Traemos algunas estadísticas interesantes de anteriores semifinales del World Rugby U20 Championship 2019, a dos días de que el anfitrión Argentina, Australia, Sudáfrica y el campeón defensor Francia, compitan este lunes por un lugar en la final.

  • Ocho equipos han competido en una semifinal del U20 Championship: Nueva Zelanda, Inglaterra, Sudáfrica, Francia, Gales, Australia, Argentina e Irlanda

 

  • De estos, solo Argentina no jugó nunca en la final

  • Argentina, Australia y Sudáfrica clasificaron como primeros de su grupo; Francia fue el mejor segundo

  • Sudáfrica es ahora el único equipo que solo faltó a las semifinales una sola vez, en 2011. Inglaterra y Nueva Zelanda estaban en este grupo selecto hasta que no lograron outh Africa are now the only nation to have missed out on the semi-finals on just one occasion, back in 2011. England and New Zealand were in this select club until failing to reach the semi-finals in this 12th edition of the U20 Championship in Argentina. They failed to qualify in 2011 and 2016 respectively

  • By contrast this is only the third semi-final for Argentina in 12 years of the U20 Championship

  • Australia reached three of the first four semi-finals but this is their first appearance since 2011

  • The fastest try scored in an U20 Championship semi-final was by England winger Christian Wade after just three minutes of the 2011 encounter with France in Treviso. England went on to win 33-18

  • A total of 1,048 points have been scored in the 22 U20 Championship semi-finals to date, which averages out to 47.64 points per last four encounter

  • The most points scored in a single semi-final is 65 from New Zealand’s win over France in 2017 at the Mikheil Meskhi Stadium in Tbilisi, although last year’s battle between South Africa and England came close, the latter winning 32-31 in Narbonne

  • The fewest points scored in a single semi-final is 23 in 2018 when France edged defending champions New Zealand 16-7  in 2013 when Wales edged South Africa 18-17 to reach a first U20 Championship final

  • The Racecourse Stadium in Rosario becomes the 14th venue to host an U20 Championship semi-final after Rodney Parade (2008), Cardiff Arms Park (2008), Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium (2009), Estadio El Coloso del Parque (2010), Stadio Comunale di Monigo (2011), Newlands (2012), Stade de la Rabine (2013), QBE Stadium (2014), Stadio San Michele (2015), the Manchester City Academy Stadium (2016), Mikheil Meshki Stadium (2017), Stade d'Honneur du Parc des sports et de l'Amitie in Narbonne and Stade Aime Giral in Perpignan (2018)

  • Sixteen is the fewest points scored by a winning semi-finalist – by France in overcoming New Zealand in 2018

  • Forty-five points is the most points scored by a winning semi-finalist – by New Zealand in ending France’s hopes of a first final in 2015

  • A total of 124 tries have been scored across the 22 semi-finals to date. Ninety of these have been turned into seven-pointers

  • The most tries scored in a semi-final is nine, which has happened twice – in 2017 when New  Zealand beat hosts France 39-26 and last year when England beat South Africa 32-31

  • The first player to score any points in an U20 Championship semi-final was Leigh Halfpenny, who kicked a sixth-minute penalty in Wales’ 30-6 loss to New Zealand in 2008

  • The longest wait for a try in a semi-final is 43 minutes, the point at which Romain Ntamack scored for France in their win over New Zealand in 2018

  • The side scoring the most tries in almost every semi-final to date has been the winning side, the exceptions being Wales’ win over South Africa in 2013 and England’s win over South Africa in 2017 – when the sides both scored two and three tries respectively – and last year when South Africa scored five tries in to England’s four in defeat

  • The only sides not to score a try in a semi-final appearance are Wales (2008 and 2012) and Argentina (2012)

  • Only four times has the team scoring first not gone on to win the semi-final – Wales in 2008 and 2012, Australia in 2011 and New Zealand in 2014

  • The most penalties kicked in a semi-final is seven, which has been achieved twice – in England’s victories over South Africa in 2009 and New Zealand in 2013. The fewest is one in the 2015 encounter between eventual champions New Zealand and France

  • The only drop goal to have been slotted between the posts in a semi-final was kicked by England’s Howard Packman in 2014

  • Two red cards have been issued in an U20 Championship semi-final to date with South Africa’s Rynhardt Elstadt sent off in their 2009 loss to England and then Argentina’s Santiago Pulella in their 37-7 loss to Ireland in 2016

 Who will come out on top in the 2019 semi-finals? Follow the action as it unfolds on www.world.rugby and @WorldRugby using #WorldRugbyU20s