Jump to main content
Scorch Quiz:Hallam Amos

Wales U19 9 New Zealand Schools 17

The Welsh XV had plenty of possession to win the game but did not break the gainline often enough up front or run strongly and directly enough behind.

Share this page:

The Welsh forwards more than held their own but behind the scrum it was the tourists who had the edge in both pace and penetration.

Two of the threequarter line, centre Luke McAlister and wing Joe Rokocoko, played in the under-19 side that won the Junior World Cup in Chile last year and they looked the class players of the night.

Rokocoko made the first try with a powerful blindside surge and well-timed pass to supporting scrum-half Scott Cowan to give New Zealand a 7-6 lead, McAlister kicking the conversion.

Cardiff fly-half Nick MacLeod had kicked two penalties to give Wales a 6-0 lead and his third just before half-time put Wales into a tenuous 9-7 lead at the interval.

McAlister kicked New Zealand back into the lead with a penalty before replacement wing Tony Koonwaiyou dramatically snatched the ball out of the grasp of Llanelli full-back Ceiron Thomas to sprint clear for a try converted by McAlister.

Wales threatened but handled sloppily in the face of aggressive defence. The forwards with hooker Huw Bennett (Swansea) and No 8 James Malpas (Cardiff) continued to make a real game of it.

Wales: Pens – N MacLeod (3). New Zealand: Tries – S Cowan, T Koonwaiyou; cons – L McAlister (2); pen – McAlister.

New Zealand Schools will face Welsh Schools U18 at Neath RFC on Friday 18 January. The match kicks off at 7.15pm

Huw S Thomas

Partners and Suppliers

Principal Partners
Principality
Admiral
Wales U19 9 New Zealand Schools 17
Vodafone
Go.Compare
Official Broadcast Partners
S4C
BBC Cymru/Wales
Official Partners
Guinness
Wales U19 9 New Zealand Schools 17
Wales U19 9 New Zealand Schools 17
Heineken
Wales U19 9 New Zealand Schools 17
Wales U19 9 New Zealand Schools 17
Official Suppliers
Gilbert
Wales U19 9 New Zealand Schools 17
Rhino Rugby
Sportseen
Wales U19 9 New Zealand Schools 17
Wales U19 9 New Zealand Schools 17
Princes Gate
Wales U19 9 New Zealand Schools 17
Amber
Opro
Total Energies
Seat Unique
Wales U19 9 New Zealand Schools 17
Castell Howell
Glamorgan Brewing
Ted Hopkins
Hawes & Curtis
Wales U19 9 New Zealand Schools 17