Scotland under-20 27
Italy under-20 19
SCOTLAND secured their place in the middle group of countries for the knock-out stages of the World Rugby under-20 Championship by defeating Italy in the final Pool B match at the Manchester City Academy Stadium yesterday with a bonus point earning four-try tally.
The win, the Scots’ second success against Italy this year, now opens up the possibility of Scotland achieving their best finishing place in the World under-20 Championship if they maintain the level of performance shown yesterday.
“I’m relieved for the group.” admitted the Scotland coach, John Dalziel. “We set the goal to win these two games. We started off with a good win, and moving into the England game we needed to shuffle things up a bit and our pride took a bit of a dent in that game.”
For the Italy game Dalziel selected the strongest group of players available to him and in the event the combined experience of the likes of Zander Fagerson, Jamie Ritchie, Adam Hastings and above all the man-of-the-match Blair Kinghorn made a massive difference to the Scotland performance.
Hastings brought an edge to the Scotland attack while Kinghorn’s secure fielding at full-back and the height achieved from his kicking out of hand was crucial in the pursuit of points. Italy had gambled on selecting a heavy forward pack but the anchor provided by Fagerson helped to neutralise the Azzurri threat in the scrum.
At the end of a scrappy first half Scotland trailed 7-5, the Scots having scored a try by prop Murray McCallum after a telling break by Hastings and good support from Callum Hunter-Hill. Italy countered with pick an drive play close to the Scotland line that ended with a try for No 8 Leonardo Licata, stand-off Leonardo Mantelli adding the conversion.
Three minutes into the second half, Hastings regained the lead for Scotland with a penalty goal before adding the conversion to an 80- metre try scored by Robbie Nairn. Scotland increased their advantage with a try in the corner by Kinghorn after the Scots worked the ball right and then left from a penalty-created line-out.
Italy hit back with a try by prop Daniele Rimpeli from another catch and drive, again converted by Mantelli, but Scotland effectively killed off Italian hopes with a fourth try, this time scored by Ally Miller after a towering kick my Kinghorn, Hastings conversion providing a thirteen points cushion.
The young Azzurri had the final say with a 76th minute try by Pierre Bruno but it was too late to prevent Scottish celebrations.
Scorers Scotland Tries McCallum, Nairn, Kinghorn, Miller Cons Hastings (2) Pen Hastings Italy Tries Licata, Rimpelli, Bruno Cons Mantelli (2)
Scotland under-20 : B Kinghorn; R Nairn (C Gray) , T Galbraith, M McPhillips, B Robbins; A Hastings, H Fraser (C Shiel 72); M McCallum (G Thornton 59), J Kerr (L Anderson 68), Z Fagerson, C Hunter-Hill (A Craig 63), S Cummings captain, J Ritchie (S Burnside 69), M Smith (L Wynn 43), A Miller.
Italy under-20 : M Minozzi; P Bruno, M Zanon, D Schiabel, L Sperandio (D Bronzini 72); L Manatelli, R Raffaele; D Rimpelli (G Borean 75), M Manfredi (M Makelara 49), M Riccioni, L Krumov, D Frangito captain, L Masselli, G Pettinelli, G Licata
Referee T Charabas (France)
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