Chris Whitaker's Australia U20s have opened up their World Rugby Junior World Championship 2026 campaign with a 90-22 win over Spain U20 in a late-night clash in Kutaisi, Georgia.
90 points is Australia's highest ever tally at a Junior World Championship, eclipsing the 86 points they scored against Canada in 2009.
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The Aussies ran in 14 tries in a dominant start-to-finish victory after the start of the game was delayed 40 minutes due to a lightning delay in an earlier match.
The Aussies started fast, winning a couple of penalties to get up the field before Luca Cleverley powered over the line from short range.
A couple minutes later, the Australians were over again, courtesy of hooker Ewald Kruger from a rolling maul.
Kruger had an opening fifteen-minute double when he snuck over again after a deceptive pick-and-go.
The tries kept coming for the green and gold, with Eli Langi getting his name on the scoresheet, sprinting across the line after a Cleverley offload.
Scrumhalf Angus Grover took a page out of Kruger’s book, with a show-and-go of his own from the ruck that fooled the Spanish defence to put the NSW Waratahs product over.
Edwin Langi and Chayse Geros added a sixth and seventh try for the Aussies before half-time to give them a commanding 49-0 lead at the break.
The second-half started to the same way as the first, with the gold jersey’s powering over the line, this time through captain Tom Robinson.
Spain took advantage of yellow card given to replacement prop Lehopoame Leota for a high-tackle, scoring their first try of the game through Ivan Farace.
The Aussies hit back through Zach Fittler who came into the matchday 23 after winger Tom Farr-Jones pulled out prior to kick-off.
Backrower TJ Talaileva scored Australia’s tenth try of the match mere seconds after coming onto the field, before crossing for a double just a few minutes later.
Whitaker’s side finished with a flurry of tries with Charles Hollyman scoring from a rolling maul before a second to Fittler after quick hands down the right hand side.
