2025 U18 International Series
| 2025 U18 International Series | |
|---|---|
Markus Muller competing at the 2025 U18 International Serires | |
| Countries | |
| Date | 18-16 August 2025 |
| Champions | South Africa U18 |
| Matches played | 9 |
| Tries scored | 79 (average 8.8 per match) |
| Top point scorer | Liyema Nela (26) |
| Top try scorer | Markus Muller (3) |
The 2025 U18 International Series is an international schools rugby union competition, part of the Under-18 International Series. The latest series was held in South Africa between 8 August and 16 August 2025. It featured under-18 national teams from South Africa, England, France, Georgia, and Ireland.
South Africa’s U18 team dominated the round-robin fixtures, winning all their matches against France, Ireland, and England. The competition showcased the strength of South Africa’s youth development system, with highly competitive matches across all five nations.[1]
Competition rules and information
Each team played three matches in a round-robin format. Teams were awarded four points for a win and two points for a draw. Bonus points were awarded for scoring four or more tries in a match and for losing by seven points or fewer. Rankings were determined by total log points, then points difference (points scored minus points conceded). There were no semifinals or finals; the overall winner was the team with the highest points at the end of the round-robin.
Teams
| Locations of European U18 teams |
|---|
|
England U18 France U18 Georgia U18 Ireland U18 |
The teams that played in the 2025 U18 International Series are:
| 2025 U18 International Series teams | |
|---|---|
| Team | Country |
| South Africa U18 | South Africa |
| England U18 | England |
| France U18 | France |
| Georgia U18 | Georgia |
| Ireland U18 | Ireland |
Series summary
South Africa went unbeaten across all three matches in the series, demonstrating a dominant performance against top European and Georgian youth teams. The round-robin format ensured that each team played competitive matches against multiple nations, highlighting the growing standard of under-18 international rugby in South Africa. [2]
Final standings
The final log for the 2025 U18 International Series was:
| 2025 U18 International Series standings | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD |
| 1 | South Africa U18 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 169 | 64 | +105 |
| 2 | France U18 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 92 | 86 | +6 |
| 3 | Ireland U18 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 65 | 52 | +13 |
| 4 | Georgia U18 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 67 | 108 | −41 |
| 5 | South Africa ‘A U18 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 107 | 98 | +9 |
| 6 | England U18 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 75 | 158 | −83 |
Matches
The results from the 2025 Under-18 International Series were:[3] [4]
| 8 August 2025 11h30 |
| South Africa 'A' | 36–39 | Ireland |
| Try: Jeffrey Singo, Reinhart Viljoen(2), Ncutu Kepe, Lizwe Mthethwa Con: Jeandre Uithaler(4) Pen: Jeandre Uithaler(1) | Report | Try: Lee Fitzpatrick(2), Bernard White(2), Alex Lautsou Con: Luke Coffey(2), Connor McVicker (2) Pen: Connor McVicker(1) |
| Hoërskool Durbanville, Cape Town |
| 8 August 2025 15h30 |
| South Africa | 43–21 | France |
| Try: Chinedu Amadi(2), Gert Kemp, Markus Muller, Jacobus de Villiers, Junaide Stuart Con: Liyema Nela(4), Ruben Groenewald Pen: Liyema Nela(1) | Report | Try: Auguste Albuisson, Christian Mendes Tani(2) Con: Timeo Gillouin-Lemaire(1), Valentin Bouju (2) |
| Hoërskool Durbanville, Cape Town |
| 12 August 2025 11h30 |
| South Africa 'A' | 57–19 | Georgia |
| Try: Thomas Muller, Migael Turner, Ncutu Kepe, Junade Pasensie(2), Quintin Potgieter(2), Erin Nelson, Nathan Aneke Con: Jeandre Uithaler(6) | Report | Try: Pitskhelauri Gocha, Balanchivadze Nikoloz, Gabriel Razmadze Con: Butshrikidze Levani(2) |
| Hoër Landbouskool Boland, Paarl |
| 12 August 2025 11h30 |
| South Africa | 45–5 | Ireland |
| Try: Jayden Joubert, Clinton Agu, Jayden Brits, Lamla Mgedezi, Jadrian Afrikaner, Ethan Adams, Penalty try Con: Ruben Groenewald (2), Liyema Nela (2) | Report | Try: Harry Goslin |
| Hoër Landbouskool Boland, Paarl |
| 16 August 2025 11h30 |
| South Africa 'A' | 14–40 | France |
| Try: Thomas Muller, Penalty Try Con: Jeandre Uithaler(1) | Report | Try: Lourenzo Laouna, Malobe Mbaye, Andoni Echegaray, Gaetan Ngassa Manac’h, Yanis Brosset Con: Timeo Gillouin Lemaire(1), Louis Favrau(2) Pen: Gillouin-Lemaire(2), Favrau(1) |
| Paarl Gimnasium, Paarl |
| 16 August 2025 15h30 |
| South Africa | 69–24 | England |
| Try: Jadriaan Afrikaner, Gert Kemp, Markus Muller(2), Ethan Adams, Junaide Stuart, JG Badenhorst, Altus Rabe, Josh Neill, Christian Vorster Con: Liyema Nela(4), Ruben Groenewald(4) Pen: Liyema Nela(1) | Report | Try: Lawrence Ogbonnaya, Henry Horsfall, Declan Treacey Con: Hugh Shields(1), Oscar Talbot(1) Pen: Hugh Shields(1) |
| Paarl Gimnasium, Paarl |
Standouts
The standouts for the 2025 U18 International Rugby Series were as follows:
| 2025 Top Performers | |
|---|---|
| Top side: | SA Schools |
| Top Points Scorer: | Liyema Nela (26), SA Schools |
| Top try Scorer: | Markus Muller (3), SA Schools |
References
- ^ Foote highlights role of U18 Series in Junior Bok development, SA Rugby, 20 August 2025, retrieved 20 February 2026
- ^ Youth rugby shines in U18 International Series, SA Rugby, 20 August 2025, retrieved 20 February 2026
- ^ "Change of venue for U18 International Series". SA Rugby. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
- ^ "Change of Venue for U18 International Series". Springboks.rugby. SA Rugby. Retrieved 20 February 2026.