The most talented young players from across the globe will take centre stage in South Africa later this month for the 2023 Under-20s World Championship.
Up until 2019, the tournament was a yearly event, but it hasn't been held for four years, with fans' chances to view the stars of tomorrow greatly limited until now.
Wales, captained by Dragons' Ryan Woodman, face a daunting challenge as they travel to Cape Town for matches against New Zealand, Japan and France.
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Interim head coach Mark Jones has named five uncapped players in his squad, with Dragons full-back Huw Anderson, Cardiff fly-half Harri Wilde, Harlequins back-row Seb Driscoll and Ospreys forwards pair Evan Hill and Kian Hire the new faces involved.
The 2019 tournament saw the likes of Jac Morgan, Tommy Reffell, Dewi Lake, Sam Costelow and Rio Dyer lining up for Wales, with more future talents set to emerge this time around.
However, it isn't just the Welsh squad full of potential stars, with youngsters from their Six Nations rivals, as well as New Zealand, Australia and South Africa all tipped to shine.
Ahead of the World Championship, here are some of the most exciting young talents in world rugby:
Louie Hennessey
The Welshman caught the eye of All Blacks star Sonny Bill Williams during this year's U20s Six Nations for the role he played in a try described as "poetry in motion". Still only 19 years of age, the Bath centre impressed in his debut U20s campaign as he showcased his powerful carries and penchant for an offload, linking up well with Dragons academy product Harri Ackerman in midfield.
Hennessey has long been earmarked as a future star by those within age-grade rugby, with former Wales U20s head coach Byron Hayward describing him as a "class operator" who has a "big future" ahead of him.
While he is one of several promising young centres coming through Wales' ranks, a strong showing in South Africa could see him follow in the footsteps of the likes of Joe Hawkins and Mason Grady and make it into the senior squad before too long.
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Morgan Morse
Joining Hennessey in the Welsh squad, the Ospreys back-row is one of the youngest on the plane to South Africa, having been handed his first U20s start last year at the age of 17.
Morse, now 18, has raced through Wales' age-grade system, with his "phenomenal" work rate and ability to single-handedly turn games on their head seeing him progress quicker than those two or three years older than him.
After handing him his first U20s start, his former coach Hayward said of the youngster: "He may be a quiet lad but he is a very intelligent rugby player. For his age, I don’t think I have ever seen anyone so professional." This year, the ex-Wales boss doubled down and claimed: “He’s a massive player of the future for Wales.”
Posolo Tuilagi
The 6ft 4in, 23-stone nephew of England star Manu Tuilagi has had no problem turning heads in early days of his professional career and that looks set to continue at the World Championships.
The 18-year-old recently made headlines by crashing over the line to score a try that helped keep his club side Perpignan in the Top 14, and it is clear that he has inherited the destructive power that has come to define the Tuilagi dynasty.
He'll be facing Wales for the second time in four months in South Africa, having shone in a French demolition job against Hayward's U20s in the Six Nations, just days after making his championship debut against England.
Emilien Gailleton
The Croydon-born centre will captain the French team in South Africa after a rapid rise through the age grades. Having taken up rugby at five years old, he made his debut for the U20s at the tender age of 17 and was even called up to Les Bleus' senior team by Fabien Galthie last autumn.
Now 19, Gailleton is being hailed as the next big thing in French rugby having already become a mainstay for Top 14 side Pau, who he joined at the end of the 2021/22 season.
Macca Springer
The wing is another hailed as a future world beater, having burst onto the scene last year with his sensational performances for NPC side Tasman, where he scored nine tries in 15 appearances.
Twenty-year-old Springer, who can also play full-back, was quickly snapped up by the Crusaders ahead of the 2022/23 season, with the Super Rugby Pacific champions signing him on a three-year-deal.
His devastating pace and nifty footwork will certainly prove a challenge for Wales at this year's World Championships but should also set the 6ft 3in speedster on his way to becoming a future All Black great.
