Scotland 8 Romania 7

Scotland will contest for places 9-12 in the final two matches of the IRB u19 World Championship being staged in Durban and disappointingly will finish behind the Romanians in the final standings after allowing today's opponents to secure a bonus point from a last minute score in the game at Glenwood High School .

The Scots also needed a four try victory but in the event they could only achieve one touchdown in a match where again they fell below expected standards in execution of skills.

Against an athletic Romanian side which moved the ball well and which contested the forward battle strongly Scotland struggled to find any composure and with the error count reaching high figures the target of four tries became more unrealistic.

Romania were unlucky to come away with just one try. On several occasions they broke clear only to thwart themselves with knock-ons or wrong judgements.

For Scotland this is a match that the players will wish to forget. For them the task is to refocus for their final two matches against opponents who will provide a stiff test for the Scots.


Scotland looked to be in control when after only three minutes they drove a line-out to create a try for number 8 John Barclay. But thereafter Romania dominated the first half and were unlucky not to score any points.

Then in the second half, a penalty goal by replacement stand-off James King put Scotland 8-0 ahead and it looked as though the Scots had achieved their objective.

But in the last play of the game, Romania launched an attack from a set scrum, turning it into a score from a midfield break by centre Catalin Fercu and clinical finishing by winger Caludiu Dumitru, full back Florin Vaicu adding the conversion to make the Romanians the real winners in a match lost.




Scotland u19 (v Romania u19) Jonathan Alston (Dundee HSFP); David McCall (Stewart's-Melville College), Andrew Easson (Heriot's), Chris Dunlop (Durham University), Cameron Johnston (Newcastle Falcons); Greig Cottrell (Hawick), Jamie Hood (Stewart's-Melville FP); Kyle Traynor (Edinburgh Academicals) CAPTAIN , Sean Crombie, Innes Brown (both Kirkcaldy), Allan Kelly (Hillhead/Jordanhill) , Greg Scott (Boroughmuir), Calum Forrester (GHA), John Barclay (GHA), Ross Rennie (Stewart's-Melville FP). Subs used
Donald Malcolm (GHA), Alan Dymock (High School of Dundee), Torrie Callander (Kelso), Ali Miller (GHA), Tane Jericevich (Aberdeen GSFP)

This article was posted on 10-Apr-2005, 11:06 by Hugh Barrow.