The Australia Under-20s rugby team will take the field today, 8 April 2026, at Verge Street Oval in Kempsey to face Fiji Under-20s as part of the Coffs Coast Festival of Rugby. The match, which kicks off at 17:00, features a squad with talent drawn from the NSW Waratahs Academy, highlighting the strength of the state’s talent development pathway.
The match serves as a key preparation event for the national side, which is set to compete in the Rugby Championship U20 in South Africa later this year, followed by the World Rugby Junior World Championship in Georgia. Australia Under-20s head coach Chris Whitaker noted that the festival provides an important environment for building team connections and testing players against international competition in front of regional crowds.
The broader training squad includes several returning players and highlights the ongoing commitment to rugby development across New South Wales.
The NSW Rugby Union is delivering the week-long festival in partnership with the City of Coffs Harbour and the Mid North Coast Rugby Union. Beyond the international exhibition matches, the event supports local development through programs like those run by the Lower Mid North Coast Junior Rugby Union, which encourages participation through clubs like the Gloucester Cockies and the Forster Tuncurry Dolphins.
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