They arrived at the Rugby World Cup with twinkles in their eyes and spring in their steps – but how did things turn out thereafter?
1987: Gareth Rees - Canada (aged 19)
The fly-half played in all of the first four Rugby World Cup tournaments, the 1987, 1991, 1995 and 1999. He retired after the 1999 finals becoming the only player to play at the first four Rugby World Cups. In 2011 he was inducted in the World Rugby Hall of Fame as the first and only Canadian. He also played club rugby with Castaways, Wasps, Mérignac, Newport, Oxford University, Harlequins, and the Barbarians.
1991: Brian Lima - Samoa (aged 19)
Brian Lima is known to many as the man who has played for Samoa at five Rugby World Cups. He earned the nickname of "The Chiropractor" for his shuddering hits both on and off the pitch that supposedly rearranged the bones of the victim. The powerhouse was the youngest player at the 1991 tournament but was part of a Samoa team that beat Wales 16-13 to announce themselves on the world stage. A true rugby legend and Hall of Famer.
1995: Joe Roff - Australia (aged 19)
Australia’s Joe Roff was Mr Dependable – rock solid in everything he did and reliable. He was called up to the Wallabies squad aged 19 in 1995, scoring on his debut in a World Cup group match against Canada, before going on to lift the Webb Ellis trophy in 1999. He also played a key role in the 2001 series victory over the British and Irish Lions, scoring twice in the crucial second Test which proved to be the turning point of the tour.
1999: Fa'atonu Fili - Samoa (aged 18)
An odd career. The teenager didn't play a part for Samoa in 1999 but did get on the pitch four years later. After years of obscurity he played rugby for Wellington Lions in the Air New Zealand Cup in 2009, becoming first choicfly-halflf and earning a brief recall for Samoa. He continued this late revival in his career, again playing for Wellington in 2010. He then later joined the Kandy Sports Club in the Sri Lankan Domestic Rugby Season in 2013.
2003: Joe Rokocoko - New Zealand (aged 20)
Rokocoko is one of the most lethal finishers the game has ever seen, combining his blistering speed and deceptive power to devastating effect. He was the youngest player selected for the All Blacks since Jonah Lomu in 1994 and the wide man set the world stage alight with a total of 17 tries in 12 Tests in 2003 - a world record for a calendar year - including hat-tricks against France and Australia. He went onto win a total of 68 caps for the All Blacks, scoring 46 tries before moving to France in 2011 after being omitted from the Tri-Nations squad by Graham Henry.
2007: Thretton Palamo - USA (aged 18)
The versatile back-rower earned his first international cap for the Eagles at the IRB Rugby World Cup 2007. From 2014-16, he was attached to Saracens of the Aviva Premiership but on-loan to the London Irish for the 2015-16 season. Following the season's end, Palamo returned to the Olympic Training Center to the Men's Eagles Sevens in residency. He then signed for Bristol before moving back to the States, where he plays for the Houston SaberCats in Major League Rugby.
2011: Taylor Paris - Canada (aged 18)
The winger became the youngest player, at the age of 18, ever to be capped by the Canadian senior men's team. Playing his amateur rugby in Canada and Scotland, Paris signed a one year deal with Glasgow Warriors in 2012 before subsequent spells with Agen and his current club Castres.
2015: Vasil Lobzhanidze - Georgia (aged 18)
He now holds the honour of being the youngest player to ever appear in a World Cup. Georgia are renowned for boasting a fearsome pack of forwards but this scrum-half bucks the trend and will only grow in ability as the years tick on. He's since made a move to CA Brive in the Top 14
2019: Vano Karkadze - Georgia (aged 19)
Following a number of impressive displays during the World Cup, the teenage hooker signed for CA Brive in the Top 14.
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