New Zealand are unbeaten in the of history the junior world championship. Photo / Getty Images
New Zealand will defend its junior world championship title in South Africa in June next year.
Cape Town and Stellenbosch will host the under-20 tournament between June 4-22, and New Zealand, unbeaten the tournament's history, will again be favoured to win.
In a change from recent championships, the 2012 event
will feature just two venues - the University of Western Cape Stadium in Cape Town and Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch - with triple-headers being played across five match days to maximise crowds and create a "festival format'', said the International Rugby Board.
New Zealand has Fiji, Wales and Samoa in its pool.
The world championships are an important stepping stone to full internationals, with several former players taking part in this year's World Cup, including All Blacks Aaron Cruden, Zac Guildford and Sam Whitelock, Australia's David Pocock and Will Genia, England's Courtney Lawes and Ben Youngs and Wales' youngest ever World Cup captain Sam Warburton.
