Australia got their campiagn back on the road with victory over Scotland while New Zealand, Argentina and South Africa all notched up their second wins in Italy.
Scrumhalf James Martens has proved the difference as Australia Under 20 kept their World Championship hopes alive with a 34-24 win over Scotland in Italy.
The Queenslander had a hand in multiple tries as the scrumhalf finished with a double in an exceptional performance.
Needing a spark following their defeat, the Aussies started strong as Cooper Watters’ chip behind the defensive line forced a five-metre scrum. This gave the Australians a prime chance to strike as Martens spied some space and dived over for the opener.
Scotland captain Freddy Douglas tied it up as he dived over from a five-metre rolling maul.
This failed to deter Chris Whitaker’s side as young gun Nicholas Conway capitalised on space to race away for the response. The winger collected the ball just inside Scotland’s half before burning the cover defence for the five-pointer.
Scotland levelled the scores as Ollie Duncan dived over untouched before half-time.
But it was Australia that maintained a seven-point lead at the break following Lipina Ata’s sharp carry from close.
Jed Finlay thought he’d reduced the margin, but the TMO brought the try back for a knock-on in the build-up from Fergus Watson. Finlay eventually found his way over to level the scores after the break as he dived over to defy a strong tackle from Sid Harvey to place it down.
The Aussies believed they had the try to break the deadlock, only for the TMO to bring it back for a knock-on in the build-up, before Douglas held up Tom Morrison over the line.
As both sides hunted for a try, Australia found themselves down to 14 after Joey Fowler was yellow carded for a high clean out. It allowed Duncan to capitalise as he scored his second for Scotland’s first lead of the match.
Despite this, Martens found himself over for a second to level the scores after a rolling maul effort was halted right before the line.
This sparked the Aussies as Watters was brought down centimetres before the line, allowing prop Finn Baxter to dive over the line with ten minutes to go.
Martens’ 50-22 sealed the win as debutant Will Guilfoyle dived over from the resulting maul for the winner.
The Aussies secured the win, but need to defeat England to advance to the semi-finals if results go their way.
Australia 34 (Martens 2, Conway, Ata, Baxter, Guilfoyle tries; Harvey 2 cons) Scotland 24 (Duncan 2, Douglas, Findlay tries; Urwin, Coates cons)
In sweltering Viadana heat, New Zealand Under 20 proved too hot for Georgia, winning their second match at the World Rugby Under 20 Championships 38-19.
In contrast to the sputtering start against Italy, New Zealand enjoyed greater fluidity on attack and discipline on defence. The Junior Lelos won seven scrum penalties in their 35-28 loss against Ireland. They had no such profit against New Zealand, who in the second half also defused three menacing mauls inside their 22.
Georgia made a passionate and precise start. Halfback Giorgi Spanderashvili wrenched an early turnover at the ruck. Rapid and belligerent phases ensued, and Shota Kheladze speared low and hard to reach the paint.
New Zealand responded when winger Maloni Kunawave created a turnover, resulting in a quick tap penalty by Oli Mathis, which earned Luka Keshelava a yellow card for a cynical offside tackle. Following another tap, New Zealand quickly moved the ball left, with James Cameron delivering a pass to Harlyn Saunoa, who dived into the corner with a style, reminiscent of Greg Louganis.
New Zealand botched the restart, leading to a penalty for Georgia, which allowed Toulon No. 8 Mikheil Shioshvili to maul over for a try.
Georgia failed to retain their kick off, enabling New Zealand to strike back. ‘Harlyn Air’ rinsed and repeated from a spiralled Tane Harvey pass.
Prop Bachuki Baratashvili was yellow carded for a second consecutive game for a head-on-head tackle. His departure was the cue for New Zealand to wrestle firm control.
Halfback Dylan Pledger sent Mathis thundering into a hole. Mathis transferred back to Pledger, who was tipped over but offloaded from the ground to lock Xavier Tracey as New Zealand led for the first time after 25 minutes.
Blonde Bull Eli Oudenryn expanded that advantage when he splintered off a maul and stampeded clear for a bonus point try. Lock Aissake Vakasiuola gathered a charitable lineout throw and sauntered in as New Zealand turned 31-14 ahead at the interval. New Zealand’s growing ascendancy was illustrated by the fact that they made 34 of 35 first-half tackles, and Georgia missed 27 tackles.
A 43rd-minute pitchside fire briefly held up proceedings. The flames didn’t dampen Maloni Kunawave. His footwork a short while later could have avoided the MGM Grand Hotel Fire.
Except for a rolling maul that could have stopped in Tbilisi, there was no scoring for the last 34 minutes. The game staggered from stoppage to stoppage, the players visibly strained by the searing heat.
Rampaging No.8 Micah Fale didn’t cool with a game-high 13 carries for 90 metres. Oudenryn was lively, Simpson silky, and New Zealand’s wingers combined for five turnovers, a dozen defenders beaten, and 142 metres gained. Mathis had two turnovers while adding an extra dimension to New Zealand’s attack.
New Zealand 38 (Harlyn Saunoa 2, Xavier Tracey, Eli Oudenryn, Aissake Vakasiuola, Maloni Kunawave tries: Rico Simpson 4 cons) Georgia 19 (Shota Kheladze, Mikheil Shioshvili, Mikheil Khakhubia tries; Luka Takaishvili 2 cons).
