Reds teen sensation Treyvon Pritchard headlines Australia U20 squad for Junior World Championship in Georgia

Queensland Reds centre-fullback Treyvon Pritchard headlines Australia’s 30-man squad for the 2026 World Rugby Junior World Championship, as named by U20 head coach Chris Whitaker ahead of the tournament in Georgia.

Pritchard, 19, made an immediate impression in his debut Super Rugby Pacific season, appearing in 12 games for the Brisbane club — including three starts — and scoring two tries. His selection is one of the most eye-catching in a squad that leans heavily on New South Wales talent, with Waratahs players accounting for almost half the 30-man group across an even spread of positions.

Tom Robinson, Pritchard’s Queensland Reds teammate, will captain the side having already led the team at the Rugby Championship U20 in April and May. The Reds have contributed nine players in total, while the Brumbies provide three. Wallace Charlie and Cooper Watters join the squad via the Australia Sevens programme, with Charlie listed as a Western Force member. Kingbenjamin Swerling-Finaipepe and Lehopoame Leota were selected having been based in France.

“We’re pretty excited, we’ve got a talented group and feel like we are ready to embrace the challenge of competing on this world stage,” coach Whitaker said. “We have learnt a lot this year at both the Coffs Coast Festival of Rugby and The Rugby Championship, and we’ll take those learnings into Georgia with us.”

Australia have been drawn into a demanding pool alongside Spain, Fiji, and Six Nations champions France. Whitaker acknowledged the difficulty of the draw but expressed confidence in his side’s preparation. “We have got a tricky pool with Spain, Fiji and the Six Nations champions, France, but we will go into the games with confidence and give it our all.”

The full squad draws from four sources: the NSW Waratahs, Queensland Reds, Brumbies, and the Australian Sevens programme. Notable inclusions from the Waratahs contingent include props Edwin Langi and Matthew Sauao, backrowers Marshall Le Maitre and TJ Talaileva, and scrumhalves Angus Grover and Sam Blank. Finn Mackay and Jonty Fowler share the flyhalf options across the two clubs.