Wales 33-57 Australia U20s: Mark Jones' men finish with heavy defeat despite brave effort
Wales U20s finished sixth in the World Rugby U20 Championship after ending their campaign with defeat to Australia.
Mark Jones' men have made great strides since suffering the ignominy of a whitewash during the Six Nations and were much better than many expected in South Africa. A handful of players showed real promise, and considering the period of severe austerity which is set to befall professional rugby in Wales, one would expect to see the likes of Archie Hughes, Dan Edwards, Morgan Morse and Harri Houston get game time at regional level next season.
Wales showed plenty of fight against a strong Australian outfit but, despite crossing for five tries, weren't clinical enough when it counted, while the stress of playing so many games over a short period evidently caught up with them as their opponents crossed the whitewash nine times.
Australia drew first blood with some terrific interplay from their back-line, cutting Wales to shreds which allowed Henry O'Donnell to touch down.
But Wales hit back with a period of sustained pressure with replacement second-row Mackenzie Martin coming mightily close to scoring their opening try, but he got the ball stripped from his grasp just as he was reaching out to score.
Wales finally got their just rewards with a flat pass from Louis Hennessey sending Martin racing through a gap. The giant lock found Bryn Bradley whose pass found hooker Lewis Lloyd for the try.
But Australia's forwards regained the ascendancy with second-row Toby Macpherson taking a route one approach to force his way over from short-range. It wasn't long before Wales were further behind with Liam Bowron touching down off the back of a well-worked driving lineout.
Whenever Wales went through the phases and put width on the ball, they stressed Australia and full-back Harri Houston was regularly causing havoc. However, time and time again Wales were undermined by a series of unforced errors which put an end to any momentum they may have had.
They missed a golden opportunity at the stroke of half-time but No. 8 Morgan Morse got held up over the line, meaning Australia led 15-5 at the interval.
Wales then made the worst possible start to the second half as O'Donnell sliced through their defence for his second try.
Wales hit straight back as they attacked Australia down the blindside, with a tremendous miss pass from Dan Edwards putting Llien Morgan over at the far left-hand corner. The Wallabies replied with two tries in seven minutes.
Wales looked worn as Australia brushed off numerous tackles, and some slick handling put Macpherson over for his second. Their next try was a cracker as No. 8 Leafi Talataina charged through the Wales defence from his own half. The ball went through numerous hands for captain Teddy Wilson to race in unopposed.
Australia went into cruise mode as wing Darby Lancaster made a 60-metre break which resulted in Wilson touching down yet again.
To their credit, Wales refused to throw in the towel and a chip through from Edwards found Morgan for another try before the Ospreys outside-half put Ryan Woodman over for a score.
Harrison Usher and Ned Slack-Smith crossed for further Australian scores but it was Wales who had the last laugh with some neat interplay between Hennessey and Harri Williams putting the scrum-half over for the final try of the game.
Wales U20s: Harri Houston (Ospreys); Tom Florence (Ospreys), Louie Hennessey (Bath), Bryn Bradley (Harlequins), Llien Morgan (Ospreys); Dan Edwards (Ospreys), Archie Hughes (Scarlets); Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths (Dragons), Lewis Lloyd (Ospreys), Kian Hire (Ospreys), Evan Hill (Ospreys), Jonny Green (Harlequins), Ryan Woodman (capt, Dragons), Lucas De La Rua (Cardiff Rugby), Morgan Morse (Ospreys).
Replacements: Lewis Morgan (Scarlets), Louis Fletcher (Ospreys), Tom Pritchard (Cardiff Met), Mackenzie Martin (Cardiff Rugby), Gwilym Evans (Cardiff Rugby), Joe Westwood (Dragons RFC), Harri Wilde (Cardiff Rugby), Harri Williams (Ampthill).
Australia U20s: Harry McLaughlin-Phillips; Tim Ryan, Henry O'Donnell, David Vaihu, Darby Lancaster; Jack Bowen, Teddy Wilson (capt); Jack Barrett, Liam Bowron, Nick Bloomfield, Toby Macpherson, Daniel Maiava, Lachlan Hooper, Ned Slack-Smith, Leafi Talataina.
Replacements: Marley Pearce, Harrison Usher, Trevor King, Ollie McCrea, John Bryant, Klayton Thorn, Mason Gordon, Jackson Ropata.
How the action unfolded:
80 mins
Full-time: Wales U20s 33-57 Australia U20s
Wales U20s finish their campaign with defeat against Australia U20s so it's a sixth placed finish for Mark Jones' men. They created plenty of opportunities but weren't clinical enough while they looked nackered during the second-half.
Even so, big strides have been taken since the Six Nations and there were plenty of positives to take out of this championship.
80 mins
Try Wales! Wales U20s 33-57 Australia U20s
That's a very good try by Wales who work the short side for Louis Hennessey to put Harri Williams over for their fifth try.
79 mins
Try Australia! Wales U20s 26-57 Australia U20s
An overthrown lineout gifts Australia their ninth try. Ned Slack-Smith is the scorer
74 mins
Try Australia! Wales U20s 26-50 Australia U20s
Replacement hooker Harrison Usher claims Australia's latest try off the back of a well-worked driving lineout.
71 mins
Try Wales! Wales U20s 26-43 Australia U20s
A flat pass from Dan Edwards sends captain Ryan Woodman charging through a gap. He shows great strength to score. Edwards converts.
