FRANCE DOWN TO 13 FOR FINAL 6 MINS (74 min)
Lock Brent Lufau sees yellow for a swinging arms tackle around Louie Hennessey’s neck.
3RD TRY FOR WALES – Wales 19 – 38 (71 min)
A penalty goes into the right corner, the forwards try to get over, but eventually the worked is worked wide left from Harri Houston to score. One more try needed for a bonus point.
FINAL PASSES NOY GOING TO HAND – (67 min)
Two promising Welsh moves come to an end after the last pass goes to ground. Great endeavour and pressure from Ryan Woodman’s side, who lose Morgan Morse through injury.
FRANCE SCORE AGAIN – Wales 14 – 38 France (58 min)
Leo Carbonneau just misses out on a try in the right corner, but then makes the run that leads to loosehead prop Lino Julien barreling over. Mondinat takes his match tally up to 18 points.
GREAT REPLY FROM WALES – Wales 14 – 31 France (48 min)
Tom Florence on his way to the try line
Archie Hughes sparks a raid into the French 22. The pick and go works for a bit before Wales get hit back. They pick up a penalty but don’t need it. The backs weave their magic and a great offload out of the tackle by Cam Winnett allows Tom Florence to finish strongly as he takes two defenders over the line with him to score. Edwards again hits the target.
BONUS POINT TRY FOR THE FRENCH – Wales 7 – 31 France (42 min)
France start the second half with a bang as they drive Wales back 30 metres at a line-out and then score wide out on the right through skipper Depoortere. That brings up the bonus point and Mondinat nails his conversion from the touchline.
SECOND HALF UNDERWAY
Wales are now playing into the wind, but France are still down to 14 men after the sending off of their hooker.
HALF TIME – Wales 7 – 24 France
WALES ARE OFF THE MARK – Wales 7 – 24 France (40 min)
Somewhere underneath the heap of bodies is Wales try scorer Seb Driscoll
Dan Edwards kicks into the right corner and Wales have a line-out five metres out. Sam Scarfe throws short, Ryan Woodman takes the ball and a perfect drive sees Seb Driscoll power over for a morale boosting try on the stroke of half-time. Edwards converts off the touchline.
BETTER BY WALES (39 min)
Good continuity between forwards and backs sees them reach the 22 and pose problems. They get a penalty as well. This is going in the corner.
ANOTHER TRY WITH 14 MEN – Wales 0 – France 24 (21 min)
France are in again and this time it is livewire scrum half Leo Carbonneau who crosses the Welsh line. Mondinat on target again with the conversion.
2ND TRY FOR THE FRENCH – Wales 0 – 17 France (19 min)
This time it is Mondinat who grabs both the try and conversion as France continue to dominate. Massive charge from Posolo Tuilagi sets-up the score.
YELLOW CARD FOR FRANCE (14 min)
Hooker Barnabe Massa gets 10 minutes into the bin as France go down to 14. The yellow was later updgraded to red for a drive into a ruck.
GREAT START BY FRANCE – 10 POINTS IN NINE MINUTES
A fifth minute penalty by Clement Mondinat is followed by a try from an interception by wing and captain Nicholas Depoortere. Mondinat’s conversion makes it 10-0.
FRENCH LINE-UPÂ
THÉO ATTISSOGBE; NICOLAS DEPOORTERE (captain), MAXENCE BIASOTTO, ARTHUR MATHIRON, MAEL MOUSTIN; CLEMENT MONDINAT, LÉO CARBONNEAU; LINO JULIEN, BARNABE MASSA, ZACCHARIE AFFANE, BRENT LIUFAU, POSOLO TUILAGI, ESTEBAN CAPILLA, ANDY TIMO, MATHIS CASTRO FERREIRA
REPLACEMENTS: THOMAS LACOMBRE, ALEXANDRE KADDOURI, THOMAS DUCHENE, LENNI NOUCHI, NOA ZINZEN, BAPTISTE JAUNEAU, HUGO REUS
TOP FOUR PLACE AT STAKE
Wales go into their final game in Pool A at the World Rugby U20 Championships still in with a shot at making the top four sides to challenge for the main prize in South Africa.
Mark Jones has made five changes from the team that scored six tries in beating Japan 41-19 for the game against reigning champions France.
There is just the one change in the backline where Ospreys winger Tom Florence gets his first start of the campaign after scoring against Japan as a halftime replacement. He replaces his regional teammate Llien Morgan.
Ospreys’ tighthead prop Kian Hire and Harlequins flanker Seb Driscoll get their first starts in a Welsh jersey after both impressed as second half replacements against Japan. They replace Louis Fletcher and Lucas De La Rua respectively.
Dragons RFC’s hooker Sam Scarfe replaces Lewis Lloyd who drops down to the bench while Ospreys second row Liam Edwards returns in place of regional teammate Evan Hill.
Cardiff Rugby back row Gwilym Evans and Dragons centre Joe Westwood will get their first action of the championship if they come on from the bench.
Wales U20 v France U20, Tuesday 4 July, Athlone Stadium, KO 3.30pm (UK), S4C live
15 Cameron Winnett (Cardiff Rugby)
14 Tom Florence (Ospreys)
13 Louie Hennessey (Bath Rugby)
12 Bryn Bradley (Harlequins)
11 Harri Houston (Ospreys)
10 Dan Edwards (Ospreys)
9 Archie Hughes (Scarlets);
1 Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths (Dragons RFC)
2 Sam Scarfe (Dragons RFC)
3 Kian Hire (Ospreys)
4 Liam Edwards (Ospreys)
5 Jonny Green (Harlequins)
6 Ryan Woodman (Dragons RFC – Capt)
7 Seb Driscoll (Harlequins)
8 Morgan Morse (Ospreys)|
Replacements
16 Lewis Lloyd (Ospreys)
17 Josh Morse (Scarlets)
18 Louis Fletcher (Ospreys)
19 Mackenzie Martin (Cardiff Rugby)
20 Gwilym Evans (Cardiff Rugby)
21 Joe Westwood (Dragons RFC)
22 Harri Wiilde (Cardiff Rugby)
23 Harri Williams (Ampthill)
