SCOTLAND LOSE TO WALES IN u19 CHAMPS
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Date Posted: 05-Apr-05

Scotland u19 12 Wales u19 44

Scotland sank to their second defeat in the IRB u19 World Championship after losing to Wales in the second round match at the Woodburn Stadium in Pietermaritzburg this afternoon played in temperatures that reached 31 degrees.

The Scots' difficulties at the lineout were at the heart of their problems. But it was a propensity to turn over ball too often that gave Wales numerous chances to run the ball back at the Scots with ultimately deadly effect.

"We didn't control ball when we had it" said coach Peter Wright. He added: "They were very good at counter-attacking. But I was pleased that we played for the full 70 minutes and that we looked dangerous at times in attack."

Scotland looked the sharper of the two teams in the opening fifteen minutes, their best attack coming from full back Andrew Easson with a slicing midfield break. But three missed penalty kicks by centre James King was poor reward for the Scots' pressure.

Then twenty minutes into the game, Wales, against the run of play, achieved the first score of the match after Scotland had taken the ball into contact. From the ensuing maul, Wales pirated possession allowing number 8 Adam Powell to burst clear before delivering the scoring pass to winger Darren Daniel.

Wales almost scored a second try when Bradley Davies was put in the clear only for the lock to lose control of the ball over the line but a penalty kick in front of the posts by Bramwell provided compensation and an 8-0 interval lead for the Welsh.

A determined start to the second half by Wales brought a swift result with a try by flanker Stuart Phillips from a driven lineout and the conversion by Bramwell. Then when fellow flanker Ben Lewis profited from a charge down of Greg Cottrell's attempted clearance kick Wales were ahead by 22-0.

Cottrell quickly made amends with a clever grubber kick that gave winger Jon Alston a try, but the score was immediately answered with a try by lock Will Jones from turnover ball, and the conversion by Bramwell.

Then from another catch and drive at the lineout Wales scored again this time by replacement lock Samir Wahdan, followed quickly by try number six from replacement centre Jon Spratt and the conversion by Bramwell.

An second try by Alston and the conversion by replacement Tane Jericevich, broke the one-way scoring pattern but only briefly as Spratt ran in his second score to complete an impressive Welsh performance.



Scorers: Scotland - Tries: Alston (2); Con: Jericevich. Wales - Tries: Daniel, Phillips, Lewis, Jones, Wahden and Spratt (2). Cons: Bramwell (3); Pen: Bramwell.
Scotland: Andrew Easson (Heriot's and Tayside and Fife Institute of Sport); Jonathan Alston (Dundee HSFP), Lee Kibble (Gala and East of Scotland Institute of Sport), James King (The Borders and East of Scotland Institute of Sport), Cameron Johnston (Newcastle Falcons and East of Scotland Institute of Sport); Greig Cottrell (Hawick), Jamie Hood (Stewart's-Melville FP); Kyle Traynor (Edinburgh Accies and East of Scotland Institute of Sport) (captain), Sean Crombie, Innes Brown (both Kirkcaldy), Allan Kelly (Hillhead/Jordanhill and West of Scotland Institute of Sport), Alex Clarke (Stewart's-Melville FP and East of Scotland Institute of Sport), James Taggart (Currie), John Barclay (Glasgow Rugby, GHA and West of Scotland Institute of Sport), Ross Rennie (Stewart's-Melville FP and East of Scotland Institute of Sport). Subs used Donald Malcolm (GHA and West of Scotland Institute of Sport), Alan Dymock (High School of Dundee and Tayside and Fife Institute of Sport), Oliver Tatham (Leicester Tigers), Calum Forrester (GHA and West of Scotland Institute of Sport), Tane Jericevich (Aberdeen GSFP), Greg Scott
(Boroughmuir)

This article was posted on 5-Apr-2005, 17:06 by Hugh Barrow.