Los Pumitas won against 33-30 Spain after a great comeback at the Mario Battaglini Stadium.
In the first half, Spain struck in their first offensive incursion with a try by Beltrán Ortega. Spain then stretched the lead thanks to two penalties from their fly-half Nicolás Infer.
Argentina reacted with a great joint action that closed with a try-penalty in their favor, and a yellow card for Marcos López.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, the Spanish team went ahead and surprised Argentina with their second try of the night through Marsinyac Garcia, and things got even more complicated for Argentina with a yellow card to Pedro Coll and a further try by the Spaniards at the hands of Luciano Richardis.
Just three minutes from half-time, Spain attacked again, and Marsinyac Garcia scored his second try of the match to close a first half in favor of Spain by 30 to 7.
In the second half, Nicolás Fernández Miranda quickly looked to the bench and put a new complete front row on the field. The changes had an effect, and the Los Pumitas gradually began to take control of the match, a circumstance that was reflected on the scoreboard in the ninth minute with the try of the newly entered Jerónimo Otaño.
Just five minutes later, Los Pumitas got their second try of the second half at the hands of Pedro Coll, confirming the comeback. The Argentine team continued to raise its effort and make the most of the physical wear and tear of the Spaniards, who could not prevent a new try by Otaño, which put Los Pumitas within striking distance of the equalizer. The balance tipped definitively in favor of Argentina with a great individual action by Gael Galván, who through the last try of the night sealed a memorable comeback for Los Pumitas.
Argentina 33 (Tries: Otano 2, Coll, Galvan, Penalty try. Cons: Senillosa 3) Spain 30 (Tries: Garcia 2, Richardis, Ortega. Cons: Infer 2. Pens: Infer 2)
The Junior Springboks outplayed England 32-22 in a crucial Pool A match at the World Rugby U20 Championship in Rovigo, showing massive defensive grit and attacking prowess, which helped them overturn a 14-point deficit to remain unbeaten.
The SA U20s were down 22-19 at the break, but in a blitz converted that into a 10-point lead early in the second half and then delivered a brilliant defensive display to secure a well-deserved win, which put them in a good position to secure a spot in the semi-finals.
England started like a house on fire and were up 14-0 in the opening 12 minutes, mainly due to poor option taking and defence by their opponents, but South Africa came back with purpose after the first water break in a hot Rovigo.
They slowly but surely started dismantling the defending champions and once they got their running game going, there was no stopping the Junior Boks.
Cheswill Jooste (wing) had a brilliant game on attack and his stepping proved decisive in a win that proved the credentials of Kevin Foote's side.
England started like a house on fire. Scrumhalf Jonny Weimann scored early after a poor kick chase defence by the SA U20s and when Josh Bellamy converted, they led 7-0 in as many minutes.
That lead jumped to 14-0 soon after when Connor Treacy (flanker) scored from inside pass that opened up the SA defence, with Bellamy hitting the mark again.
At this stage, the team in green and gold were not sharp on attack, forcing passes and dropping balls. The water break came just at the right time and when play resumed, it was a different Junior Bok side.
Jooste scored a brilliant try when he beat numerous defenders to dot down. Vusi Moyo converted after 23 minutes the tide started to turn.
The speedy Jooste was involved in the next try as well, scored by scrumhalf, Haashim Pead. The halfback started the move by going blind, Jooste again rounded his man and from two quick recycles, Pead scored.
The conversion was wide, but after 28 minutes the bad start was a thing of the past. An error in their 22 handed England a gift try after 33 minutes and stopped the good SA momentum, but that was just a fleeting setback.
Gilermo Mentoe (fullback) was put in space by a brilliant Gino Cupido break and pass. Moyo converted from out wide and suddenly scores were level again. From the restart though SA went offside at a ruck, and Ben Coen kicked a penalty goal to put England ahead again going into the break.
The second half belonged to South Africa and the foundation was laid in a brilliant 10-minute spell after the restart.
A Moyo penalty goal drew them level and soon after another three-pointer, this time from 58m out found the target again and suddenly the Junior Boks were ahead for the first time, 48 minutes in.
That lead jumped to 10 points a minute later. Pead caught the England defence napping just outside the SA 22 and set of for a dazzling 78m run to score a try of the year contender.
Moyo converted and suddenly the pressure was on England to play catch-up. They tried their best, but found a hard-hitting, smothering SA defence too much to deal with.
They had some respite when Cupido was yellow 10 minutes from time for a high tackle, but even with an extra player on the field, England could not penetrate the SA defence.
The Junio Boks refused to lose the tackle collisions and even without the ball, dominated the England attacking efforts. Credit to the defending champions, who played till the very last minute, but the SA side just had too much fire in the belly to be denied a crucial win.
Junior Springboks 32 (Tries: Haashim Pead 2, Gilermo Mentoe, Cheswill Jooste. Conversions: Vusi Moyo 3. Penalty goals: Moyo 2) England 22 (Tries: Jonny Weimann, Connor Treacey, Jack Bracken. Conversions: Benjamin Coen, Josh Bellamy. Penalty goal: Bellamy).
