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Where are they now? – 2012 U20s Wales team that shocked New Zealand
By Liam Heagney
Wales don’t feature on the list of Junior World Championship champions. That is a restricted preserve consisting of only New Zealand, South Africa, England and France, and Welsh hopes of joining that elite group in the weeks ahead in Cape Town are slim given their underwhelming winless sixth-place effort in the recent U20s Six Nations – and also the prospect of starting their latest campaign versus New Zealand in Paarl.
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That doesn’t mean they haven’t had their share of the limelight at the world tournament, though. Eleven years ago, they recorded what remains arguably the greatest pool stage upset.
It was 2011 in Italy when they were at their lowest ebb, a team featuring players such as Liam Williams and Cory Hill getting humiliated 92-0 by New Zealand in Rovigo.
That was a Baby Blacks outfit blessed by the presence of future Test stars, the likes of the hat-trick scoring Sam Cane, the two-try Charles Piutau and a host of other would-be household names such as Beauden Barrett, Sam Whitelock, Steven Luatua, TJ Perenara, Brad Weber and so on. Their roster even included a certain Gareth Anscombe, who kicked 11 conversions.
Yet 12 months later, it was the Welsh – coached by Danny Wilson – who were dancing in the Stellenbosch rain having remarkably defeated the Kiwis 9-6, putting an end to the 21-match unbeaten run at the tournament that had secured New Zealand four titles on the bounce and had them touted as favorites to collect a fifth.
#WorldRugbyU20s Captain's shoot ?
It all kicks off 24th June ?? pic.twitter.com/WE4fabmW7Q
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) June 22, 2023
Five of the Welsh battered in Italy – Rovigo starters Kirby Myhill and WillGriff John, along with subs Matthew Morgan, Ross Jones and Luke Hamilton – were back on deck in the matchday 23 at the Danie Craven Stadium for the 2012 rematch against the completely revamped Baby Blacks, whose most eye-catching names on this occasion were skipper Bryn Hall at scrum-half and Ofa Tu’ungafasi at loosehead.
Fly-half Morgan and wing Tom Prydie scored Wales’ points in terrible conditions, Prydie’s second-half penalty in the driving rain proving the difference between the teams in a contest where New Zealand No10 Scott Eade only kicked two of his five penalties. Incredibly, though, this June 8 ambush had a cruel twist of fate nine days later at Newlands in Cape Town.
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Having gone on to top the rankings for the semi-finals, Wales’ ‘reward’ was a rematch with the fourth-ranked qualifiers New Zealand, who inevitably grabbed their revenge on a 30-6 scoreline before losing to South Africa in the final. Fourteen of the Welsh heroes of Stellenbosch went on to play Test rugby, 13 with Wales. Here is their story:
15. Ross Jones
Welsh-born but educated in Dublin where he came through the Leinster schools system. Arrived at the tournament having started twice for the Ospreys in the PRO12. Played 14 times in total for the region and spent a year on the Wales 7s circuit before moving to Rotherham for the 2015/16 season in the English Championship. Now playing semi-pro at Heriots in Edinburgh and seeking out a career in financial planning.
14. Tom Prydie
The seven-cap winger had become the youngest player to play Test rugby for Wales in 2010, aged 18 years and 25 days. He also played club first team with Ospreys and Wasps before this age-grade tournament. Spent five seasons at Dragons and three and a bit more at Scarlets before a mid-2021/22 short-term switch to Bath. Called it quits soon after to begin a hernia medical sales career.
13. Cory Allen
Another who had a taste of first-team rugby before flying to South Africa. He continued to play for the Blues, moving to the Ospreys in 2017 and then onto Dragons where his career ended at the age of 29 in December 2022 following a lengthy battle with a knee injury. Capped six times by Wales, he scored a hat-trick versus Uruguay in their opening game at the 2015 Rugby World Cup but was injured in that match and missed the rest of the tournament. Also played at the 2018 World Cup 7s in San Francisco.
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12. Jack Dixon
Had featured twice off the Dragons bench prior to going to this tournament as a 17-year-old. Played two more Junior World Championships and has since enjoyed a career as a one-club man, featuring 14 times for the Rodney Parade club in 2022/23 before a season-ending ankle injury at Leinster. Will be back at Dragons next term having signed an extension despite all the contractual uncertainty currently affecting the game in Wales.
11. Eli Walker
Was a 2011/12 breakthrough at the Ospreys where he continued to feature until 2016. A back injury that December failed to properly heal and he was forced to retire in March 2018 at the age of 25. Made numerous Wales squads but was only capped once – in a 2015 World Cup warm-up match against Ireland. Went into the construction business post-playing.
ICYMI
??????? Tîm dan 20 Cymru ?
