# New Zealand national under-20 rugby union team

The New Zealand national under-20 rugby union team, nicknamed the Baby Blacks, is the representative rugby union team from New Zealand. It replaced the two former age grade teams, the under-19s and the under-21s. Their first tournament was the 2008 IRB Junior World Championship, which they won after defeating England (38–3) in the final. They have gone on to also win the World Rugby Under 20 Championship in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015 and 2017. The New Zealand under-20s have been nicknamed the "Baby Blacks" after the youthful All Blacks side which played in 1986.

## Overall

Summary of all matches played by the New Zealand Under-20s as of 19 July 2024
| Opposition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | % Won |
| Argentina | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Australia | 17 | 13 | 0 | 4 | 76% |
| England | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 83% |
| Fiji | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| France | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 50% |
| Georgia | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Ireland | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 89% |
| Italy | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Japan | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Samoa | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Scotland | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| South Africa | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 13% |
| Spain | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Tonga | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Uruguay | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Wales | 11 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 82% |
| Total | 92 | 74 | 1 | 17 | 80% |

### World Rugby U20 Championship record

| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA |
| 2008 | Champions | 1st | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 242 | 28 |
| 2009 | Champions | 1st | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 215 | 54 |
| 2010 | Champions | 1st | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 262 | 52 |
| 2011 | Champions | 1st | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 274 | 51 |
| 2012 | Runners-up | 2nd | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 148 | 49 |
| 2013 | Semi-finals | 4th | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 159 | 116 |
| 2014 | Semi-finals | 3rd | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 196 | 107 |
| 2015 | Champions | 1st | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 191 | 63 |
| 2016 | 5th place | 5th | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 223 | 86 |
| 2017 | Champions | 1st | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 282 | 92 |
| 2018 | Semi-finals | 4th | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 173 | 84 |
| 2019 | 7th place | 7th | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 161 | 96 |
| 2023 | 7th place | 7th | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 188 | 150 |
| 2024 | Semi-finals | 3rd | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 182 | 152 |
| Total | 14/14 | 6 titles | 70 | 56 | 0 | 14 | 2,896 | 1,180 |

### Oceania Rugby U20 Championship record

| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA |
| 2015 | Champions | 1st | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 157 | 43 |
| 2016 | Champions | 1st | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 54 | 35 |
| 2017 | Champions | 1st | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 186 | 32 |
| 2018 | Champions | 1st | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 195 | 43 |
| 2019 | Runners-up | 2nd | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 140 | 43 |
| 2022 | Champions | 1st | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 175 | 26 |
| Total | 6/6 | 5 titles | 17 | 15 | 0 | 2 | 907 | 222 |

### U20 Rugby Championship record

| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA |
| 2024 | Champions | 1st | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 92 | 58 |
| Total | 1/1 | 1 titles | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 92 | 58 |

