The Under-18 International Series is an annual international rugby union competition held in South Africa and organised by SA Rugby. The tournament features the South Africa Under-18 (SA Schools) team, a South Africa U18 'A' team, and invited international under-18 representative sides from leading rugby nations. In the 2025 U18 International Series, The South African Schools side "maintained their fine form" after finishing the series unbeaten and winning all 3 of their games. Markus Muller was appointed as the SA Schools captain for the 2025 U18 International Series.
Established in 2012, the series forms part of South Africa’s elite player development pathway and provides international competition for schoolboy players prior to progression to under-20 and senior representative rugby.
History
The competition was first held in 2012 as a structured international tournament for school-level players, replacing the traditional standalone fixtures previously played by South African Schools teams against touring sides.
During the 2024 U18 International Series, the French national U18 team had to withdraw from the tournament following the disappearance of one of their players, after a "17 year old player who was affiliated to Toulouse" had gone missing.
The tournament is typically staged annually in August following the conclusion of Craven Week, South Africa’s premier schoolboy rugby tournament, from which the SA U18 and SA U18 'A' squads are selected.
Since its inception, the series has featured visiting teams from countries including England, France, Ireland, Wales, and Georgia. 2025 was the "second successive year" in which the Ireland U18 rugby side competed in.
Format
The Under-18 International Series generally consists of three match rounds played over approximately ten days. Fixtures are commonly hosted at leading school venues in the Western Cape, including Paarl and Stellenberg.
The tournament usually includes:
South Africa U18 (SA Schools) South Africa U18 'A' Three to four invited international U18 teams
Matches are typically played as double or triple headers on designated match days. There is no formal knockout stage; standings are determined by match results across the series.
Development role
The competition is regarded as an important step in South Africa’s high-performance pathway. It provides exposure to international opposition and prepares players for selection to the national U20 side that competes in the World Rugby Under 20 Championship.
Several players who have featured in the Under-18 International Series have progressed to represent South Africa at U20 and senior international level.
Results
2026
The results from the 2026 Under-18 International Series were::
2025
The results from the 2025 Under-18 International Series were:
2024
The results from the 2024 Under-18 International Series were:
2023
The results from the 2023 Under-18 International Series were:
2022
The results from the 2022 Under-18 International Series were:
2021
No tournaments were held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2020
No tournaments were held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2019
The results from the 2019 Under-18 International Series were:
2018
The results from the 2018 Under-18 International Series were:
2017
The results from the 2017 Under-19 International Series were:
2016
The results from the 2016 Under-19 International Series were:
2015
The results from the 2015 Under-18 International Series were:
2014
The results from the 2014 Under-18 International Series were:
2013
The results from the 2013 Under-18 International Series were:
2012
The results from the 2012 Under-18 International Series were:
See also Craven Week World Rugby Under 20 Championship Rugby union in South Africa
References