Zac Guildford scored two tries for New Zealand in Tokyo © Getty Images

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Matches: New Zealand Under-20s 31 - 17 Australia Under-20s

Tournaments/Tours: IRB Junior World Championship

Teams: Australia Under-20s | New Zealand | New Zealand Under-20s

New Zealand have earned the chance to defend their title at the IRB junior World Championship in Japan. The New Zealanders beat Australia 31-17 in their semi-final in Tokyo to book a finals place on Sunday when they will meet England in a re-run of last year's final. England defeated South Africa 40-21.

They looked vulnerable early in the second half when trailing 7-14 but regained the initiative with two tries in the space of one minute. Centre Shaun Treeby dragged his team level in the 50th minute after flopping on the ball when skipper Aaron Cruden charged down a clearing kick from his opposite number Richard Kingi.

Hurricanes wing Zac Guildford then edged the New Zealanders ahead when he sprinted 45m for his second try of the match after a chip ahead from fly-half Cruden bounced kindly into his hands.

Kingi, the New Zealand-born and raised Australian scrum-half, kept his team in the contest with a penalty midway through the spell, before fullback Robbie Robinson made the game safe for the reigning champions. Robinson made one of his many forays into the backline in the 55th minute and used his strength and determination to find the try-line, capping a fine individual performance.

Earlier, the teams could not be separated at halftime when the scores were locked at 7-7. Guildford opened the scoring with his first try in the ninth minute when he was given an unimpeded passage to the line by Robinson, who splintered the Australian defence with a decisive break on the short side.

Australia responded 11 minutes later when captain and hooker Damian Fitzpatrick burrowed over after the New Zealand defence finally flagged after a full minute of pressure on the try-line.

Later in the day England defeated South Africa 40-21 to set-up a rematch from last year's final. The experienced England outfit were given a fright by their South African counterparts, who dominated them in the scrum and went in at half-time 11-9 ahead.

Fullback Tom Homer had put England ahead with three penalties before a charge down handed Boks No.8 Christiaan Stander a simple try. Francois Brummer then landed a penalty to ensure a tught talking to for England at the half-way point.

Ben Youngs atoned for his earlier charge down with a superb individual score just after the break, dummying the Boks defence and racing in from 30m out. The England lineout then handed South Africa the lead back however, Charlie Sharples failing to deal with a hack forward and allowing Nicolaas Hanekom to score.

Brummer added another penalty before James Gaskell scored after collecting a ball off his toes and powering past the despairing cover defence. Homer converted for a two-point lead before South African flanker Rynhardt Elstadt was sent from the field following a spear tackle. Homer added the penalty and Youngs scored another bright try to open up breathing room before Henry Trinder rounded off the win after picking a good line off a pass by Luke Eves.