Uruguay celebrate capturing th einaugural IRB Junior World Trophy crown © IRB

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News: Stage set for Junior World Trophy

The International Rugby Board has confirmed the competition match days for the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy 2009 in Nairobi, Kenya.

The international tournament, featuring teams at Under 20 level from eight Unions, will kick off on April 21 with subsequent match days on April 25, April 29 and the positional play-offs and IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy Final on May 3.

"The Kenya Rugby Football Union is dedicated to hosting a highly-professional IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy that features a mix of superb playing and training facilities, strong commercial backing and the activation of a dedicated legacy programme that will not only be of benefit to the Rugby Community in Kenya, but across the whole of Africa," explained IRB Tournament Manager Philippe Bourdarias.

"Following the resounding success of the inaugural tournament in Chile, the Trophy is now firmly established alongside the IRB Junior World Championship as a key international player and coach development tool. The IRB looks forward to welcoming the teams and travelling fans to Nairobi for a tournament that will be every bit as successful," added Bourdarias.

For Confederation of African Rugby (CAR) President Abdelaziz Bougja the hosting of the tournament in Kenya represents another considerable milestone for the Game in Africa, which is a key growth region for the IRB.

"CAR is delighted that the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy 2009 is coming to Kenya at an exciting time for African Rugby. The popularity of the Game across Africa continues to grow through the success of the Castel Cup, the Africa Cup and our major Sevens tournaments. Last year a historic accord was signed with the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) aimed at jointly fostering sport and Rugby in Africa and the hosting of this high-profile international tournament will further serve to boost the profile of the Game across Africa," said Bougja.

"CAR is committed to developing the Game in Africa and we are looking forward to working closely with the IRB and Kenya Rugby Football Union in the delivery of the key areas of the Trophy, including a strong legacy programme that through coaching, education and facility provision, will provide the impetus for further growth in Kenya and across Africa," added Bougja.

The 2008 Trophy in Santiago, Chile was a landmark occasion for Rugby in South America. It acted as the catalyst for growth in interest and participation in Chile through the delivery of successful IRB run coach and match official education programmes, affordable ticketing and school interaction. The final between hosts Chile and Uruguay attracted one of the largest crowds ever for a Rugby match in Chile with 7000 spectators in attendance.

The global qualifying process for the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy 2009 is reaching its climax. Six of the eight teams have already booked their ticket to Kenya with Cayman Islands (NAWIRA), Romania (Europe), Papua New Guinea (Oceania) and Namibia (Africa) joining hosts Kenya and USA, who were relegated from the IRB Junior World Championship 2008. The remaining qualifiers will come from Asia and South America and will be determined by the end of November.

The winners of the Trophy in Kenya will be promoted to the IRB Junior World Championship 2010, swapping places with the last-placed team at next year's Championship in Japan.