World Rugby U20 Championship: Wales 26-27 New Zealand: Late try not enough for Dragons
- Published
This was Wales' highest score against New Zealand at this age grade
World Under-20 Championship: Wales v New Zealand |
|---|
Wales (19) 26 |
Tries: Lloyd, Edwards, Morse, Scarfe Cons: Edwards (3) |
New Zealand (5) 27 |
Tries: Tangitau, Springer, Hainsworth-Fa'aofo, Clark. Cons: Kemara (2) Pens: Godfrey |
Wales suffered an agonising one-point defeat by New Zealand in their opening game of the U20s World Championship.
Mark Jones' side stunned the four-time champions in Paarl, South Africa, with three tries to lead 19-5 at half-time.
Ospreys trio Lewis Lloyd, Dan Edwards and Morgan Morse all crossed before the Baby Blacks hit back with 22 unanswered points early in the second half.
Replacement Sam Scarfe's last-minute try at least ensured Wales took two bonus points from a thrilling match.
Wales had arrived in South Africa on the back of a miserable Under-20s Six Nations - in which they failed to win a game - that prompted head coach Byron Hayward's resignation.
The last time this Wales team played they conceded 11 tries in a record defeat by France.
Yet here, they scored more points against the Baby Blacks in 18 minutes than they had ever previously managed in an entire game.
Interim boss Mark Jones has only been in the role a matter of weeks but the turnaround in confidence was remarkable.
Despite the results, Wales had been in each of the Six Nations contests, other than the France demolition, for an hour.
This time Wales ended the game the stronger, with New Zealand finishing with 14 players, and the late bonus points were the least they deserved.
Wales could have feared the worst when New Zealand wing Caleb Tangitau touched down with ease in the seventh minute.
But Wales dominated the rest of the half with a mix of set-piece discipline from an all-new front-row and quick hands behind.
Hooker Lloyd, making only his second international appearance, went close twice before he peeled off a line-out drive to score.
Moments later and another line-out drive was spun wide where Bryn Bradley combined with Edwards for the fly-half to score between the posts.
Lewis almost grabbed a second from an over-thrown New Zealand line-out and replacement Louis Fletcher and Morse were both held up over the line as Welsh belief grew.
Dan Edwards scored 11 points including a first-half try
And when full-back Cameron Winnett was snagged just short, Morse was on-hand to grab Wales' third try for a 19-5 lead at half-time.
The break came at the wrong time for Wales and gave New Zealand time to recompose.
A series of penalties and a fresh intensity to their tackling saw Macca Springer and flankers Sam Hainsworth-Fa'aofo and Che Clark all score in the space of 14 minutes.
However, despite trailing 27-19, Wales rallied late on. Edwards missed a simple penalty and Wales saw two tries ruled out by the video referee before Scarfe made sure with little more than a minute remaining.
Wales' next opponents Japan were beaten 75-12 by France who top Pool A.
Wales head coach Mark Jones said:
"The boys are gutted. Yes they took two bonus points but they put themselves in a position to win that game.
"We wanted them to be in a position to win the game in the final minutes - perhaps I should have kept my mouth shut.
"I'm so proud of their effort. Our line-out was a real weapon, we were dangerous with ball in hand and we finished the far stronger.
"We just need to work on nailing the detail in big moments like that 15-minute period just after half-time when we allowed New Zealand to take back momentum."
Wales U20: Cameron Winnett (Cardiff); Llien Morgan (Ospreys), Louie Hennessey (Bath), Bryn Bradley (Harlequins), Harri Houston (Ospreys); Dan Edwards (Ospreys), Archie Hughes (Scarlets); Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths (Dragons), Lewis Lloyd (Ospreys), Ellis Fackrell (Ospreys), Liam Edwards (Ospreys), Jonny Green (Harlequins), Ryan Woodman (Dragons, capt), Lucus De La Rua (Cardiff), Morgan Morse (Ospreys)
Replacements: Sam Scarfe (Dragons), Josh Morse (Scarlets), Louis Fletcher (Ospreys), Evan Hill (Ospreys), Seb Driscoll (Harlequins), Tom Florence (Ospreys), Harri Wilde (Cardiff), Harri Williams (Scarlets).
New Zealand U20: Harry Godfrey; Caleb Tangitau, Aki Tuivailala, Ajay Faleafaga, Macca Springer; Taha Kemara, Noah Hotham (capt); Ben Ake, Jack Taylor, Siale Lauaki, Tahlor Cahill, Will Stodart, Che Clark, Sam Hainsworth-Fa'aofo, Peter Lakai.
Replacements: Raymond Tuputupu, Malakai Hala, Gabe Robinson, Tom Allen, Malachi Wrampling-Alec, Jordi Viljoen, Leo Gordon, Codemeru Vai.
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe (England)