Report: Wales U20 43-28 Scotland U20

Scotland opened the scoring in the 15th minute. From a solid scrum platform, Ross Wolfenden carried hard up the middle and a phase later Rory Purvis burst through three tackles and fought his way over the line. The score was converted by Hamish MacArthur. (0-7, 15 mins)

Wales were soon level. A loose pass from Scotland’s backs was kicked over the line by Evan Morris, who just managed to ground it before it went dead. Carwyn Leggatt-Jones converted. (7-7, 20 mins)

Scotland regained the lead in just three minutes. A half-break from Henry Widdowson had Wales on the back foot, and in the next phase it was Henry Kesterton who broke through the tackles and scored, with MacArthur again converting. (7-14, 23 mins)

The hosts had their second of the game with four minutes left of the first half. Rhys Cummings coasted through a gap from a set move from the backs, racing over on the right side. (12-14, 36 mins)

But Scotland regathered their own restart, and the forwards worked metre by metre with Joe Roberts making the decisive carry to the line and MacArthur slotting the added two. (12-21, 38 mins)

Half time: Wales U20 12-21 Scotland U20

Wales were soon back within two points, after a loose ball bounced over Scotland’s line and evaded two defenders before Thomas Williams dived on it at his feet. Leggatt-Jones converted. (19-21, 44 mins)

And they then took the lead for the first time, taking a tap and go penalty five metres out and going over via Tom Howe. Leggatt-Jones again converted. (26-21, 50 mins)

Another slick move from the Welsh backline had Cummings through a gap untouched again, this time under the posts. Another two points came from the boot of Leggatt-Jones. (33-21, 60 mins)

With a first sustained period of possession since the break, Scotland went over. Calum Jessop’s 50:22 lead to a maul that was stopped just short, and moving forward inch by inch each phase it was Oliver Finlayson-Russell who got there, and Jessop converted. (33-28, 63 mins)

Wales then won a scrum penalty just left of the posts inside the 22, which Leggatt-Jones kicked through the sticks. (36-28, 69 mins)

And the final score came from a Welsh maul, as James Talamai went over in the right corner. Ellis Lewis converted. (43-28, 74 mins)

Full time: Wales U20 43-28 Scotland U20

Commenting on the game, Head Coach Fergus Pringle said: “I thought we managed the game well in the first half, we executed our plan. We got some injuries in key areas so the second half was tricky, our set piece struggled to compete at times.

“The boys stuck in well and we learned a lot about them from that game. We were looking to give the whole squad a run and try out some different combinations, and we were able to do that which exactly what you want from a game like this.”

Wales U20: 15 Lewis Edwards 14 Evan Morris 13 Osian Darwin-Lewis 12 Luc Anfield 11 Rhys Cummings 10 Carwyn Leggatt-Jones 9 Sion Davies 1 George Tuckley 2 Tom Howe 3 Jac Pritchard 4 Oscar Rees 5 Tom Cottle CAPTAIN 6 Osian Williams 7 Ryan Jones 8 Evan Minto

Replacements: 16 James Talamai 17 George Leyland 18 Callum Donaghue-Proud 19 Osian Williams 20 Joe Denman 21 Cerrig Smith 22 Ellis Lewis 23 Steff Jac Jones 24 Thomas Williams (25 Jack Hoskins 26 Joseff Jones

Scotland U20: 15. Henry Widdowson 14. Max Garry 13. Henry Kesterton 12. Ross Wolfenden CAPTAIN 11. Mitchell Newell 10. Felix Champain 9. Hamish MacArthur 1. Billy Kerslake 2. Joe Roberts 3. Jamie Stewart 4. Finn Ronnie 5. Sam Byrd 6. Harry Jackaman 7. Harvey Preston 8. Rory Purvis

Replacements: 16. Jack Utterson 17. Oliver McKenna 18. Jackson Rennie 19. Henry Black 20. Joe Lloyd 21. Oliver Finlayson-Russell 22. Ollie Anderson 23. Adam McKenzie 24. Calum Jessop 25. Alex Bryden 26. Cameron Gettinby