Who will be next on the production line?

THE Junior World Cup makes a welcome return after a four-year hiatus next week down in South Africa and I for one give thanks.

I can’t think of a rugby tournament that gives more joy and offers more moments of outrageous skill and potential not to mention food for thought and conjecture.

France are the reigning holders from 2019 in Argentina after which Covid did its worst for a couple of years and then it all proved too difficult to cobble together a global event last summer with some nations still a long way behind on their junior programmes.

But it’s back now and look out. There will be the usual explosion of fast maturing talent to mentally note down or, in the case of the club scouts and players agents, energetically chase after to sign on the dotted line. That’s if they aren’t already committed.

It seems an age since 2019 but my memories are of a typically eclectic tournament and, as ever, you needed to keep your eyes open and go off piste a little. The big nations enjoy a natural inbuilt advantage at this level but some of the best players are in those teams who fail to make the finals and often play on the back pitches or before the main event.

That was certainly the case down in Rosario when the players who really took my eye were dashing Pumitas wing Mateo Carreras – who hasn’t scrubbed up too badly at Newcastle Falcons – and the Italian duo of Ange Capuozzo and Paolo Garbisi who hinted at better times ahead for the Azzuri and are begging to deliver.

The brilliant Davit Niniashvili, two years young for the tournament, was outstanding in all of Georgia’s games as was his fly-half Tedo Abzhandadze. Both were immediately promoted to the Lelos senior side where they have added much needed class and invention to the backline.