Win over Aussies inspires Charlie Shiel to take next step

Charlie Shiel of Scotland U20 was the matchwinner against Australia. Picture: SNS

The substitute scrum-half scored two tries, including a last-gasp winner, as the young Scots defeated the junior Wallabies 24-17 in their final World Rugby Under-20 Championship match on Sunday to achieve a best-ever fifth place finish and complete a famous double over Australia after the senior team’s win in  Sydney the previous day.

It was a dream end to the 19-year-old’s Under-20s career and has given the former Royal High School pupil motivation to push hard for a professional career as he enters his final Stage 3 academy year.

“The boys are absolutely delighted with the way the tournament went,” said the Currie scrum-half, who is the son of former Scotland centre Graham Shiel and grandson of ex-national coach and Lions cap Dougie Morgan.

“It was reward for all the effort that has been put in since the Six Nations by the players, coaches and backroom staff. A lot of hard work went into that and it was brilliant to beat Australia again after we did it in last year’s World Cup in Manchester. The fact this one got us that fifth place finish makes it even more special.”

Shiel was one of only a handful of returning players from the previous season’s U20 crop which made the high finish even more impressive. As was the manner in which the squad progressed through a demanding five games in 19 games with very few injuries – a stark contrast to the experience in England last year.

“I think in Manchester by the time we got to the last game we had lost around ten players but this time it was only one,” said the Currie player. “That is a testament to the good work the strength and conditioning staff did.”

After losing their opening match 42-20 to eventual champions New Zealand, the young Scots went unbeaten for the rest of a tournament played in blazing conditions in Georgia, with wins over  Ireland, Italy, Wales and the Aussies.

Shiel revealed that the squad had taken inspiration from Scotland’s superb Test win over the men in gold in green in Sydney.

“We all watched it in the team room and were cheering them on. That was a great win and it kind of showed us that it was do-able. We definitely took a lot of confidence and belief from what the senior team did down in Australia.”

Shiel was delighted with the tries he scored in that Australia finale, although there was an anxious wait after he had darted over for that dramatic late winner as the TMO investigated if any illegal blocking had taken place.

“They were both spur of the moment scores,” recalled Shiel. “The second one was actually a called move but the gap appeared and I went for it. I was at the bottom of a pile-up as the guys celebrated so I hadn’t realised at first that they had gone to TMO. It was a bit of a nerve-wracking wait but thankfully it was fine. We deserved to win the game.”

Shiel said that his dad, a centre who won 18 Scotland caps between 1991 and 2000 and is now a coach with the BT Academy in Glasgow, had kept in touch via phone and text. The youngster is now looking to forge his own path in the game in a different position to his old man. “I’m not as big as him so scrum-half is a better fit for me,” he said. “I’ve played there since mini rugby and like the fact you are always involved in the game and get hands on the ball early. I wouldn’t like to be stuck on the wing.”

Shiel is now looking to establish himself as a first team club player next season and push for a professional chance. “Playing at a tournament like that gives you a taste for what being a pro could be like and it’s definitely made me determined. Hopefully I can push on in the Premiership next season and keep improving my game.”

Scotland Under-20 coach John Dalziel, who now moves on to lead the national sevens squad, said he was extremely proud of the way the squad had conducted and applied themselves.

“We knew this was an inexperienced group compared to the previous year and some people maybe thought this year was a write off,” said Dalziel, pictured left. “I think that motivated the boys to prove a point.

“They played some really good rugby and, although all four of the wins were close and certainly not comfortable viewing for us coaches, I think we were worthy winners in all of them. That is something we are trying to get away from as Scotland, having those occasional, maybe lucky, victories. That wasn’t the case in Georgia and the stats back that up.

“They were all good wins but I think maybe game four against Wales in the first play-off [29-25] was the best.

“The boys were so relaxed beforehand and I could sense something was brewing. And they delivered.”