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.
Established in 2012, the series forms part of South AfricaâÂÂs elite player development pathway and provides international competition for schoolboy players prior to progression to under-20 and senior representative rugby.
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.
The tournament is typically staged annually in August following the conclusion of Craven Week, South AfricaâÂÂs 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.
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:
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.
The competition is regarded as an important step in South AfricaâÂÂs 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.
The results from the 2012 Under-18 International Series were:
The results from the 2013 Under-18 International Series were:
The results from the 2014 Under-18 International Series were:
The results from the 2015 Under-18 International Series were:
The results from the 2016 Under-19 International Series were:
The results from the 2017 Under-19 International Series were:
The results from the 2018 Under-18 International Series were:
The results from the 2019 Under-18 International Series were:
No tournaments were held due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
No tournaments were held due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The results from the 2022 Under-18 International Series were:
The results from the 2023 Under-18 International Series were:
The results from the 2024 Under-18 International Series were:
The results from the 2025 Under-18 International Series were: