Chris Horsman’s side were up against it at 15-0 down at half time, but they rallied impressively by showing tremendous character and no little skill. After Wales Women’s victory over Ireland earlier in the day, this result made it back-to-back Welsh successes at Cardiff Arms Park.
Home tries came from Exiles wing Louis Rees-Zammit, a brace by Dragons flyer Carrick McDonough, Harry Breeze and Harri Deaves. France crossed through Simon Desert, Enzo Camilleri and Max Spring.
France made a strong and purposeful start. Wing Desert opened the scoring with the game’s first try and outside half Edgard Retiere kicked the conversion and then a penalty to make it 10-0.
Retiere then hooked another three-point attempt wide of the left hand upright and Wales weren’t helped by losing full-back Jacob Beetham, who was taken off with a head injury. Wales also lot flanker Deaves to a yellow card.
Against a giant French outfit Wales were keen on moving the ball to the fringes and they did so with success with wing pair McDonough and Rees-Zammit both livewire threats in attack. France moved further clear before the break to lead 15-0.
A Welsh line-out was overthrown and hooker Enzo Camilleri made the most of it to crash over. The conversion was missed.
Wales started the second half with a bang and what a try it was too. Rees-Zammit picked up the ball near the half-way line off a set-piece backline move. He scorched clear of the French defence in scintillating fashion to make it to the line just to the right of the posts for Ed Dunford converted.
Wales then continued their comeback. This time outside half Dunford was the creator as he offloaded superbly out of the tackle to McDonough who finished acrobatically.
Dunford couldn’t make the kick from wide out on the right touchline, but his team were now only three points behind. By that stage Wales had unloaded their replacements to have a look at the talent available to head coach Horsman.
France nonetheless remained clinical behind the scrum. Full-back Spring was their next scorer following a free-flowing move and Retiere nailed a tricky attempt for the extra two points in impressive fashion.
Les Bleus were reduced to 14 men when Yanis Charcosset was yellow carded and it allowed Wales to grab their third try. Breeze powered over, Dunford was again successful with his kick, and it soon got even better for those in red.
Flanker Deaves made up for his earlier yellow card by cutting a fine line storming on to a short ball, and breaking away to put Wales ahead for the first time. Dunford, who probed and prompted the Welsh attack impressively converted and there was still time for the impressive McDonough to grab his second in the corner.
Scorers: Wales U18: Tries: C McDonough 2, L Rees-Zammit, H Breeze, H Deaves; Con: E Dunford 3
France U18: Tries: S Desert, E Camilleri, M Spring; Cons: E Retiere 2; Pen: E Retiere
Wales U18: Jacob Beetham (Cardiff Blues); Louis Rees-Zammit (Exiles), Mason Grady (Cardiff Blues), Bradley Roderick (captain, Ospreys), Carrick McDonough (Dragons); Ed Dunford (Exiles), Dylan Davies (Dragons); Sam O’Connor (Scarlets), Oliver Burrows (Ospreys), Iestyn Haskins (Cardiff Blues), Rhys Anstey (Cardiff Blues), Christ Tshiunza (Cardiff Blues), Rhys Thomas (Ospreys), Harri Deaves (Ospreys), Evan Lloyd (Cardiff Blues)
Reps : Rhodri King (Scarlets), Theo Bevacqua (Exiles), Lewys Jones (Ospreys), Joe Peard (Dragons), Harry Breeze (Scarlets), Ethan Lloyd (Cardiff Blues), Thomas Matthews (Exiles), Dan John (Exiles)
