Match Report: Italy U20 32-38 Scotland U20
27 Jun 2026Scotland U20 got their 2026 World Rugby Junior World Championship off to a fine start with a six-try win over Italy U20 at the AIA Arena in Kutaisi, Georgia.
Scotland got off to a flyer with debutant Dan Kelly scoring a wonderful individual try, nipping up the right wing, chipping ahead and then gathering to finish with flamboyance with barely a couple of minutes on the clock (0-5, 2 mins).
It was fitting, on the day of former great Scott Hastings’ Celebration of Life in Edinburgh, that fellow George Watson’s College alumni Kelly grabbed the opener in Georgia.
The hulking Enoch Opoku Gyamfi made inroads into the Scottish 22 in reply, but an excellent turnover kept Italy at bay and it became a quickfire double penalty with a high tackle above the sternum allowing stand-off Jake Dalziel to clear deep into Italian territory, although the line-out was spoiled.
Nairn Moncrieff thought he was in on the other wing 10 minutes later after some lovely hands from Ross Wolfenden, but the scramble cover defence was on point and Italy found a way to clear through scrum-half Nikolaj Varotto.
It took a good 15 minutes before Scotland had to deal with the opposition entering their half and when a penalty was given against them for another sternum-high tackle, Italy kicked to touch for their first proper attack, but it was the young Scots’ time to turn over at the set piece.
The new law, pertaining to not tackling above that sternum height, was proving tricky to administer for both sides, with a number of penalties ceded in the opening quarter as Italy enjoyed the lion’s share of possession and field position.
A scintillating break from Italy winger David Luisato saw the number 11 evade numerous tackles, setting the platform for an overlap on the right which centre Riccardo Casarin took advantage of to step and force his way over. Francesco Braga converted to give his side the lead (7-5, 31 mins).
Scotland thought they had responded in style with a close-range score, but Jamie Stewart’s counter was ruled out for a double movement.
They did get the breakthrough immediately after though, when Dalziel barged his way over when the ball was shipped out following an attacking line-out, his conversion adding some welcome extras (7-12, 37 mins).
Scotland then scored an outrageous third from their own 22, the ball put through the hands to Moncrieff, who hared up the left touchline before offloading to Wolfenden who in turn put full-back Rory McHaffie in with an imaginative pass to complete a mesmerising try. Dalziel converted to give the Scots a handy lead as half-time approached (7-19, 39 mins).
Italy refused to go to the interval as it stood and hooker Valerio Pelli’s try, converted by Braga, set up an intriguing second half (14-19, 40 mins).
Half-time: Italy U20 14 – 19 Scotland U20
Kelly was at it again after the restart, this time scampering up the left touchline and finding McHaffie in support, but Italy brushed off any half-time lethargy to steal after the ball was spilled on the deck.
Matthew Fick found loosehead prop Stewart on the rampage with an excellent running line on halfway and Italy then played the scrum-half to give Scotland another teasing 22 entry, from which they got a fourth try.
Joe Roberts held the ball from the attacking line-out and then through the back division, McHaffie eventually flung the ball in the tackle to Moncrieff, who calmly popped the ball down in the left corner (14-24, 45 mins).
Italy then replied with their own cracking score, winger Luisato launching himself skywards from kick-off to grab the ball in mid-air for a smash-and-grab converted try (21-24, 47 mins), before scrum-half Varotto sped home from distance to complete a sucker punch few minutes (26-24, 48 mins).
Braga clipped over a penalty to stretch their lead to five points (29-24, 51 mins).
Such sustained scoreboard attention led to an understandable scrappiness about proceedings, with Italy shading things as they sought a way to take the game away from Scotland, but with a raft of new bodies introduced, they scored out of nowhere.
Centre Henry Kesterton broke the gainline and had the strength to wait for support, with McHaffie on hand to finish from 20m between the posts, allowing Dalziel to convert once more (26-31, 65 mins).
Kesterton then bagged a huge score for his side after lying in wait on the right wing to receive a good ball from Alex Bryden to go over, with Dalziel’s terrific touchline conversion affording Scotland a nine-point lead for the final stages (29-38, 73 mins).
Italy tried and tired against willing defence and although Casarin’s last-ditch penalty (32-38, 80 mins) gave his side a losing bonus point, Scotland ran out as winners of an entertaining contest as eyes point towards their next match against New Zealand on Thursday 2 July.
Full-time: Italy U20 32-38 Scotland U20
Italy U20: Ragusi, Rossi, De Novellis, Casarin (captain), Luisato, Braga, Varotto; Brasini, Pelli, Meroi, Fardin, Gyamfi, Miranda, Wilson, Sette.
Replacements: Patricio, Mastropasqua, Trevisan, Spreafichi, Bianchi, Andretti, Fasti, Falchetto.
Scotland U20: Rory McHaffie (Edinburgh Rugby), Dan Kelly (Watsonian FC), Henry Kesterton (Edinburgh Rugby), Ross Wolfenden (Edinburgh Rugby) (co-captain), Nairn Moncrieff (Edinburgh Rugby), Jake Dalziel (Merchiston Castle School/Melrose RFC), Matthew Fick (Edinburgh Rugby); Jamie Stewart (Edinburgh Rugby), Joe Roberts (Glasgow Warriors) (co-captain), Ollie Blyth-Lafferty (Edinburgh Rugby), Alfie Blackett (Cardiff Metropolitan University), Dan Halkon (Glasgow Warriors), Christian Lindsay (Edinburgh Rugby), Jack Utterson (Edinburgh Rugby), Harry Jackaman (Watsonian FC).
Replacements: Jamie McAughtrie (Ayr RFC) (for Roberts, 64 mins), Will Pearce (Bristol Bears/Cardiff Metropolitan University) (for Stewart, 64 mins), Jackson Rennie (Glasgow Warriors) (for Blyth-Lafferty, 64 mins), Sam Byrd (Edinburgh Rugby) (for Blackett, 46 mins), Harvey Preston (Glasgow Hawks) (for Utterson, 52 mins), Oliver Finlayson-Russell (University of St Andrews) (for Jackaman, 22 mins), Asa Stewart-Harris (Saracens) (for Fick, 64 mins), Alex Bryden (Glasgow Warriors) (for Wolfenden, 59 mins).
Referee: Robbie Jenkinson (IRFU)
Assistant Referees: Gonzalo de Achaval (UAR), Saba Abulashvili (GRU)
TMO: Paulo Duarte (FPR)