67 mins
Try Wales! Wales U20s 19-43 Australia U20s
Wales claim their third try. A lovely kick through from Dan Edwards beats the blitz defence and is gathered by Llien Morgan for the try. Edwards converts from the touchline.
63 mins
Try Australia! Wales U20s 12-43 Australia U20s
This is too easy for Australia who are in cruise mode. Darby Lancaster goes on a 50 metre run before his brought down by Lien Morgan. The Wallabies go through the phases for Teddy Wilson to score.
59 mins
So close!
Wales create a golden try scoring opportunity but a wayward pass from Harri Houston, who has been excellent throughout, let Australia off the hook.
52 mins
Try Australia! Wales U20s 12-36 Australia U20s
Australia claim their third try in 10 minutes and this was a cracker from Teddy Wilson. They go from deep in their own half with some tremendous handling. Wales are falling off tackles, and Mark Jones simply has to empty the bench.
50 mins
Try Australia! Wales U20s 12-29 Australia U20s
Australia hit straight back with second-row Toby Macpherson claiming his second try. Wales look knackered!
48 mins
Try Wales! Wales U20s 12-22 Australia U20s
Wales are refusing to throw in the towel. They stretch Australia out wide before going through the phases. An excellent pass from Dan Edwards puts Llien Morgan over at the corner. A great touchline conversion from Edwards.
42 mins
Try Australia! Wales U20s 5-22 Australia U20s
What a nightmare start to the second-half. Australia cut Wales to shreds out wide with Henry O’Donnell touching down for his second try.
Jack Bowen adds the extras.
41 mins
Second-half kick-off
Australia get the second-half underway
40 mins
Half-time: Wales U20s 5-15 Australia U20s
Wales came mightily close to claiming their second try on the stroke of half-time but Morgan Morse got held up over the line. Australia have been far more clinical than Wales and that's been the main difference. Mark Jones' side have cause the Wallabies a while heap of problems in attack but lack the killer instinct.
37 mins
Try Australia U20s! Wales U20s 5-15 Australia U20s
Australia are in control now with their hooker Liam Bowron touching down off the back of a well-worked driving lineout despite a great effort from Archie Hughes in attempting to hold him up.
32 mins
Try Australia! Wales U20s 5-10 Australia U20s
Australia's forwards are gaining the upper hand with second-row Toby Macpherson powering over from short-range.
30 mins
Wales scrum dominance
Wales are taking Australia apart at the scrum but aren't getting the rewards from the referee who has made more than a few questionable decisions at the set-piece and the breakdown.
25 mins
Try Wales! Wales U20s 5-5 Australia U20s
What a try! MacKenzie Martin has made a huge impact since coming on with a tremendous pass from Louis Hennessey sending the big second-row through a gap.
He offloads to Bryn Bradley who offloads to Lewis Lloyd who touches down at the corner.
22 mins
So close!
Wales lay siege to Australia's line and it looked for all the world that Mackenzie Martin had scored but the ball was stripped from his grasp just as he was about to touch down.
20 mins
Better from Wales
Wales' attack is beginning to fire and they are beginning to stress Australia
14 mins
Wales breathe a sigh of relief
Wales are very lucky. Australia are so effective with the ball with their handling skills and the pace they are putting on the game causing Wales all manner of problems. They looked odds on to score their second try but were penalised for going off their feet.
10 mins
Wales replacement
Mackenzie Martin replaces second-row Evan Hill who has picked up an injury
10 mins
Try Australia! Wales U20s 0-5 Australia U20s
That's an excellent try for Australia who cross the whitewash for the 19th time this tournement. They are cutting Wales to bits out wide with outside centre Henry O'Donnell touching down.
7 mins
Frustrating
As has been the case throughout the championship Wales have built a lot of pressure in the opposition 22 but are simply not clinical enough.
3 mins
Positive start
This is a positive start for Wales who stretch Australia in order to find the edges. They win a penalty for a high tackle and have a five metre lineout
1 min
Kick-off
Dan Edwards gets us underway in Cape Town.
National anthems
Both sides take the field ready to sing the national anthems.
What's at stake?
If Wales U20s were to win today they'd finish fifth which would be their highest finishing position since they reached the final in 2013. It would also ensure a more favourable seeding for next season's competition.
Wales looking to end on a high
Wales U20s captain Ryan Woodman:
“This competition has been a great experience for all of us, and the players around me have made it a lot easier to be captain. It has been a massive turnaround from the Six Nations.
“It is frustrating looking at the top four because one decision or bounce of the ball could have meant we made it. That’s all behind us now and all our focus is on finishing as high as we can.
“Australia have played New Zealand three times this summer and won twice, including the game out here. They are quite similar, but the Aussies have good shape and bring a lot of phase play.
“Their maul attack is quite good. We have reviewed all the clips of their games and looked for ways we can play around them and through them. We will go with our game plan and stick to it.”
The view from the Wales U20s camp
Head coach Mark Jones:
"A lot of things came together on what we had been working on against Georgia. It felt like we had put on a more polished performance together around our whole game.
"We're expecting a much more expansive game, not that Georgia aren't an expansive team but the conditions in Paarl were quite difficult underfoot and the ball was a little bit greasy so we couldn't move the ball into space.
"The pitch is going to be wider, drier and the weather prospects a little bit better overhead. I think Australia will look to move the ball to the edges a lot more efficiently than Georgia so they provide a different challenge. But I'm confident if we get the defence right like we did against Georgia, we can deal with it."
