/10
Next up its tournament hosts South Africa taking on a hit-and-miss English side in the third/fourth place play-off.
Despite reaching the semi-finals, both sides will feel they have been rather sub-par at this year’s tournament with England drawing to both Australia and Ireland in the pool phase while South Africa struggled past Argentina and Georgia and went down to Italy in their pool games.
The duo were handed tough assignments in the semi-finals with the English taking on tournament favourites France, while South Africa took on 6 Nations champions Ireland.
It’s fair to say that there was a big gulf in class between these two sides and their semi-final opposition with England going down 52-31 to France and South Africa going down 31-12 to Irealand.
Verdict: South Africa
I reckon the host nation will end a rather mediocre tournament on a high note by beating England by a comfortable margin.
Georgia 5/1 | Draw 33/1 | New Zealand 1/8
The penultimate game will see Georgia and New Zealand battle it out in the seventh/eighth place play-off.
The Georgians have impressed in the tournament thus far going down 33-23 to South Africa in a game they were well in up until the final ten minutes. They then beat Argentina 0-20 in Round and ended their pool phase campaign with a 17-30 victory over the Italians.
They were unable to continue their solid run of form in the first set of knock-out fixtures as they were outclassed by Wales who beat them 21-40.
New Zealand also managed two wins in the pool phase beating Wales 26-27 and Japan 62-19. They would fall short of a semi-final berth, however, as their 35-14 loss at the hands of France saw them fall out of the running.
Like their opponents for Friday, Georgia also struggled in the first set of play-ffs going down 35-44 to Tasman rivals Australia. Their discipline was poor during the fixture and they went down to 13 men at a point.
Verdict: Georgia (+)
I actually really fancy the Georgians here. I’ll be having a big crack on the plus handicap and a small dabble on the Georgian straight win.
Ireland 22/10 | Draw 22/1 | France 7/20
The big ticket game is next up with Ireland and France squaring off for the right to be the best Under 20 team in world rugby.
Both sides have enjoyed stunning campaigns with the French winning all their games so far while the only blimp on Ireland’s record was a 34-34 opening day draw with the English.
The duo had little problems advancing from their semi-finals with Ireland keeping the South Africans at arm’s length throughout the fixture to register a comfortable 31-12 win over the tournament hosts, while France had a few troubles against England during the early salvos of their fixture they would eventually run-out 52-31 victors.
The two finalists have already met once this year with Ireland beating 33-31 one victors on home soil.
Verdict: France (-)
While Ireland have played some very good rugby out in South Africa, I just cannot see them keeping pace with this exceedingly good French outfit. As such, I’m on the French minus.
