The tournament will take place prior to the start of the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England and Wales, just as it did before the start of the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand in 2011.

It will also coincide with Milan's hosting of the Expo 2015 which runs from May until October.

Exact datee, times and venues have yet to be finalised according to the IRB, but matches are scheduled to be held across the cites of Parma, Viadana, Calvisano, and Cremona.

"Following a very successful tournament in 2011, we are delighted to return to Italy with the IRB Junior World Championship in 2015," said IRB tournament director Philippe Bourdarias.

"The last tournament provided a magnificent prelude to Rugby World Cup 2011, and I have no doubt the JWC will be even better again next year.

"After viewing the facilities available to teams in the Lombardy and Emilia Romagna region, I predict a top tournament that will captivate the imagination of rugby fans, both in Italy and around the globe."

First hosted by Wales in 2008, the IRB Junior World Championship is the premier competition for the top 12 teams aged 20 and under in the world.

This year's IRB Junior World Championship took place in New Zealand ©IRB



New Zealand won the first four tournaments before hosts South Africa won it in 2012.

Since then, England have won it twice including last month's victory over South Africa in the final at Eden Park, in Auckland, New Zealand.

"The IRB Junior World Championship is the most important under-20 tournament on the international stage and it will be an honour and a privilege for Italy to host such a big rugby event," said Federazione Italiana Rugby President Alfredo Gavazzi.

"We took the decision to appoint Lombardy as the host region because we strongly believe that such an important competition will be a fantastic tool for the promotion of our game."

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