## Players
### Recent squads
#### 2024

On 10 April 2024, Head Coach Jono Gibbes announced the squad for the inaugural U20 Rugby Championship in Australia.
| Player | Position | Region/Province |
| Vernon Bason | Hooker | Hurricanes, Manawatu |
| Manumaua Letiu | Hooker | Crusaders, Canterbury |
| A-One Lolofie | Hooker | Highlanders, Otago |
| Kurene Luamanuvae | Prop | Blues, Auckland |
| Will Martin | Prop | Chiefs, Waikato |
| Konradd Newland | Prop | Hurricanes, Hawke's Bay |
| Sika Pole | Prop | Blues, Auckland |
| Joshua Smith | Prop | Hurricanes, Hawke's Bay |
| Tom Allen | Lock | Hurricanes, Hawke's Bay |
| Cam Christie | Lock | Blues, North Harbour |
| Liam Jack | Lock | Crusaders, Canterbury |
| Jeremiah Avei-Collins | Flanker | Hurricanes, Wellington |
| Tristyn Cook | Flanker | Blues, North Harbour |
| Matt Lowe | Flanker | Crusaders, Tasman |
| Andrew Smith | Flanker | Chiefs, Waikato |
| Mosese Bason | Number 8 | Hurricanes, Manawatu |
| Jonathan Lee | Number 8 | Crusaders, Canterbury |
| Malachi Wrampling-Alec | Number 8 | Chiefs, Waikato |
| Ben O'Donovan | Halfback | Crusaders, Canterbury |
| Dylan Pledger | Halfback | Highlanders, Otago |
| Cooper Grant | First five-eighth | Crusaders, Tasman |
| Rico Simpson | First five-eighth | Blues, Auckland |
| Toby Bell | Midfield back | Crusaders, Canterbury |
| Tofuka Paongo | Midfield back | Hurricanes, Wellington |
| Xavi Taele | Midfield back | Blues, Auckland |
| Giancarlo Tuivailala | Midfield back | Chiefs, Waikato |
| Josh Whaanga | Midfield back | Highlanders, Otago |
| King Maxwell | Wing | Blues, Auckland |
| Stanley Solomon | Wing | Hurricanes, Wellington |
| Frank Vaenuku | Wing | Chiefs, Bay of Plenty |
| Sam Coles | Fullback | Hurricanes, Manawatu |
| Isaac Hutchinson | Fullback | Crusaders, Canterbury |
Non-travelling reserves named were:
* Logan Wallace (Hurricanes, Manawatū)
* Nathaniel Pole (Blues, Auckland)
* Riley Williams (Blues, Auckland)
* Tai Cribb (Chiefs, Waikato)
* Tofuka Paongo was initially named as a non-travelling reserve but was subsequently selected to play in the match against Argentina U20.
After winning the inaugural U20 Rugby Championship title, Jono Gibbes named the squad for the 2024 World Rugby U20 Championship on 31 May 2024.
| Player | Position | Region/Province |
| Vernon Bason | Hooker | Hurricanes, Manawatu |
| Manumaua Letiu | Hooker | Crusaders, Canterbury |
| A-One Lolofie | Hooker | Highlanders, Otago |
| Kurene Luamanuvae | Prop | Blues, Auckland |
| Will Martin | Prop | Chiefs, Waikato |
| Sika Pole | Prop | Blues, Auckland |
| Senio Sanele | Prop | Hurricanes, Wellington |
| Joshua Smith | Prop | Hurricanes, Hawke's Bay |
| Logan Wallace | Prop | Hurricanes, Manawatu |
| Tom Allen | Lock | Hurricanes, Hawke's Bay |
| Cam Christie | Lock | Blues, North Harbour |
| Liam Jack | Lock | Crusaders, Canterbury |
| Tai Cribb | Lock/Flanker | Chiefs, Waikato |
| Jeremiah Avei-Collins | Flanker | Hurricanes, Wellington |
| Matt Lowe | Flanker | Crusaders, Tasman |
| Andrew Smith | Flanker | Chiefs, Waikato |
| Mosese Bason | Number 8 | Hurricanes, Manawatu |
| Jonathan Lee | Number 8 | Crusaders, Canterbury |
| Malachi Wrampling-Alec | Number 8 | Chiefs, Waikato |
| Ben O'Donovan | Halfback | Crusaders, Canterbury |
| Dylan Pledger | Halfback | Highlanders, Otago |
| Riley Williams | Halfback | Blues, Auckland |
| Cooper Grant | First five-eighth | Crusaders, Tasman |
| Rico Simpson | First five-eighth | Blues, Auckland |
| Xavi Taele | Midfield back | Blues, Auckland |
| Giancarlo Tuivailala | Midfield back | Chiefs, Waikato |
| King Maxwell | Wing | Blues, Auckland |
| Stanley Solomon | Wing | Hurricanes, Wellington |
| Frank Vaenuku | Wing | Chiefs, Bay of Plenty |
| Xavier Tito-Harris | Wing/Fullback | Blues, Auckland |
| Sam Coles | Fullback | Hurricanes, Manawatu |
| Isaac Hutchinson | Fullback | Crusaders, Canterbury |
Non-travelling reserves:
* Nathaniel Pole (Blues, Auckland)
* Josh Whaanga (Highlanders, Otago)
* Toby Bell (Crusaders, Canterbury)
* Tofuka Paongo (Hurricanes, Wellington)
* Tristyn Cook (Blues, North Harbour)
* Mosese Bason was initially considered unavailable due to injury and Senio Sanele was named as a non-travelling reserve, but they were subsequently added to the squad as injury replacements for Kurene Luamanuvae and Malachi Wrampling-Alec.

### Award winners

The following New Zealand U20s players have been recognised at the World Rugby Awards since 2008:
World Rugby Junior Player of the Year :
| Year | Nominees | Winners |
| 2008 | Luke Braid | Luke Braid |
| 2008 | Chris Smith | Luke Braid |
| 2009 | Aaron Cruden | Aaron Cruden |
| 2009 | Winston Stanley | Aaron Cruden |
| 2010 | Tyler Bleyendaal | Julian Savea |
| 2010 | Julian Savea | Julian Savea |
| 2011 | Sam Cane | — |
| 2011 | Luke Whitelock | — |
| 2013 | Ardie Savea | — |
| 2014 | Tevita Li | — |
| 2015 | Akira Ioane | — |
| 2015 | Tevita Li (2) | — |
| 2016 | Shaun Stevenson | — |
| 2017 | Tiaan Falcon | — |
| 2017 | Will Jordan | — |

## Coaches

Due to the U20 category only existing since the combining of the U19 and U21 age groups in 2007, the following table only includes coaches appointed since. In the inaugural tournament in 2008, Dave Rennie and Russell Hilton-Jones served as co-coaches in charge of the team. Craig Philpott is the longest serving coach. As of 2024, the current Head Coach is Jono Gibbes.
Updated to: 19 July 2024
| Coach | Tenure | P | W | D | L | W% |
| Dave Rennie | 2008 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Russell Hilton-Jones | 2008 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Dave Rennie | 2009–2010 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Mark Anscombe | 2011 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Rob Penney | 2012 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 60% |
| Chris Boyd | 2013–2014 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 60% |
| Scott Robertson | 2015–2016 | 15 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 93% |
| Craig Philpott | 2017–2019 | 24 | 19 | 0 | 5 | 79% |
| Tom Donnelly | 2022 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Clark Laidlaw | 2023 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 57% |
| Jono Gibbes | 2024– | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 81% |