AFTER their historic win over England last weekend Scotland suffered their first reverse this season in the RBS 6 Nations Under-20 championship after losing out to Wales last night at Parc Eirias by a 79th-minute penalty goal
In an evenly balanced match in which both sides showed winning qualities the young Scots built up a 15-5 half time lead only to concede 13 points without reply after the break as Wales began to play with greater confidence that produced two unconverted second half tries.
Outstanding for Scotland last night was Rory Hutchinson, who took over the stand-off role from the unavailable Adam Hastings. Hutchinson kicked well from hand and made a couple of searing breaks. But it was Wales who produced the more dangerous running, notably from scrum-half Reuben Morgan Williams and winger Keelen Giles.
Among the forwards, Glasgow Hawks flanker Matt Smith produced another impressive performance while hooker Jake Smith showed useful mobility about the park. The Scots forwards also did well in the set scrum against a strong Welsh eight but at the lineout Scotland were twice penalised in the second half by the young Italian referee.
It was Scotland who claimed the first points of the match with a penalty by Hutchinson, who had opened a gap in the Welsh defence with a clever run before linking with Ruairi Howarth and George Taylor, to bring play close to the Wales line.
Minutes later Scotland scored the first try of the match with a rolling maul from a penalty kick to touch that ended with Smith earning the plaudits.
Wales threatened with a sniping run from Morgan-Williams and good linkage with Giles. But a heroic try-saving tackle from Smith rescued the Scots. But from the ensuing line-out a rolling maul gave flanker Shaun Evans Wales opening try. Then just before the break Scotland again used the rolling maul to good effect to create a try for prop Murray McCallum, Hutchinson converting for a 15-5 interval lead.
After the break Wales reduced the Scotland lead with a close-range try by flanker and skipper Tom Phillips before engineering a back line move that gave Giles a touchdown in the corner to level the scores. Then seven minutes from full time replacement Billy McBryde kicked a penalty goal which proved to be the winning score.
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