Zach Fittler, son of rugby league great Brad Fittler, seized a late opportunity to make a significant impact as the Junior Wallabies secured a record-breaking victory at the World Rugby Under-20 Championship in Georgia on Sunday. Elevated from the bench following a last-minute withdrawal, Fittler crossed the tryline twice in Australia's overwhelming 90-22 win over Spain.
The emphatic victory marked the highest score ever recorded by an Australian side at the tournament, which features the world’s leading rugby talent under the age of 20. Fittler’s two tries came in the 53rd and 79th minutes after he was called into the match-day 23 when teammate Tom Farr-Jones, returning from finger surgery, pulled out just before kickoff.
Other multiple try-scorers included Brumbies hooker Ewald Kruger, who scored in the 9th and 16th minutes, and Newcastle backrower TJ Talaileva, who crossed twice within three minutes late in the game. Luca Cleverley, Farr-Jones’s Randwick teammate, opened the scoring for the Australians in a match heavily influenced by players linked to the Waratahs Academy.
Additional try-scorers for Australia included Eli Langi, Angus Grover, Edwin Langi, captain Tom Robinson, Sam Blank, and Charles Hollyman. Queensland Reds fly-half Finn Mackay contributed 10 successful conversions during the 14-try onslaught. The match experienced a delay earlier due to lightning conditions.
One notable concern following the dominant performance was a potential injury to Chayse Geros, who scored in the 39th minute, as well as the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Farr-Jones’s availability.
On the disciplinary front, replacement prop Lehopoame Leota received a yellow card for a high tackle during the contest. Despite this, the Junior Wallabies displayed a comprehensive team effort to dismantle Spain and set a formidable tone for the tournament moving forward.