Scotland Under-20s' date with destiny - high stakes riding on match with USA

Liam O'Connell in action for Scotland Under-20s against Japan.

Scotland captain Liam McConnell says it would mean “everything” to lead his country to men’s under-20 World Rugby Trophy success.

The young Scots are taking on USA in the final of the eight-team second tier event at Hive Stadium in Edinburgh at 7.45pm on Wednesday evening looking for a positive result and with it silverware and, more importantly, promotion.

Back in 2019 Scotland were relegated from the World Rugby Championship at this age-grade and there were then no events in 2020, 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic. Last year a shock pool loss to Uruguay in Kenya ended promotion hopes, but after group wins this time around on home turf against Samoa (123-15), Hong Kong China (101-0) and Japan (46-10) the team is now just 80 minutes away from success.

Edinburgh Rugby back-rower McConnell, now 20, will be too old to play next year along with many of his team mates, but having been in this set up since he was 17 just about to turn 18 he knows how important a victory is here. If they can beat the Americans then in 2025 Scotland would be in the 12-team top tier Championship playing the best in the world and McConnell said: “That is where Scotland needs to be.

“The Championship is going on just now in South Africa and we are all watching the highlights on TV and as a player it is where you want to be. We want to make sure the younger boys will be there next year, it would be special and give them something to look forward to. Indeed, it would mean everything because the last couple of years have been tough, but everyone has worked hard to get us to this point.

“I’d say during the Six Nations earlier in the year, although we didn’t pick up any wins, things started to build up from there. The preparation for this event then went really well over four or five weeks before the first game and then being in camp up in St Andrews throughout the tournament has brought us all closer together. Three wins have left us feeling good, but there is one job left and we know the USA will be tough opponents.”

While Scotland were topping Pool A over the last couple of weeks, USA topped Pool B thanks to wins over Netherlands (44-33), Uruguay (32-15) and Kenya (30-17). Last year they finished bottom of the same pool as Scotland and the Scots beat them 40-13, but the Americans are better now.

Winger Keelan Farrell, who scored four tries versus Netherlands, one against Uruguay and one against Kenya, could be the dangerman. For Scotland, there is just one change to the starting XV that impressed versus Japan last Friday with Ruaraidh Hart replacing Glasgow Warriors team mate Ryan Burke (dead leg) in the second-row. Edinburgh’s Ollie Duncan could debut from the bench.

There are three rankings matches on the day before the big one and the final will be live on BBC ALBA.

Scotland U20: Fergus Watson (Glasgow Warriors); Finlay Doyle (Loughborough University), Johnny Ventisei (Glasgow Warriors), Findlay Thomson (Watsonians), Geordie Gwynn (Ealing Trailfinders/Brunel University); Andrew McLean (Boroughmuir Bears), Conor McAlpine (Watsonians); Robbie Deans (Edinburgh Rugby), Jerry Blyth-Lafferty (Edinburgh Rugby), Ollie Blyth-Lafferty (Edinburgh Rugby), Euan McVie (Edinburgh Rugby), Ruaraidh Hart (Glasgow Warriors), Liam McConnell (Edinburgh Rugby, C), Freddy Douglas (Edinburgh Rugby), Tom Currie (Edinburgh Rugby). Subs: Seb Stephen (unattached), Ben White (Biggar RFC), Jake Shearer (Ayrshire Bulls), Dylan Cockburn (Southern Knights/Melrose), Ollie Duncan (Edinburgh Rugby), Hector Patterson (Edinburgh Rugby), Kerr Yule (Glasgow Warriors), Jack Hocking (Edinburgh Rugby).