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With that result, Scotland will face Georgia U20 in the 9th place play-off final on Saturday 19 July at 7.30pm BST at Stadio San Michele, Calvisano.

Reflections from Johnny

Johnny Ventisei speaks to media post-match, saying:

“I’m absolutely over the moon, all the hard work we put in before we came and during this competition led to this. We were disappointed with the results during the group stage, so to get this win, I’m so proud. Hopefully we can go into the next game with confidence.”

We’re proud of you to, guys!

A first since 2018

That’s the first time Scotland U20 have beaten Ireland since 2018. What a result!

21-22 FINAL SCORE!!!! SCOTLAND WIN!!!!

Hocking misses the extras, but it doesn’t matter, SCOTLAND TAKE THE WIN!!!! WHAT A FINAL SURGE. PROUD AS PUNCH, LADS!!!

Ireland 21 – 22 Scotland

TRY!!!!! SCOTLAND!!!!!!!

SCOTLAND!!!!!!! YA BEAUTY!!!!!!!!!!

Cowan takes it left from the scrum, Watson surges forward, we recycle and JAKE SHEARER SCORES!!!!!!

The conversion will end the game but we HAVE WON!!!!!!!

SCRUM SCOTLAND!!!

Logan strikes hard and fast from the lineout but a knock on has been called… but TMO has checked, it’s been touched by Ireland. SCRUM BLUE!!!!! LET’S GO SCOTLAND!!!!!

Hocking on for Urwin

The last of our changes.

Penalty Scotland!!

Ireland are offside, Urwin kicks for a lineout inside Ireland’s 22.

COME ON SCOTLAND, MAKE IT COUNT!!!!

Ireland are penalised, but then so is Scotland

Ireland are pinged in the scrum, Urwin takes us out of our half to relieve the pressure.

We take the line out but it isn’t straight… hugely disappointing for the Scots as the clock winds down.

YES SCOTLAND!!!

Scotland force the turnover from Ireland’s maul as the press into our half. Scrum time.

Sub for Scotland

Noah Cowan is now on for Hector Patterson.

Scotland are trying

Scotland are really shifting the ball and trying everything to break back into Ireland’s patch. Patterson has snipped down the wing on his own and tried to offload, but it’s into touch.

Scotland are really determined they aren’t done.

Try – Ireland

After sustained pressure, Ireland score again with Paidi Farrell dotting down in the corner. The extras are added and Ireland are in front for the first time with 10 minutes to go.

Ireland 21 – 17 Scotland

Another sub

Try scoring Nairn Moncrieff is off and Jed Findlay comes on to replace him.

Try – Ireland

Ireland have scored a second try through Luke McLaughlin with Scotland’s defence scattered for the first time in the match, he’s pierced through from five metres. The extras are good.

Ireland 14 – 17 Scotland

Another change

Jake Shearer is on for Ollie Blyth-Lafferty.

Further changes

Try scoring Seb Stephen makes way for Joe Roberts.

Mark Fyffe is also on, replacing Bart Godsell who is away for a Head Injury Assessment.

TURNOVER!!!!!

Incredible from Scotland, they turn the ball over on their try line and Ventisei helps us exit. We’re now in Ireland’s half for a line out.

We’ve done well to use that position, but Yule’s lost the ball on the ground and now Ireland have a scrum.

But that was great defensive work from the young Scots.

Cooling break

We have another cooling break.

But before that Scotland were pinned on the try line, defending. Seb Stephen has been pinged multiple times for being offside. Ventisei is going to have to have a word with him after a stern word from the referee.

Scotland make changes

We make our first changes of the match.

Ben White is on for Oliver McKenna, and Charlie Moss is on for Dylan Cockburn.

Scotland turn over!!!

Scotland turn the ball over right on their try line. They try to play it wide but the referee blows the whistle as the travel in the direction of an injured Irish player receiving treatment.

Scotland disrupt, time to cool down

Scotland again foil Ireland’s plans. But we’ll take a cooling break now, it is 30 degrees Celsius after all…

Ireland back in possession

Our lineout wasn’t straight, and then at the scrum Oliver McKenna is pinged for not driving straight. Ireland now have a lineout back in our half.

DEFEND HARD WE DO!!!!

Freddy Douglas, the disruptor!!! He’s turned the ball over. Class work from Scotland under pressure there.

We’ve earned another penalty at the lineout as Ireland change their bind in the maul. We’ll start trucking up into Ireland’s territory through Urwin’s boot.

Scotland pinged

Reuben Logan carried phenomenally there, but as we gathered to go we’ve knocked on. Freddy Douglas has been pinged for a neck roll trying to get the ball back and Ireland and kicked to touch for a lineout inside Scotland’s 22. We’ll have to defend hard here.

Ollie is back on

We managed to exit, but we had some kicking tennis going on and eventually Ireland were back in possession but Kerr Yule wasn’t having that, driving Ireland into touch. What a unit!

Ollie Duncan is now back on and we’re back up to 15. Time for our lineout inside our half.

Scotland scrum

Ireland have looked determined at this restart, but Scotland force a knock-on and it’s time for a scrum outside our 22. Time to get out, I hope…

Update on Ollie

Ollie Duncan’s card stays yellow. We’ll be without him for the first six minutes.

BIG 40 PENDING.

It’s time to go again. We have a huge half ahead of us. COME ON SCOTLAND!!!!!!

Review of the first half

Scotland have started this match really well, they’re up at the break for starters.

