JWC semi finalists confirmed

Defending champions South Africa, four-time winners New Zealand and Wales have qualified for the IRB Junior World Championship 2013 semi-finals as the top side in their pools and will be joined by the best runner-up England.

Three of the semi-finalists were in action on Thursday in La Roche-sur-Yon, where South Africa edged past hosts France 26-19, Wales overcame Argentina 25-20 and England rewrote the JWC record books by beating USA 109-0. New Zealand, meanwhile, held off a spirited Ireland to win 31-26 in Vannes.

New Zealand are the top seeds and will play England – a side they have beaten in three JWC finals – in Vannes on 18 June in the 20:45 kick-off. South Africa will face Wales in the first semi-final at the same venue, the Stade de la Rabine, at 18:15.

– IRB