Brave Wales U20s beaten by world champions after stunning start

Wales U20s were unable to live with South Africa’s power in their must-win Junior World Championship pool match in Tbilisi, losing 52-31.

Wales showed plenty in defeat, going toe-to-toe with the Junior Springboks over the 80 minutes. However, it was the South African’s driving maul – with five tries coming from their lineout.

With South Africa’s age-grade side having won their last eight matches in this competition, coming out of this winner-takes-all clash with a place in the semi-final was going to take an upset.

However, this Wales U20s team is packed with talent. And they showed that with an astonishing start.

After 10 minutes, Richard Whiffin’s side found themselves 14-0 up.

First Caio James, having won a jackal penalty in midfield, found himself at the back of a driving maul to reach over after five minutes.

Then, minutes later, another attacking lineout saw captain Deian Gwynne put centre Steffan Emanuel through a gap to score.

South Africa’s power then took hold, scoring 26 unanswered points in the first-half as Wales’ discipline faltered, even going down to 14 at one point as prop Jac Pritchard was sent to the bin.

Hendre Schoeman, Ethan Adams, Siphosethu Mnebelele and Heinrich Theron all crossed for tries as the reigning champions moved ahead.

Risima Khosa added a fifth after half-time, before wing Cheswill Jooste was shown a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on.

Will Evans thought he had scored Wales’ third, only to have it chalked off for a knock-on. But it mattered little as Osian Darwin-Lewis dived over moments later.

South Africa’s maul brought them another score shortly after, with replacement Liam van Wyk scoring.

However, some lovely Welsh interplay saw Tom Bowen race over for Wales’ fourth.

Their opponents would again turn to their lineout, with van Wyk over for his second and South Africa’s fourth maul try just after the hour-mark.

Mnebelele would return to the pitch to grab his second, unsurprisingly from a maul.

The hooker was then sent to the bin in the dying minutes for a dangerous clearout, with Wales pushing for a consolation try at the death.

They would finally get that as full-back Lewis Edwards crossed, but it was too little, too late.

Wales U20s will now take on Australia as they move into the 5th-to-8th play-offs.

Wales U20s: Lewis Edwards (Ospreys); Rhys Cummings (Cardiff), Osian Darwin-Lewis (Cardiff), Steffan Emanuel (Cardiff), Tom Bowen (Cardiff); Carwyn Leggatt-Jones (Scarlets), Sion Davies (Cardiff); George Tuckley (Dragons), Tom Howe (Cardiff), Jac Pritchard (Scarlets), Will Evans (Scarlets), Tom Cottle (Cardiff), Deian Gwynne (Gloucester, capt), Caio James (Gloucester), Evan Minto (Dragons).

Replacements: Oscar Thomas (Bath), Dylan James (Ospreys), Yestyn Cook (Scarlets), Luke Evans (Exeter), Osian Williams (Bristol), Alex Ridgway (Bath), Cai Gealy (Bristol), Lloyd Lucas (Cardiff).