Harry Leonard late show ensures battling Scots reject wooden spoon

AN injury-time try and conversion by skipper Harry Leonard gave Scotland a dramatic win over Italy in the final round of the Six Nations under-20 championship at Calvisano last night, and a fifth overall finish in the competition to avoid a second successive wooden spoon at this age level.

Italy U20s 17 - 20 Scotland U20s

It was an immense turnaround in fortune for the young Scots, trailing 6-17 with ten minutes of play remaining, and which owed much to the experience of Leonard and Mark Bennett in the closing stages of a game that seemed a lost cause. Italy, predictably, had used their strength in the scrums to put huge pressure on Scotland in the early part of the game, turning their advantage into points with accurate goal kicking.

“This ranks as one of my best rugby experiences” said Scotland under-20 coach Peter Wright, adding : “They tried to strangle us and we tried to play rugby. We got our just deserts.”

Italy started well with an unconverted try by their Padova winger Leonardo Sarto, but two penalties by Leonard to one by stand-off John Apperley kept the Scots in touch with their opponents at half-time with the scoreline at 8-6.

Three Apperley penalties without reply in the second half gave Italy what seemed a commanding 17-6 lead but Scotland, with Matt Torrance coming on at scrum-half, started to find their rhythm, and when Leonard ignited a move, Bennett finished off in style and Leonard’s conversion reduced the Italian lead to just three points.

With time running out, Scotland went all out for the winning score and it was Edinburgh stand-off Leonard who provided the points with his try and conversion to provide his side with a famous victory and a first championship success that will lift confidence ahead of the Junior World Cup in South Africa three months from now.