The 2008 IRB Junior World Championship was the first annual international rugby union competition for Under 20 national teams. All players who were twenty years of age or under on 1 January 2008 were eligible for selection.
This competition replaced the now defunct Under 19 Rugby World Championship and Under 21 Rugby World Championship. The event, organised by rugby's governing body, the International Rugby Board (IRB), was contested by sixteen men's under-20 national teams.
The tournament was held in June and hosted by Wales, at four separate venues, and won by New Zealand.
Venues
Calendar
Pools
Pool A
{ | class="wikitable" |- !width=165|Team !width=40|Played !width=40|Won !width=40|Drawn !width=40|Lost !width=40|Tries !width=40|For !width=40|Against !width=40|Difference !width=40|BP !width=40|Points |- bgcolor=#ccffcc align=center |align=left| |3||3||0||0||25||173||19||+154||3||15 |- bgcolor=#ffffcc align=center |align=left| |3||2||0||1||6||47||69||–32||1||9 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc align=center |align=left| |3||1||0||2||6||64||109||–45||1||5 |- align=center |align=left| |3||0||0||3||3||46||123||–77||0||0 |}
Pool B
{ | class="wikitable" |- !width=165|Team !width=40|Played !width=40|Won !width=40|Drawn !width=40|Lost !width=40|Tries !width=40|For !width=40|Against !width=40|Difference !width=40|BP !width=40|Points |- bgcolor=#ccffcc align=center |align=left| |3||3||0||0||27||196||32||+164||2||14 |- bgcolor=#ffffcc align=center |align=left| |3||2||0||1||7||60||39||+21||1||9 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc align=center |align=left| |3||1||0||2||8||61||115||–54||1||5 |- align=center |align=left| |3||0||0||3||3||38||169||–131||0||0 |}
Pool C
{ | class="wikitable" |- !width=165|Team !width=40|Played !width=40|Won !width=40|Drawn !width=40|Lost !width=40|Tries !width=40|For !width=40|Against !width=40|Difference !width=40|BP !width=40|Points |- bgcolor=#ccffcc align=center |align=left| |3||3||0||0||17||119||48||+71||2||14 |- bgcolor=#ffffcc align=center |align=left| |3||2||0||1||27||147||47||+100||3||11 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc align=center |align=left| |3||1||0||2||5||47||151||–104||0||4 |- align=center |align=left| |3||0||0||3||4||44||111||–67||1||1 |}
Pool D
{ | class="wikitable" |- !width=165|Team !width=40|Played !width=40|Won !width=40|Drawn !width=40|Lost !width=40|Tries !width=40|For !width=40|Against !width=40|Difference !width=40|BP !width=40|Points |- bgcolor=#ccffcc align=center |align=left| |3||3||0||0||11||85||39||+46||2||14 |- bgcolor=#ffffcc align=center |align=left| |3||2||0||1||13||104||54||+50||3||11 |- bgcolor=#ffcccc align=center |align=left| |3||1||0||2||4||48||81||–33||0||4 |- align=center |align=left| |3||0||0||3||7||47||110||–63||1||1 |}