Victory snatched away from battling Wales U20 side at the death
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Two final quarter tries from France stripped Wales of anything after another heroic performance at the Arms Park after they had led for long periods against last year’s champions.
There was plenty to commend in the home side’s performance, but after two rounds they have only managed one point. They will be looking for more when they host Scotland in Round 3 at the same venue in the Welsh capital on Friday night after losing 24-34 to France.
Just as they had done in Northampton against England in Round 1 Wales got off to a flying start and opened the scoring after only six minutes. Head coach Richard Whiffin had said he wanted to see his side play more on the Arms Park surface and get the crowd involved and they did just that.
New wing Evan Morris went up to contest a high, hanging box kick from Sion Davies just inside the French half and he did enough to put off Les Bleuets full back Joachim Senga Kouo to allow back row men Caio James and Deian Gwynne to snaffle the loose ball and set up an attack.
As the ball moved left to right, co-captain Steff Emanuel kick-passed to Tom Bowen, who managed to wriggle his way up to the 22. Then the ball came back from left to right, where full back Rhys Cummings produced some magic on the edge to break the line, dummy outside to Morris before passing inside to Davis for a spectacular try.
Carwyn Leggatt-Jones added the extras and the Welsh outside half was central to the second try in the 14th minute. A late hit on him by French skipper and back row man Marceau Marzullo after he had chipped into the visitors’ 22 sparked a mass brawl and ended with a penalty for Wales.
Leggatt-Jones kicked to the line-out and Wales went for the drive. They got up to, but not over the line, but picked up a penalty. This time Gwynne went for the tap and go five metres out – and it worked.
The co-captain was held just short, but hooker Tom Howe was the next runner and with a little help from the giant Osian J Williams he powered over the line. Leggatt-Jones once again converted and Wales were flying.
But the French weren’t crowned champions last season for nothing and they came charging back into the contest with two tries of their own. The first went to No 8 Tana Keletaona after he picked up from the base of a five metre scrum and charged over on the blindside.
His brother, outside half Tana Keletaona, converted before Leggatt-Jones landed a 30 metre penalty for the home side to make it 17-5. Back came the French with a try by Tana Keletaona and then the No 10 kicked a penalty with the last kick of the half to cut the gap to two points.
Wales had lost a 16 point lead at Northampton the previous weekend and their demise began when England scored within a few minutes of the re-start. This time it was Wales who made the first moves and Morris just put a foot in touch as he sped for the line in the first move from the kick-off.
It was close, and a clear sign of intent, but it was the French who got the first score of the half to take the lead for the first time. It came via a half-charged down kick out of defence by Wales and ended with a blindside raid that saw lock Baptiste Veschambre gallop up to the 22 before sending the scoring pass insides to full back Joachim Senga Kouo.
The conversion was added by Luka Keletaona but the French lead only lasted for two minutes. Back came Wales with a great try at the posts from Emanuel and Leggatt-Jones’ conversion inched Wales back in front 24-22.
It looked as though the lead was going to be extended when Cumming shacked through and Caio James sped over. But the TMO adjudged that Morris had knocked on as he attempted to gather the bouncing ball earlier in the move and the score was cruelly ruled out.
France rode their luck and conjured up two more tries from replacement hooker Gabin Garault and wing Dylan Cazemajou-Noudofinin, the latter converted off the touchline by Luka Keletaona, to pick up a bonus point and take the win.
There was a second try ruled out in the 78th minute for Wales after a mesmeric run by Bowen and that summed up the home side’s luck on a night of narrow margins.
