Rhys Webb’s late try supported by Dan Biggar’s first half score gave Patrick Horgan’s men their fourth straight U20 Six Nations win.
France U20 were hugely physical and took the lead on 49 minutes through monster centre Mathieu Basteraud, but Wales U20 fought back and Webb’s touchdown with seven minutes left sealed a hard-fought victory but with England recording a win over Ireland, the Welsh Dragons finished runners-up in the championship table.
Horgan’s side fell behind on seven minutes when fullback Julien Dumora fired over a long-range penalty. But the hosts responded in front of a lively Rodney Parade crowd when fly half Biggar’s deep kick penned the visitors back in their 22. Wales U20 continued to build momentum towards the end of the first quarter and after another period of sustained possession, their pressure finally paid off.
A free-flowing passing move involving Scarlets duo Josh Turnbull and Lloyd Phillips would have resulted in the opening try for wing Leigh Halfpenny, but Wesley Fofana’s deliberate knock-on stopped a certain score so the French wing was rightly shown a yellow card.
Halfpenny levelled the scores and within 60 seconds, Wales U20 were in the lead for the first time. Biggar kicked on and together with Gareth Owen turned over Dumora on his own tryline to score the first try. Halfpenny added the extras. France U20 hit back immediately and reduced the deficit to just four points when fly half Mathieu Belie slotted home a drop goal with consummate ease on 25 minutes.
Just three minutes later, Halfpenny extended Wales U20’s lead to 13-6 with his second penalty in an action-packed opening half. Belie’s penalty three minutes before the interval brought France U20 back into the match, but in a bruising encounter, Yohann Vivalda became the second French player to be ordered to the bin by referee Peter Fitzgibbon after the Perpignan flanker caught Biggar in the head with seconds remaining in the first half.
And it only took two minutes of the second period for the Irish official to pull out his cards again. Owen was the villain as his mis-timed tackle on Dumora caught the fullback in mid air and left Wales U20 with 14 men. Biggar missed with a drop goal attempt on 48 minutes but Wales U20 were reduced to 13 when Turnbull harshly became the fourth player given 10 minutes in the bin.
Ospreys centre Owen returned but he couldn’t prevent his opposite French number taking the lead as 17st 6lbs Basteraud powered through for a well-deserved try. Belie converted to give the visitors and their vocal travelling army of support a three-point advantage.
Jonathan Davies inspired Wales U20 with a lung-bursting run with eight minutes left and in the following phase of play, Owen broke through the French defence before supplying the easiest of passes to scrum half Rhys Webb to crash over under the posts. Halfpenny added the conversion to increase his tally into double figures.
France U20 piled on the pressure in the closing stages on the Welsh try line but the home side weathered the storm and recorded a famous win and set up a momentous weekend for the Three Feathers.
Wales U20 20 France U20 16
Scorers
Wales U20:
Tries: Biggar, Webb
Pens: Halfpenny (2)
Cons: Halfpenny (2)
France U20:
Try: Basteraud
Pens: Dumora, Belie
Con: Belie
Drop Goal: Belie
Wales U20: Daniel Evans; L Halfpenny, J Davies, G Owen, J Norris; D Biggar, R Webb; S Hobbs (R Bevington 49), R Lawrence (R Prosser 58), P Palmer (S Andrews 60), H Pugh, J Groves (Capt), J Turnbull, L Phillips, J Tipuric
Replacements: A Sweet, R Pitman, Luke Evans, J Tovey
France U20: J Dumora (C Coll 77); B Fall (K Zagar 65), G Namy, M Basteraud, W Fofana; M Belie, M Parra (capt); N Agnesi (R Slimani 58), A Reffault (C Maynadier 58), A Joly (N Agnesi 69), Y Maestri, A Jaulhac, Y Vivalda (J-B Roidot 49), R Lakafia, L Thuery (A Chollon 47)
Replacements: T Lacrampe
Attendance: 3,682
Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (IRFU)
