France U20 vs New Zealand U20

New Zealand started the brighter. Tight-head prop Ethan Webber was driven over from close range in the seventh minute, and Cohen Norrie's conversion gave the Baby Blacks a 7-0 lead.

France responded through their forwards. Hooker Gabin Garault grounded the ball from a well-worked rolling maul in the 20th minute, with Luka Keletaona converting to level the scores.

New Zealand lock Max Fale was sin-binned for a high tackle in the 21st minute, but the Baby Blacks scored a man down. Prop Henry Stuart powered over from close range six minutes later to restore the lead. France, however, struck back before the break when Garault touched down again from a lineout driving maul — his fifth try of the tournament — and Keletaona converted to make it 14-12 at half-time.

New Zealand emerged strongly after the interval. Replacement Finn McLeod squeezed over from close range in the 48th minute, Norrie converted, and the Baby Blacks led 19-14.

But momentum shifted when New Zealand flanker Caleb Woodley was sin-binned — the team's second yellow card. France's pack immediately capitalised, with replacement hooker Elia Masi going over from a driving maul in the 61st minute to level the scores at 19-19.

With the clock ticking down, Mika Muliaina's long-range penalty in the 72nd minute edged New Zealand back in front at 22-19. It looked like the match-winner.

France needed something special and produced it. Winger Melvyn Rates broke from deep inside his own half, setting the counter-attack in motion. The ball was moved swiftly through hands, and Adrien Drault scampered clear to touch down for a superb winning score with five minutes remaining. Keletaona added the conversion to make it 26-22.

New Zealand had no time to respond. France held on to book their place in the final.

Gabin Garault (France) — Two tries in the first half, both from driving mauls, taking his tournament tally to five. Flawless with his lineout throwing and forced a crucial turnover penalty on the stroke of half-time.

Adrien Drault (France) — Scored the decisive try with five minutes left, finishing a flowing counter-attack from deep. Had limited chances in attack otherwise but was in the right place at the right moment.

Melvyn Rates (France) — Instigated the match-winning try with a brilliant break from deep. Regularly came off his wing looking for work and was a willing goal-line defender throughout.

Bastien Rasal (France) — Produced huge tackle numbers in a defensive shift that any back-row forward would be proud of, per RugbyPass.

Finn McLeod (New Zealand) — Came off the bench to score a vital try that put New Zealand back in front in the second half.

Player of the match: Gabin Garault (France U20)

France's victory was built on forward dominance at set pieces. Both of Garault's first-half tries came from the rolling maul — a weapon France have honed throughout the tournament — and the third try from Masi followed the same pattern after New Zealand went down to 14 men. New Zealand's three tries came from close-range forward drives (Webber, Stuart, McLeod) but the Baby Blacks lacked the cutting edge out wide to pull clear.

The two yellow cards (Fale 21', Woodley ~55') proved decisive. New Zealand conceded 12 points while reduced to 14 men, including the try that levelled the scores at 19-19. France's discipline, by contrast, held firm.

France advance to the World Rugby U20 Championship final on Saturday, 18 July at Mikheil Meskhi Stadium in Tbilisi, where they will face defending champions South Africa. The Junior Springboks defeated England 53-37 in the other semi-final.

New Zealand — winners of a record six Junior World Championships, the last on Georgian soil in 2017 — will face England in the third-place play-off on the same day as a curtain-raiser to the final.

Les Bleuets, winners of the U20 Six Nations earlier this year, are seeking a fourth title (2018, 2019, 2023). South Africa, the U20 Rugby Championship winners, are bidding to defend their crown.

A semi-final that swung on discipline and set-piece execution. France's rolling maul proved unstoppable — especially against a depleted New Zealand pack — and their counter-attack delivered the decisive moment when it mattered. The Baby Blacks will rue two yellow cards in a tight contest, but France's composure in the final ten minutes was the difference.