On a wet and windy evening, the Wales pack stood up to be counted, demolishing the Irish scrum with props Nicky Thomas and Nicky Smith playing a key role, particularly in the second half.
With the weather having a significant impact on the game, it wasn’t pretty as both Ethan Davies and Irish fly half Ross Byrne struggled with their kicking in the first half. The only points before the break came from a single Davies penalty but a superb team performance in the second half guided Wales home.
Davies added another six points soon after the break but the key moment came when Wales skipper Steffan Hughes crossed for the only try of the game. The Scarlets centre finished off a move which came from yet another powerful forward surge, Davies converting to pull his side clear.
Ireland needed to respond quickly and although the final quarter saw them dominate possession, they failed to score a point as Wales ran out deserved winners.
With conditions slightly in their favour during the first 40, Wales had started well as they camped themselves inside the Ireland half. Davies saw the wind take an early penalty effort wide of the left hand upright but after Ireland strung some phases together, Mike Ruddock’s pack began to step up to the plate.
Both sides then had further chances to move ahead but Byrne, and then Davies for a second time, saw kicks drift wide on a difficult night for the respective fly halves. On a wet and windy evening, both sides were making mistakes and being penalised regularly. It meant there were plenty of opportunities to get points on the board but after Byrne made it two missed kicks apiece, we passed the half-way point in the first half with the game still scoreless.
As the rain intensified, Davies put the wet weather to one side as he finally kicked the first points. When the score came, it was the Wales pack who took all the credit, shoving the Ireland scrum off the ball to earn a shot at goal. Davies stepped up and his kick, which swerved dramatically in the wind, saw Wales move into a 3-0 lead.
Davies’ Gareth Bale-esque effort gave the visitors encouragement and although he saw three more efforts go awry, Wales had had 70 per cent of territory with half time approaching. Davies may have missed a number of shots at goal but on a deteriorating pitch and with the wind and rain as they were, goal kicking was very much a lottery. It all meant that when the first 40 minutes was up, Wales turned around with a narrow three point lead.
Byron Hayward’s men would have hoped for a bigger advantage as they came out for the second half but in their favour was the dominance they had at scrum time. Props Smith and Thomas were providing Wales with a solid platform and with the rain relenting, the Wales pack piled forward. Phase after phase saw the visiting eight carry the ball on, earning Davies a simple penalty effort to extend the lead to six.
Davies soon added a third kick in a dream start to the second 40 but spurred into action by their deficit, Ireland woke up.
Loosehead Peter Dooley caught Wales off guard with a solo run but on the hour mark, came the decisive moment. Yet another scrum surge gave Wales momentum, scrum half Tom Williams carrying forward before the ball was spread right for Hughes to finish with ease. Davies converted and with a 16-0 lead, Wales had struck a decisive blow.
Hayward then flooded the pitch with replacements to maintain the forward dominance and although Ireland winger Ian Fitzpatrick went close for the home side, the Welsh defence held out to maintain their 100 per cent record.
Scorers:
Ireland Under 20:
Wales Under 20: Try: Hughes; Convs: Davies; Pens: Davies (3)
Man of the match: James Benjamin (Wales)
