The most important event of the year for the Argentina U20 team, Los Punitas, is approaching with the start of the Junior World Cup, which will take place from June 27 to July 18 in the cities of Tbilisi and Kutaisi in Georgia.

The European country will host it for the second time after hosting it in 2017. Nicolás Fernández Miranda, head coach of Los Pumitas, confirmed a squad of 30 players for the international competition; they will concentrate at Casa Pumas from Monday, June 15 to Friday, June 19.

The group stage will be played on June 27, July 2 and 7, while the semifinals will take place on the 13th and the grand final on the 18th of the same month. In this edition there will be 16 countries that will fight for the youth crown and will be divided into four groups of four teams each. The winners of each zone will advance directly to the semi-finals, while the runners-up will compete from fifth to eighth place. The third and fourth will compete for the positions from ninth to twelfth and from thirteenth to sixteenth, respectively. The final will be played on July 18 at the Mikheil Meskhi Stadium in Tbilisi.

The World Rugby Junior World Championship will be the first international competition to include a test to reduce the height of the tackle.

The World Cup groups:

Group A: South Africa, Wales, Georgia and Uruguay.
Group B: New Zealand, Italy, Scotland and Japan.
Group C: Argentina, England, Ireland and the United States.
Group D: France, Australia, Spain and Fiji.

Los Pumitas fixtures:

  • Saturday, June 27 – Argentina vs United States – Avchala Stadium, Tbilisi – 06:00 hs*
  • Thursday, July 2 – Argentina vs Ireland – Avchala Stadium, Tbilisi – 08:30 a.m.*
  • Tuesday, July 7 – Argentina vs England – Avchala Stadium, Tbilisi – 08:30 am
    [*Argentine time]

Nicolás Fernández Miranda, head coach of Los Pumitas, on the sqaud naming: "The truth is that for us it was very good. It is always a tournament that helps us a lot to prepare, to see where we are as a team, where we stand, to see where we have to continue working on improvement and where we have to continue working on the things that went well as well. We came back happy. I think the game against South Africa cost us, then we had a very good game against New Zealand, a good game against Australia that we would have liked to finish the truth by winning, but the truth is that it was a very good tournament in general terms."

"I'm happy with the team, happy with the preparation and waiting for this week to continue working and improving."
"Regarding the World Cup group, it is a difficult group honestly; The United States does not have much information yet because they did not play friendlies, but we know that they are a physically well-prepared team, big with a good size, but we have no references to their game because they have not yet played."

"Ireland is a team that did very well in the Six Nations with good performance, with good variants of play, that has a very good squad, has a good pack of forwards, good backs who like to play and take a lot of risks."

"England is a very tough team, very physical, that when they had to press in the games, they generally returned to their strengths of obtaining, of advancing with their forwards, the game with the foot, and only after that playing more loosely."

"We know it's going to be a difficult group, very competitive, but hey, our goal now in these five days is to have a good preparation and think about the United States game."

Los Pumitas squad for the U20 World Cup:

1 ANNAND, Jeremy (Belgrano Athletic – URBA)
2 AVACA, Luciano (Tala R.C – Unión Cordobesa de Rugby)
3 BENAVIDES, Bautista (Santa Fe R.C – Unión Santafesina de Rugby)
4 CAMBIASSO, Nicolás (Buenos Aires – URBA)
5 CAÑAS, Basilio (CAE – Unión Entrerriana de Rugby)
6 CEBRON, Fabrizio (Regatas Bella Vista – URBA)
7 COLL, Pedro (Tigres R.C – Unión de Rugby de Salta)
8 CUNEO CAMARGO, Manuel (San Juan R.C – Unión Sanjuanina de Rugby)
9 DANDE, Tomás (Huirapuca R.C – Unión de Rugby de Tucumán)
10 FARIAS CERIONI, Benjamín (Universitario R.C – Unión de Rugby de Tucumán)
11 FERNÁNDEZ, Ramón (Hindu – URBA)
12 GIANNANTONIO, Manuel (Tala R.C – Unión Cordobesa de Rugby)
13 HYGONENQ, Felipe (Alumni – URBA)
14 LEDESMA AROCENA, Benjamín (SIC – URBA)
15 LESCANO, Bautista (CAE – Unión Entrerriana de Rugby)
16 MARIZZA, Franco (Paraná Rowing – Unión Entrerriana de Rugby)
17 NARVÁEZ, Federico (Atlético del Rosario – Unión de Rugby de Rosario)
18 ORDIZ, Benjamín (Los Caranchos – Unión de Rugby de Rosario)
19 PASCUAL VIALE, Joaquín (Alumni – URBA)
20 PFISTER, Simón (Tucumán R.C – Unión de Rugby de Tucumán)
21 PREUMAYR, Juan (Jockey Club de Rosario – Unión de Rugby de Rosario)
22 QUIROGA MIGUENS, Bautista (CUBA – URBA)
23 REGGIARDO, Valentino (French Sports – URBA)
24 ROCHA, Tiziano (Alumni – URBA)
25 SALINAS MALLEA, Bautista (Los Tordos R.C – Unión de Rugby de Cuyo)
26 SENILLOSA, Pascal (Indian – URBA)
27 SERPA, Federico (Los Tordos R.C – Unión de Rugby de Cuyo)
28 SORONDO, Jerónimo (Belgrano Athletic – URBA)
29 TORRE, Federico (Córdoba Athletic – Unión Cordobesa de Rugby)
30 VALLE, Laureano (Mendoza R.C – Unión de Rugby de Cuyo)