Wales U20 were made to pay a high price for a silly piece of indiscipline as a shove in the back of an Italian player in touch near half-way led to back-to-back penalties that paved the way for the winning try in the 75th minute. Three times Branwen Metcalfe’s side bravely forced their way into […]
Wales U20 were made to pay a high price for a silly piece of indiscipline as a shove in the back of an Italian player in touch near half-way led to back-to-back penalties that paved the way for the winning try in the 75th minute.
Three times Branwen Metcalfe’s side bravely forced their way into the lead in a too-close-to-call contest in their final outing in the Six Nations Summer Series at Ystrad Mynach, but the fourth and final try from the visitors earned them a 28-24 triumph.
The host nation came into the final day of the tournament on the back of a big win over Scotland (52-29) and a defeat against the Irish (27-10) and were quickly into their stride against an Italian team chasing their first win.
Head coach Liza Burgess made four changes to the starting XV from the win over the Scots and one additional positional switch. Tight-head prop Elan Jones returned, lock Jorja Aiono got her first start of the series and Lily Terry moved into the back row.
Catrin Stewart made her first start in the back row, while behind the scrum Carys Hughes replaced the injured Mollie Wilkinson at full-back. Jessica Rogers and Gabby Healan were brought onto the bench.
Wales got off to a positive start and penned the Italians in their own 22. Lock Robyn Davies, hooker Molly Wakely and prop Elan Jones made dents in the defence, but the visitors found a way to stop the Welsh forwards in their tracks.
It was a pretty even first quarter until the Azzurri struck in the 18th minute. The Welsh backs were caught offside in midfield at a line-out and the kick into the 22 gave the Italians their best attacking platform.
They certainly made the most of t as they rumbled off the tail and saw skipper and No 8 Elena Errichiello come up with the first try of the game. Outside half Lavinia Pratchetti added the extras.
Wales almost hit back immediately, but Jones was put down five metres out and then a knock-on by Davies allowed the Italians to clear. Wales maintained the pressure and in the 25th minute Wakely sat in the back of a driving lineout and picked up a try.
Hannah Marshall couldn’t convert that one, but she was on target 10 minutes later after sending her centre Savannah Picton-Powell crashing over for her third try of the tournament. A superb 50-22 by Marshall after gathering the re-start gave Wales another great launch-pad, but the Italian’s held firm, and it was 12-7 to Wales at the break.
The first of three second half tries from replacement hooker Chiara Cheli after Wales had overthrown at a four-player line out in their 22, edged Italy back in front 14-12, before the best move of the game from Wales led to Seren Singleton scoring wide out on the left.
The scrum half turned wing almost scored in the right corner as Wales produced their most fluent passage of play. The forwards reloaded and attacked the line before it was all hands in down the back line to give the predatory Singleton a clear run to the line for a try that made it 17-14.
Five minutes later Cheli burrowed her way over at the posts for her second – Pratchetti adding the extras. Then the Italians lost lock Francesca Andreoli to the sin bin after a line out offence five metres out from their line.
Wales took full advantage of their extra player and within two minutes had driven their own lock, Chiara Pearce over for a try that Ffion Williams improved to make it put Wales back in front 24-21 with 17 minutes to go.
The game remained in the balance right to the death, but when they were given a sniff at the end with those two successive penalties the Italians conjured p another opportunity from a close-range line-out for Cheli to complete her hat trick.
Scorers: Wales U20: Tries: M Wakely, S Picton-Powell, S Singleton, C Pierce; Cons: H Marshall, F Williams. Italy U20: Try: C Cheli 3, E Errichiello; Cons: L Pratchietti 4
WALES U20
15 Carys Hughes (Gwalia Lightning / Hartpury University / PDC East)
14 Seren Singleton (Brython Thunder / Cardiff Met / PDC West)
13 Savannah Picton-Powell (Brython Thunder / Cardiff Met / PDC East)
12 Freya Bell (Gwalia Lightning / Cardiff Met / PDC East)
11 Nia Fajeyisan (Gwalia Lightning / University of Leicester / PDC East)
10 Hanna Marshall (Brython Thunder / Hartpury University / PDC West
9 Sian Jones (Gwalia Lightning / Gloucester-Hartpury)
1 Stella Orrin (Brython Thunder / University of Bristol / PDC West)
2 Molly Wakely (Gwalia Lightning / PDC East)
3 Elan Jones (Brython Thunder / Cardiff Met / PDC North)
4.Robyn Davies (Brython Thunder / Cardiff Met / PDC West)
5 Jorja Aiono (Hartpury College / PDC West)
6.Lily Terry (Gwalia Lightning / Hartpury University)
7 Catrin Stewart (Gwalia Lightning / Cardiff Met / PDC North)
8 Branwen Metcalfe (Hartpury College / PDC North – Captain)
Replacements
16 Rosie Carr (Brython Thunder / Bristol Bears)
17 Dali Hopkins (Gwalia Lightning / Cheltenham Tigers)
18 Lowri Williams (Brython Thunder / University of South Wales / CDP North)
19 Chiara Pearce (Coleg Gwent / PDC East)
20 Jessica Rogers (Brython Thunder / Cardiff Met / PDC East)
21 Ffion Williams (Hartpury College / PDC North)
22 Gabby Healan (Brython Thunder / Cardiff Met / PDC East)
23 Hannah Lane (Brython Thunder / Cardiff Met / PDC North)