Tom Lynagh
The son of Wallabies World Cup winner Michael, the 20-year-old fly-half has shone for the Queensland Reds this season and is expected to form part of an Australian golden generation in years to come.
Despite never starting a first-grade game until the start of the season, Lynagh - who studied at Epsom College in Surrey - has impressed with his composed performances and polished kicking game, with the Italian-born star continuing to draw parallels with his legendary father.
Lewis Chessum
Another star keeping it in the family, the younger brother of England lock Ollie Chessum looks set to join him on the senior teamsheet in the coming years, having already followed him to Leicester Tigers.
Despite being two years younger than the 6ft 7in, 18.5 stone international, Lewis is somehow even bigger, standing at a colossal 6ft 9in. The giant second row - who has earned comparisons to Italian great Sergio Parisse - used his physicality to great effect while skippering England during this year's U20s Six Nations and will lead his country again in South Africa.
Chandler Cunningham-South
The versatile forward grew up in New Zealand and represented Canterbury RFC under-19s and Lincoln University in Christchurch before joining London Irish Academy in February 2022, having being named in the England squad for that year's U20s Six Nations after making a big impression overseas.
The 20-year-old, who is comfortable in the second row, blindside flanker or at eight, shone in a performance beyond his years against Harlequins earlier this year with his powerful carries proving a handful and giving England coach Steve Borthwick something to think about.
For now, Cunningham-South is set to stick with the U20s having been named in this summer's squad, but is expected to kick on for a new club on his return after London Irish were suspended from the Premiership.
Sam Prendergast
Hotly tipped as the next great Irish fly-half, Prendergast was the standout player in this year's U20s Six Nations, finishing the championship as top points scorer as Ireland clinched a fourth Grand Slam.
The supremely talented 20-year-old joined Leinster's academy last year and made his first-team debut against the Lions in the URC in April, winning player of the match as he confidently slotted six out of seven kicks at goal, including a late game-winning penalty.
Such confidence is typical of Prendergast, who has won plaudits from the likes of Sonny Bill Williams and former Ireland international Andrew Trimble who praised a trademark performance against Wales during the Six Nations.
“He grew and he just got more confident as the game went on," said Trimble. "He just looked like he was in flow, he looked like he was reading everything perfectly in front of him."
With Johnny Sexton set to wear the No.10 jersey for the final time at this year's World Cup, Ireland won't have to look too far to find a potential future heir.
Ruadhan Quinn
The back-row forward became the youngest ever player to represent Munster in a competitive fixture in the professional era last year, lining up against Zebre in the URC at the age of 18.
Now 19, he started every game of Ireland's U20s Six Nations campaign earlier this year, impressing with his defensive work rate and attacking prowess, which saw him score an incredible hat-trick in his side's 82-7 demolition of Scotland, for which he was awarded player of the match.
Marcos Gallorini
There is no shortage of young Italian talent rising through the ranks at the moment, but 18-year-old Gallorini could be the pick of the bunch, with the 21-stone tighthead wreaking havoc at scrums and bulldozing his way through defences with ease.
One of his nation's biggest attacking threats, the Unione Rugby Capitolina man grabbed tries against France, Wales and England during this year's U20s Six Nations and he is more than equipped to make the step up to the senior side before too long.
David Odiase
The imposing Italian captain is also one to watch over the coming years, having inspired the Azzurri to a third-place finish in this year's U20s Six Nations with wins over Wales and Scotland.
The 6ft 13, 17-stone ball-carrying flanker - who plays his club rugby in France with Oyonnax - played every minute of the championship and made headlines with an impassioned post-match interview in which he called on the rugby world to take notice of Italian rugby.
"Our Italian movement is doing very well," he said. "I’m very proud of my lads, they’re doing very good. We are sending a big message for the world rugby, that we are coming for all of you people.
"“We have been working hard, eating sh*t a lot for the past years, and now the results have started to come in.”
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