New Zealand U20 restore captain Wiseman and Muliaina for Junior World Championship semi-final against France

New Zealand U20 head coach Kane Jury has made two changes to his starting XV for the Junior World Championship semi-final against France in Tbilisi on Tuesday, bringing back captain Haki Wiseman and Southland first-five Mika Muliaina after both missed the final pool match.

Muliaina’s return shifts Auckland playmaker Cohen Norrie to fullback, while Wiseman’s reinstatement moves David Lewai to the right wing, with Logan Williams dropping to the bench. Highlanders halfback Jackson Hughan is named as the reserve halfback, and the starting tight-five is unchanged from the victory over Italy last week.

Both New Zealand and France topped their respective pools with three wins from three, with the All Blacks U20 defeating Australia, Fiji, and Spain en route to the last four.

Jury acknowledged the scale of the step up in class that a semi-final brings, while making clear his side will not underestimate their opponents.

“We’ve been pleased with the way the group has grown throughout the pool stages, but we know everything lifts another level in a semi-final,” Jury said. “France are an outstanding side and have shown throughout the tournament why they’re one of the favourites. They’ll challenge us right across the park.”

The coach also stressed the need for precision and composure at the crucial stage of the tournament. “We’ve built good momentum over the last three matches, but we’ll need to be accurate, disciplined and take our opportunities. The players are excited for the challenge and the chance to earn a place in the final.”