Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

New Zealand U20s edge Wales after 14-point first half deficit

(Source/World Rugby)

New Zealand U20s have survived their first pool clash in the World Rugby U20 Championships in Stellenbosch with a 27-26 win over Wales U20.

ADVERTISEMENT

New Zealand opened the scoring in the 6th minute when first five Taha Kemara found his right wing Caleb Tangitau unmarked from an attacking scrum play inside the 10.

The All Blacks Sevens rep went over untouched for a 5-0 lead but it was Wales who took control with three tries and 19 unanswered points.

Wales enjoyed sustained attacking possession, eventually cracking New Zealand’s line with a driving maul in the 21st minute through hooker Lewis Lloyd.

Flyhalf Dan Edwards was next to score again after a rolling maul again marched New Zealand back to their own line. After a few phases of pick and goes, a release and well-executed block play put Edwards in space to score next to the posts.

With the lead Wales were well and truly on top, making generous gain line only to be repelled at the line by last-ditch New Zealand defence.

The weight of possession eventually cracked as the Welsh struck again from another set-piece strike. Fullback Cameron Winnett was stopped inches short before No 8 Morgan Morse drove over on the next phase.

ADVERTISEMENT

Down by 19-5 at halftime, New Zealand U20 coach Clarke Laidlaw wasn’t panicked knowing that they would be aided by a strong wind in the second half.

“Everyone was pretty relaxed, we started the game well but we then gave away a lot of possession and territory,” Laidlaw said.

“We knew if we could get a bit of field position playing down the hill and with the wind at our backs that we could build pressure. We just needed to understand how to build pressure and keep hold of the ball.”

“The wind doesn’t win you the game, but it does give you the chance to build pressure. The game-drivers, our nine, 10 and 15, kicked well in the second half and built some pressure. There were some good lessons there of how to play in different conditions.”

ADVERTISEMENT

A Noah Hotham box kick was the catalyst for a comeback after a strong tackle and counter-ruck from Caleb Tangitau and Sam Hainsworth-Fa’aofo won a penalty.

Crusaders winger Macca Springer strolled over after multiple phases of lead up, with club Taha Kemara once again picking the right option with a timely cutout pass.

New Zealand closed the gap to two points when openside Hainsworth-Fa’aofo crossed from a quick lineout maul with no jump.

The Baby Blacks took the lead through a Harry Godfrey penalty goal in the 55th minute before Che Clark scored to take a 27-19 lead.

Wales struck late with a consolation try, again from the maul, to close the gap to just one point but did ran out of time to challenge for the win.

Laidlaw was impressed with Kemara’s kicking in the second-half which controlled proceedings for New Zealand, but was wary of Northern Hemisphere opposition after such a drought between games.

“There are lots of areas but we have not played on the world stage for a while. Getting to play Six Nations teams is why we are here and it’s what excites us,” he said.

“We know how good France are. We’ve had a really good look at them and that will be a huge challenge come Thursday.”

New Zealand will play Six Nations runners-up France next while Wales play Japan.

 

 

ADVERTISEMENT

South Africa vs New Zealand | The Rugby Championship U20's | Full Match Replay

Argentina vs Australia | The Rugby Championship U20's | Full Match Replay

Saitama Wildknights vs Tokyo Sungoliath | Japan Rugby League 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

The Game that Made Jonah Lomu

The gruelling reality behind one of the fastest sports in the world | The Report

Boks Office | Episode 40 | The Steven Kitshoff Special

Perry Baker in the house | HSBC Life on Tour | Los Angeles

Confidence knocks and finding your people | Flo Williams | Rugby Rising Locker Room

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

S
Solenn Bonnet 1 day ago
Leinster cleanse palette with record URC scoreline against Zebre

My name is Solenn Bonnet, and I am a single mother navigating the challenges of raising my two-year-old child while trying to make ends meet. I came across a trading platform that promised astonishing daily profits of 18%. The allure of such a high return on investment was too tempting to resist, and I found myself drawn into cryptocurrency trading. Excited by the prospect of financial freedom, I invested a significant amount of my savings, totaling over 5.7 BTC. However, what started as a hopeful venture quickly turned into a nightmare. The platform was a scam, and I lost everything I had invested. The emotional toll of this loss was immense; I felt devastated and helpless, struggling to provide for my child and keep up with my bills. In my desperate attempt to recover my funds, I sought help from various recovery experts. Unfortunately, I encountered numerous fraudulent individuals who claimed they could help me retrieve my lost money. Each time I reached out, I was met with disappointment and further scams, which only deepened my despair. Last year was one of the most challenging periods of my life, filled with anxiety and uncertainty about my financial future. Feeling overwhelmed and at a loss, I confided in a close friend from church about my situation. She listened compassionately and shared her own experiences with financial difficulties. Understanding my plight, she introduced me to Tech Cyber Force Recovery, a group of skilled hackers known for their expertise in recovering lost funds. Skeptical yet hopeful, I decided to reach out to them as a last resort. Their services came at a higher cost, but my friend generously offered to help me with a partial payment. I was amazed by how quickly they responded and began the recovery process. Their team was professional, efficient, and incredibly supportive throughout the entire ordeal. To my relief, they successfully recovered more than I had lost to those heartless scammers. This was truly transformative, and I felt a sense of relief and gratitude that I hadn’t felt in a long time. I strongly encourage anyone who has faced similar challenges or fallen victim to scams to reach out to Tech Cyber Force Recovery. If you’ve invested in a fraudulent platform like I did, they are highly capable of helping you reclaim your hard-earned money. Don’t lose hope; there is a way to recover what you’ve lost.

CONSULT TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY

EMAIL.. support@techyforcecyberretrieval.com

WhatsApp.. +15617263697

website.. https://techyforcecyberretrieval.com

Telegram.. +15617263697

0 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ JP du Preez, the 650-day injury lay-off and the 'miracle' bone donation JP du Preez, the 650-day injury lay-off and the 'miracle' bone donation
Search