? https://t.co/akRmf2LVtM pic.twitter.com/0jxw3Lrby0
— Welsh Rugby Union ??????? (@WelshRugbyUnion) June 23, 2023
10. Matthew Morgan
The out-half headed to South Africa after being an unused sub in the thrilling Ospreys PRO12 final win over Leinster in Dublin. Spent two Championship seasons at Bristol from 2014 before coming back across the Channel to play for Cardiff where he still features, lining out five times last term. Capped five times by Wales, twice at the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
9. Tom Habberfield
Had tasted Anglo-Welsh action Cup at Ospreys and been on the 7s circuit with Wales before this age-grade adventure. Continued to play for the region until 2019 when he switched to Cardiff RFC where he remains, featuring on their bench in April’s WRU Premiership Cup final win over Newport.
1. Rob Evans
Looked set to be a one-club man, spending a decade with Scarlets. However, the 39-cap loosehead, who last appeared at Test level pre-lockdown in March 2020, spent 2022/23 at Dragons.
2. Kirby Myhill
The age-grade skipper had already made the breakthrough at Scarlets, with whom he continued to play until a 2016 switch to Cardiff. Picked 14 times for them in 2022/23 but has since been released. Capped once by Wales, a late cameo in the October 2021 loss to the All Blacks.
3. Samson Lee
The tighthead has been worth his weight in gold, consistently performing for the Scarlets until he ruptured his achilles while touring South Africa with the region in March 2022. That layoff hasn’t diminished his reputation as Scarlets announced a new contract in May at a time when he was making a comeback with Llandovery in the Welsh Premiership. Capped on 45 occasions by Wales but didn’t make their 2023 Rugby World Cup training squad.
4. Rhodri Hughes
Spent four seasons at the Ospreys post-tournament but got caught up in their bottleneck supply at second row. Settled for Welsh Premiership action at Bridgend, Swansea and now Aberavon. Their club website has him listed as a postman in Baglan who has since become a manager.
5. Matthew Screech
Had debuted off the Blues bench in the lead-up to South Africa, but it was at Dragons where he made his name. Spent eight seasons there before going back to Cardiff in 2021/22. Returned to Rodney Parade last season, a loan deal that will extend into 2023/24. Capped once, a July 2021 game versus Argentina.
6. Luke Hamilton
The back-rower, who had already enjoyed some first-team exposure at Cardiff, has had quite a varied career. He switched to Agen in 2014, Leicester in 2016, Edinburgh in 2018, Bristol in 2019 and has since been at Oyonnax, who were recently crowned Pro D2 champions. Capped on three occasions by Scotland, debuting versus the All Blacks in November 2017 and finishing up away to the USA the following June.
7. Ellis Jenkins
A one-club man at Cardiff where he will feature again next term. Has 15 Wales caps, his last coming as a February 2022 starter against Ireland.
8. Dan Baker
Played for the Ospreys through to the pandemic shutdown. Re-emerged at Mont-de-Marsan in the French Pro D2 and but returned to Wales to join the Dragons and is now at Aberavon. Capped three times, his last appearance coming versus Ireland in a 2015 Rugby World Cup warm-up.
Replacements:
16. Darran Harris
Featured at Scarlets between 2013 and 2015 before switching to Rotherham in the English Championship for a year and then spending one more season back in Wales at Dragons.
17. Gareth Thomas
Broke through at the Scarlets but the Ospreys have been his home since 2014. Has 21 Test caps and is currently in training with Wales for the upcoming Rugby World Cup.
18. Willgriff John
Attached to the Blues but it was in New Zealand, via a few provincial seasons at Northland, where he served his apprenticeship before English Championship campaigns at Doncaster resulted in four years at Sale in the Premiership. On Scarlets’ roster since 2021 and capped twice by Wales, he is now a free agent following his release last month.
19. Ieuan Jones
Broke through at the Dragons before switching to the Ospreys. Then played for Pontypool.
20. Daniel Thomas
A product of Scarlets, the back-rower was also at the 2013 age-grade championship before linking up with Gloucester in the English Premiership in 2014 and then switching to Bristol in 2017. Had a couple of games back at Scarlets last October but finished out the season on the Bears bench.
21. Jonathan Evans
The Dragons was his pathway into the pro ranks but he spread his wings with a summer of 2015 move to Bath before he returned to Wales for four seasons at the Scarlets. Now playing for Ebbw Vale in the Welsh Premiership.
22. Sam Davies
Came through at Ospreys and stayed there until Dean Ryan tempted him to Dragons in 2019. Is now finished at Rodney Parade, with a deal inked to join the second-tier Grenoble in France. Capped eight times at Test level, his last appearance coming versus Samoa in Apia in 2017.
23. Thomas Pascoe
Emerging from the Blues academy, he returned to the age-grade tournament in 2013 but a career in the pro ranks didn’t take off and he left for Australia. Returned to Wales to become a personal trainer and he is now believed to be working in that sector in Dubai.
A crowd of 33,210 turned up at Newlands to see an age-grade South African side inspired by a then 18-year-old Handre Pollard end the four-year grip that the NZ had on the U20s title.@heagneyl ??? looks at where they are now #rugby https://t.co/qIvYSYNjdd
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 4, 2023
