Wales play their second match at the Under-20 World Championship in South Africa on Thursday when they meet Spain after opening their campaign with a thrilling, but ultimately unsuccessful match against New Zealand, which they lost 41-34. Coach and rugby analyst Tomas Marks considers their start to the tournament.
Wales fought tooth and nail with the “Baby Blacks” in a fierce contest in Cape Town over the weekend.
They put in an almighty 80 minute performance, gained two bonus points, but eventually lost to the six-time champions.
New Zealand were relentless on both sides of the ball and exerted pressure on Wales throughout the match.
In the opening 20 minutes they dominated the set piece, gaining two scrum penalties and forced Wales into several handling errors. Their relentless defensive pressure eventually told when New Zealand scrum half Dylan Pledger intercepted a promising Welsh attack to score the opening try of the match.
The scrum-half read a miss pass from his opposite number Ieuan Davies to gather and score from 50 metres.
Wales were excellent on their restart chase execution and regathered the ball on numerous occasions.
In the 11th minute they scored after some good restart aerial skills, which resulted in a Welsh penalty. The kick in the corner yielded an attacking line-out in the red zone and after some power play from the forwards, it narrowed the defence to allow full-back Huw Anderson to step and spin over the try line.
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Number eight Morgan Morse and hooker Isaac Young worked well in defence with two excellent turnovers in the first half.
But despite some courageous defence, Wales gifted a try to the Baby Blacks with a poor exit attack as Jonny Green couldn’t stay on his feet as he latched on to the impressive loose-head prop, Josh Morse.
The resulting penalty and line-out in the five metre allowed the opposition to ignite a driving line-out, which resulted in second row Osian Thomas collapsing and the awarding of a penalty try.
Not only was it a maximum seven points but it reduced Wales to 14 players. This sin bin was costly as the opposition capitalised on this numerical advantage and scored again through their vice captain and classy centre Xavi Taele to lead, 24-7.
However, Wales regathered momentum and finished the first half with a try of their own, following a driving line-out surge and then a sublime bridge pass from Harri Wilde to centre Louie Hennessey to score.
New Zealand started the second half with a superb score which started with a four man line-out in their own 22.
Most teams and countries in the world would kick from this position on the pitch but not New Zealand. The intent was rewarded with a fine team try which contained ten passes and a magnificent finish from the spectacular centre, Taele.
He received the ball with a defender to beat but manipulated the defender with a goose step and sprinted clear with a sumptuous dive over the try line.
In the 50th minute, the Baby Blacks increased their lead with a pre-prepared line-out move to allow flanker Tai Cribb to barge over Cian Hire for a soft try and they led, 36-13.
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At this stage it looked quite ominous for the Welsh team, but they showed resilience to stay in the fight and battled back.
Morgan Morse worked well in defence to gain a turnover and from the resulting scrum they launched a great attacking move.
Wales decoyed to go blind on a midfield scrum with the scrum-half, fly-half and winger charging down the blind, but Morse fed centre Louie Hennessey on the open and he hit a stunning running line to burst through the defence and round the full-back for an excellent solo try.
Wales tried in vain to score again but they weren’t clinical as hero Morse was sin-binned for a dangerous tackle, before they squandered two attacking line-outs and lost the ball in attack in the opposition 22.
Scrum-half Davies showed courage in attack with a cross-field kick from a penalty and it nearly created a try as Hennessey burst down the touchline and fed his supporting players, only for the Baby Blacks to scramble and prevent the try.
Unfortunately, this brave Welsh attack inspired their rivals as they scored from another crafted line-out play, as replacement back Xavier Titto Harris, a Hong Kong Sevens winner in Apri,l steamed over the whitewash.
Wales managed to score two converted tries in the closing stages of the match with 17-year-old Steffan Emanuel scoring after a deft left foot chip from sub scrum half Lucca Setaro.
Centre Macs Page crossed in the last two minutes, showing great leg drive and determination to score his first try in this tournament.
Wales had an opportunity for an unlikely draw in the last 50 seconds but from the resulting restart they naively kicked the ball straight out.
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New Zealand secured the last line-out of the match and kicked the ball off the pitch for an opening round victory.
Wales showed up well in this opening match with a gutsy defensive effort, excellent aerial battle victories, and matched the Baby Blacks with aggression and physicality.
There were good contributions in the starting XV from prop Josh Morse with 11 carries, hooker Isaac Young with two turnovers, number eight Morgan Morse with 17 carries, inside centre Hennessey with a brace of tries, and lively full-back Anderson with three line-breaks.
The bench made an impact with flanker Harry Beddall and scrum half Setaro playing their part in salvaging two losing bonus points.
Wales should be credited for scoring five tries and staying in the match for 80 minutes.
The next match is against newcomers Spain and after their opening loss to reigning champions France, Wales need to put them to the sword.
France were fairly clinical with three tries from set piece dominance and the remaining tries through creative attack and support.
Wales will need to be aware of the mammoth Spanish players as they forced France into 17 handling errors.
Head coach Richard Whiffin will need to emphasise to the Welsh players that they need to use their brains and not brawn to defeat the debutants.
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