They’re playing really cohesively and taking their chances, especially the back line. We’ve probably had a couple of missed opportunities, and we will be without Ollie Duncan at the restart – full bunker review is still pending, mind you.

But we’ve had tries from Duncan, Seb Stephen and Nairn Moncrieff. Matthew Urwin’s converted once as well.

Ireland do look threatening, so it’s going to be a big shift in the second half to keep this up.

Some stats…

• We’ve beaten 10 defenders, Ireland have only beaten four.
• Ireland have missed 10 tackles to our five.
• But our penalty count is probably higher than we would like it. Ireland are on four, we are on seven.

The first 40 are done

Urwin’s chip through has gone into touch, Ireland have the line out. They’ve kept hold of it and knocked the ball into touch to draw the first half to a close.

Scotland to exit

Ireland try to strike but their holding on, Scotland can exit. Fantastic work under pressure.

Duncan’s in the bin

Ollie Duncan has been picked up by the TMO for head-to-head contact at the breakdown. The referee says it’s met the threshold for a yellow card and will go to the bunker for further review. Scotland go down to 14 and will start the next half without him too.

Ireland take the penalty, kicking for a lineout just inside the Scotland 22.

UHHHH. Another missed chance.

THAT WAS CRAZY!

Scotland attacked brilliantly there but we lost the ball… but Ireland under pressure threw the ball away, and Logan took it back. Scotland have gone wide through Yule, and Ventisei has kicked it through.

Duncan chased up to catch Ireland’s scrum-half Clark Logan, and has tapped the ball for the try. But the TMO has jumped in to take a look and has said Duncan has played the player, not the ball, so the try isn’t given.

DEFENCE!

Scotland’s defence is holding strong as Ireland try to attack from the scrum but the pressure of Scotland forces a knock-on, and Scotland have a scrum inside Irish territory. Let’s see what we do here.

SO CLOSE!!!!

BLINKIN HECK!!!! Patterson was away at the restart and he scored the try, but his foot was caught on the line so it’s been disallowed. But wow, Scotland are really showing what they are about here.

TRY TIME!!!!!!

WHAT A TRY!!!!

Hector Patterson has come flying from the scrum to find Fergus Watson on the wing, who races towards the try line but he’s shot down, not before he finds Ollie Duncan who has flown over the try line!

Urwin’s added the extras!

Ireland 7 – 17 Scotland

Scotland scrum

Ireland’s Sam Wisniewski tries to go for a 50:22 and he’s overshot it. We’ll go back for a Scotland scrum inside Ireland’s half.

Try – Ireland

Scotland defended that passage well, but Rueben Logan has been caught offside.

Ireland are taking the lineout on out five and will surely look to strike.

Strike they do, Henry Walker is across the line and they’ve added the extras to take the score within three.

Ireland 7 – 10 Scotland

Restarting with an Irish lineout

Break over, time back on. It’s an Irish line out in Scotland’s half.

Cooling break

We’re taking a cooling break in these sweltering Italian conditions.

It’s been a frantic five plus minutes, neither team can quite get a foothold with penalties being forced on both sides.

But Scotland are impressing so far with those two tries from Seb Stephen and Nairn Moncrieff. It’s a great start for the young Scots!

NO TRY!

Ireland think they’re over through Oisin Minogue but they’ve created a wedge in the lineout that causes obstruction, and the try has been disallowed by the referee. A good catch from the TMO.

Ireland knock-on but they had advantage

Ireland force a knock-on but we were guilty of tackling off the ball. Play has been taken back and Ireland are going for another line out.

Scotland caught offside

We’re offside whilst exiting our half through Hector Patterson, Ireland have kicked to touch for a lineout inside our 22.

TRY!!!!! SCOTLAND!!!!

YES SEB!!!! A powerful maul from the pack, Seb Stephen has dotted down for our second try.

Urwin’s conversion has drifted to the left.

Ireland 0 – 10 Scotland

50:22!!!!!

MATTHEW URWIN!!!! 50:22!!! Our line out on the five.

TRY!!!!! SCOTLAND!!!!

WHAT A TRY!!!! We’ve kept the ball at the scrum and gone wide, Kerr Yule carried excellently, with Fergus Watson finding space next, recycling through our co-captain Johnny Ventisei, to find Nairn Moncrieff who has flown over the whitewash!

We’ve missed the conversion, but this is a great start!

Ireland 0 – 5 Scotland

Back in our hands

Scotland have defended that sublimely and stolen the ball and go wide! We’ve just come into touch though, but we had advantage so we’re away for a scrum. That was some excellent work!

Pinged at the breakdown

Scotland are penalised for being off their feet at the breakdown, Ireland have kicked for a lineout just outside Scotland’s 22.

LET’S GO SCOTLAND!!!!!

Ireland have kicked off. COME ON SCOTLAND!!!!!

Kerr Yule, record breaker!

Ahead of kick-off, a huge congratulations goes to Kerr Yule who will equal Jamie Farndale’s record of competitive appearances for Scotland U20 Men today.

PARIS, FRANCE – MARCH 14: Scotland’s Kerr Yule warms up before an Under-20s Six Nations match between France and Scotland at the Stade Jean-Bouin, on March 14, 2025, in Paris, France. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

FLOWER O’ SCOTLAND!!!

It’s time for the anthems ahead of the 9th place semi-final against Ireland. COME ON SCOTLAND!!!!

One hour to go!

Hey Scotland fans! One hour to go until our U20s kick-off against Ireland. They’ve arrived at Payanini Center, Verona and are getting ready to warm up.

A reminder of your team

Take a look again at your Scotland team to face Ireland!