How it works

1.There are two divisions in the Under-19 Rugby World Cup. Ireland play in the elite section A, which houses 12 teams.

2.There are four pools in this section. Pool A - Australia, South Africa, Scotland; Pool B - New Zealand, Argentina, Samoa; Pool C - England , Wales, Japan; Pool D - Ireland, France, Fiji.

3.Teams in Pool A play against the teams in Pool D and the teams in Pool B play against those in Pool C. Teams in the same pool do not play each other at this stage of the tournament.

4.After the opening three matches, there is a re-ranking of teams, based on their results and this will determine the fixtures for the final two rounds of matches. Those topping their pools will make the semi-finals, teams finishing second will compete for fourth to eighth place, while the bottom-placed teams in the pool will be vying for places 8-12th. The team finishing in 12th place after the final two rounds of matches - all countries play five games in the tournament - will be relegated to Division B (which also contains 12 teams) for next season. The champions in the Division B are promoted for next year's tournament.

5.Four points are awarded for a victory with two for a draw. The Super 14 bonus-point system is in operation with a team scoring four tries earning a bonus point, while another is available for a team losing by less than seven points.