Scotland lose U20 Six Nations opener in Wales as late yellow card proves costly

Scots led with 10 minutes to go before late collapse in Colwyn Bay

Wales players celebrate at the final whistle. Pic: Bryan Keane/INPHO/Shutterstock

Scotland were ahead going into the last 10 minutes at the Stadiwm CSM in Colwyn Bay last night, but a yellow card then saw Wales score two tries to win 37-29 in the under-20 Six Nations opener.

After a game in which the visitors scored five tries and took one bonus point, Scottish captain Liam McConnell said “It was frustrating. It was going from end-to-end and we gained momentum at times, but then lost it and couldn’t wrestle it back.

“The yellow card near the end was obviously a big moment, but we still could have reacted better. We did some good things, but we have to manage games better. ”

Before the match Scotland were forced into a late change with tighthead prop Ollie Blyth-Lafferty out, Callum Norrie stepping up into the number three jersey and Ryan Whitefield added to the bench.

After just 112 seconds play was then stopped for an injury to Scotland No.8 Tom Currie and, after a long delay, he was replaced by Jonny Morris. Wales had a try disallowed for a forward pass before Scotland went ahead in the 10th minute thanks to an excellent lineout drive which went all of 20 metres.

After the lineout was won by second-row Euan McVie, all of the pack worked in tandem and Wales could not stop them, hooker Elliot Young scoring a try. Stand-off Isaac Coates could not convert and four minutes later a penalty from his opposite man Harri Wilde made it 5-3. The home side then took the lead in the 18th minute when centre Huw Anderson went over for an unconverted try.

Another well-worked lineout drive then put Scotland back ahead in the 23rd minute with back-row Freddy Douglas the scorer. Coates’ conversion hit the post. A quickly taken tap penalty then had the Scotland defence backpedalling and good hands from Wales saw winger Walker Price going over on the left for an unconverted effort.

That made it 13-10 and, a few minutes later, No.8 Morgan Morse scored a third for Wales with Wilde converting. In a breathless first half, great work from full-back Fergus Watson got Scotland into the Wales ’22’ and, soon after, Young scored his second try. Coates converted and it was 20-17 to Wales at the break.

Five minutes into the second half Scotland scored their bonus point fourth try when centre Kerr Yule powered over under the posts. Coates converted for 24-20. With 19 minutes to go, Wales got ahead once again when Ackerman ran a great line and showed strength to go over for their bonus point fourth try despite the attentions of two defenders.

The conversion was missed and it was 25-24 until, four minutes later, Scotland scored their fifth try. After some more good lineout drive work, Douglas pounced for his second try and, although it was unconverted, it was 29-25.

With 10 minutes to go the big moment came. Replacement loosehead prop Alex O’Driscoll was yellow carded for a deliberate knock on while Scotland were defending their own try line. Wales used their man advantage to score out wide via Price’s second try and, when sub Harri Ford converted, it was 32-29 to the hosts. In the closing stages, still against 14, Wales replacement Rhodri Lewis bagged his team’s sixth try and that five-pointer denied Scotland a second bonus point.