Scotland achieved their first ever win over Ireland at World under 20 Championship level after defeating their celtic cousins in yesterday’s Pool B second round match at a sun-soaked AIA Arena in Georgia’s second city, Kutaisi.
The young Scots, playing adventurous and crowd-pleasing rugby, ran in five tries to secure a vital bonus point, putting Scotland in second position in Pool B with one group match remaining. That game will be against Italy on Thursday and if the young Scots can achieve a win against the Azzurri to maintain their second position then they will have achieved a best ever pool placing since the inception of these championships.
Scotland came from behind after trailing 10-0 , by playing scintillating rugby with adventurous running from their backs, before having to fend off a late challenge from Ireland in the last five minutes of the match.
“There was lots and lots of good stuff today and we looked the better side. But at times there was a lack of composure at key times.” cautioned the Scotland head coach, John Dalziel, adding ; “We tried to put the ball wider today. I thought too that we had a good kick counter that hurt them.”
Blair Kinghorn illustrated the Scots’ ability to counter the high kick with a defence splitting run to set up a try for the Hawick wing, Darcy Graham, one of a number of individuals to impress for Scotland yesterday, that also included Matt Fagerson, Conor Eastgate, Ross McCann and Stafford McDowall.
Ireland after struggling initially built up a lead with a penalty by Conor Dean and the stand-off’s conversion of Jack Stafford’s try. But Scotland then produced a sensational riposte with a daring attack close to their own line. An exchanged of passes between McDowall and Graham.
sent the Hawick wing racing deep into Irish territory. When tackled Graham skilfully offloaded to McCann who sprinted in under the posts leaving Eastgate with an easy conversion.
Then when Fraser Renwick scored from a rolling maul Scotland took the lead for the first time. Eastgate and Dean then traded second half penalties before Graham stretched Scotland’s lead with a try converted by Eastgate.
Ireland were able to add a penalty by Alan Tynan and two touchdowns from winger Jack Kelly, one converted, on either side of a converted try by Robbie Nairn and an Eastgate score but it was not enough to prevent a Scotland win.
Scorers Scotland Tries Nairn, Graham, McCann, Renwick, Eastgate Cons Eastgate (2) Pen Eastgate Ireland Tries Kelly (2) Stafford Cons Dean,Tynan Pens Dean (2), Tynan
Scotland under-20 (v Ireland under-20) : B Kinghorn; R Nairn, R McCann, S McDowall, D Graham; C Eastgate, A Simmers; G Thornton, F Renwick, A Nicol, A Craig, C Hunter-Hill, B Flockhart, L Crosbie, M Fagerson Subs : R Smith for Renwick 77, F Bradbury for Nicol 65, R Dunbar for Thornton 78, H Bain for Craig 65, T Dodd for Flockhart 22, C Shiel for Simmers 44, J Henderson for Eastgate 42-48
Ireland under-20 : A Tynan; J Kelly, G Mullin, C Frawley, C Nash; C Dean, J Stafford; J Duggan, R Kelleher, C Connolly, F Wicherley, O Dowling, S Masterton, P Boyle, C Doris Subs A Moloney for Kelleher 62 , G McGrath for Duggan 62, P Cooper for Connolly 40, J Regan Dowling 64, G Coombes for Masterton 40, J Stewart for Stafford 64, A Curtis for Dean 55, M Silvester for Nash 54
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