Faingaa: We will have to beat the best

New Zealand have never lost a Junior World Championship match, the Baby Blacks boasting the proud record of 18 victories from 18, having scored 923 points and 129 tries and conceded only 156 points and 15 tries in the process.

While Wales conceded a record 92 points against New Zealand in round two, the closest any team has got to the Baby Blacks over the four years of the tournament is 14 points – Australia losing 31-17 the last time the Trans-Tasman rivals met in the semi finals in 2009.

Australia, though, have also experienced the other side of the coin, having been ripped apart by a sublime and clinical display from New Zealand in last year’s final in Argentina, the Baby Blacks winning 62-17 to complete their hat-trick of titles.

Colby Faingaa returned from injury for the final – Australia’s first Junior World Championship title decider – and remembers the disappointment only too well, admitting they “didn’t play it right mentally” and “we didn’t perform as well as we could”.

“Definitely, there is a bit of motivation coming up against them after that game,” admitted Faingaa, now Australia Under 20s captain. “It’s the game everybody wanted to play and lucky enough we got them.”

The best in the world

‘Lucky’ is not a word few would use about the chance to play New Zealand, a side who have scored more tries in the pool stages (30) this year than anyone has ever managed before.

Faingaa, though, has a simple philosophy.

“They are the best side at this level and have demonstrated it. It is going to be a hard game, but if you want to be the best in the world you have to play the best and over the last four years at Under 20 level that has been them.

“If we want to call ourselves the best then we have to beat them.”

The flanker knows that if Australia are to have a chance of creating JWC history, then they must start better than they did against France in their Pool C decider, because once the Baby Blacks get up a head of steam they are difficult to stop.

“Definitely the start [against France ]was not ideal for us, they got a lot of tries early on and we did well to come back,” admitted Faingaa, whose brothers Saia and Anthony were captain and vice captain of the last Australian side to win an IRB Age Grade title – the IRB Under 19 World Championship in Dubai in 2006.

“That is definitely something we can’t afford to do again. We have worked hard on trying to start a lot better and against New Zealand everyone knows what kind of game and style they play and we are focused on how we are going to play.

“New Zealand play a lot like [France do]. They like to run the ball and both like to try and get that little off-load through a hole and just chase people through. The game they play is quite similar.

“That is ideally the game that we want to play. We are going to try and play free for as long as possible, that is how the game will unfold and New Zealand will come out with the same mentality and it should be a good battle.”

New Zealand coach Mark Anscombe insists “last year’s result means nothing” because both teams have different strengths and weaknesses, but the close proximity between the two nations undoubtedly adds a twist to the semi final.

“Clashes between New Zealand and Australia are always tough games, we know we are in for a battle. With living close together it’s gloating rights and no-one likes to say they got beaten by Australia, like the Australians don’t like to say they got beaten by New Zealand.”

A sentiment echoed by his son Gareth, the leading point scorer at JWC 2011 who returns at fly half for the semi final as the Baby Blacks revert to their strongest line-up with captain Luke Whitelock, wing Charles Piutau and centre Lima Sopoaga also returning.

“They might be hungry for revenge, but we are hungry too. It is never an easy challenge against them, but this is a semi final and there is no second chance so we are hoping we can make the final.”

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The other semi final is an equally intriguing affair, pitting together two other traditional rivals in England and France, one an ever present at this stage of the tournament, the other reaching the last four for the first time in JWC history.

France surprised many by beating Australia to top Pool B, particularly after having stuttered past Fiji and Tonga in their earlier matches. However, France have a habit of turning on the style when it matters most, as Australia found to their cost in Treviso last Saturday.

Fast out of the blocks and playing with a steely determination, France were three tries up before Australia even knew what was happening, but the victory came at a price with two players suffering injuries which have ruled them out of the tournament.

Jean Bernard Pujol tore ligaments in his left knee after landing awkwardly in scoring France’s first try, while second row Pierre Gayraud injured his left shoulder, and their absence results in the only changes to the starting line-up to face England.

Geoffrey Palis gets the nod on the right wing, having scored France’s second try after coming on to replace the injured Pujol, while Sebastien Vahaamahina comes into the second row to partner William Demotte.

England have made a couple more changes than France, a side they beat 19-8 en route to securing the Under 20 Six Nations Grand Slam earlier in the year and by a similar margin (17-8) in the pool stages of JWC 2010 in Argentina.

Among them is the return of wing Christian Wade, who came off the bench to score the try which ultimately saw England to a 26-20 win over South Africa to confirm a fourth successive final appearance, while Guy Armitage replaces the injured Elliot Daly at outside centre after earning plaudits for a try-saving tackle in the dying minutes.

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South Africa’s defeat meant they failed to qualify for the semi finals for the first time and now have to regroup to face Ireland for the second time in the tournament, having triumphed 42-26 in round two in Treviso.

Coach Dawie Theron has made nine changes from the side beaten by England and says he is “confident the players will want to rectify the wrongs of the England match” against an Ireland side who will record their best ever JWC finish with one more win in Italy.

The opportunity to play the Baby Boks again is not lost on his counterpart Mike Ruddock. “It’s not that often that you get the opportunity to benchmark yourselves against the might of South Africa at this age grade and so having a second chance within eight days is rather unique.

“It is up to my players to put into practice the lessons learnt last time out. If we do that then we will improve our performance. If we improve on our last performance then we will be in the game big time.”

The other teams battling for fifth to eighth places are Wales and Fiji, who met each other twice in last year’s Championship, including the seventh place play-off which the Welsh won 39-15 to secure their worst – and Fiji’s best – final standings.

“We will have to produce a structured, disciplined game against the Fijians if we are to come out on top,” admitted Wales coach Richard Webster. “They will be strong and physical and there’s nothing they like better than a loose, open game so we will have to be intelligent in our tactics.”

Threat of relegation

Argentina are the surprise team amongst those battling to avoid relegation to the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy in 2012, particularly having finished sixth on home soil last year and also having caused New Zealand a few problems in their last Pool A match, despite losing 48-15.

Los Pumitas have already won one match at JWC 2011, ironically against tournament hosts Italy who they will face again in Rovigo on Wednesday. Manuel Montero, a try scorer in that 27-3 victory in round two, will again be the key man as Argentina target a win toconfirm their participation in South Africa next year.

Italy, who returned to the Championship as winners of last year's Junior World Rugby Trophy, will be looking to give their loyal fans something to cheer about in Rovigo, but will need to discover their attacking touch having scored just one try in three matches, ironically against New Zealand.

The other two sides without a win in this tournament are Scotland and Tonga, although both have caused problems for opponents in their respective pool campaigns, particularly against ultimate semi finalists England and France respectively.

Scotland and Tonga are also no strangers to each other, having met twice in last year's tournament in Argentina, including at this same stage with the Scots running out 28-8 winners to condemn Tonga to the relegation play-off against Samoa, a match they ultimately won 23-3 to remain in the JWC picture.

“We are really looking forward to the game tomorrow. We have shown some potential in the last three games, with some glimpses of quality, but we have never fully taken our chances," said Scotland Under 20 skills coach and adviser Rob Moffat as Scotland welcome Stuart Hogg back in the No.15 jersey after his two-match suspension.

“We have been improving in every game. The boys have been working extremely hard over the last few weeks and we have seen massive improvements in their game.”