Baby Boks trounce Scotland
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The IRB Junior World Championship got off to a flying start with six games in the opening round including South Africa's hammering of Scotland.
Two games from each pool were played with some convincing victories from some of the bigger nations.
The Junior Springboks opened their JWC campaign with an impressive 61-5 win over Scotland at North Harbour.
The South Africans scored nine tries, with good improvement in all phases of play as the match progressed.
Handre Pollard, the Baby Bok captain, was, despite the convincing victory, very candid of his teams performance.
"We were not clinical enough in that first half," the playmaker said afterwards.
"We made to many handling errors, but once the forwards laid the platform for us, the backs could express themselves in the second half."
Pool A:
Australia U20 36 v 17 Argentina U20:
The Australian Under 20s wrapped up a four try bonus point in their opening match of the JWC in Auckland defeating Argentina by 36-17.
Australia started strongly with a dominant scrum, pushing Argentina off the ball in the 3rd minute of the match.
Ill-discipline was evident early on in the Argentinean game and allowed Jake McIntyre to extend Australia’s lead by 9-0.
Australia continued to dominate the first half and were rewarded for their territorial advantage with Allan Alaalatoa crossing for the first try of the tournament giving Australia a 16-0 lead.
Argentina struck back with a try of their own off the back of a maul from a lineout through Enrique Pieretto Heiland. The try was converted by Argentine captain Patrico Fernandez to close the gap on Australia with the score at 16-10.
The second half started with Argentina dominating possession and territory, creating great concern for the Australian defence.
It was only a try saving tackle from Australian captain, Sean McMahon that prevented Argentina from crossing for an early try.
Australia advanced into the Argentinean defensive zone and from winning an Argentinean scrum was able to get the ball wide to winger, Andrew Kellaway to score Australia’s second try of the match extending Australia’s lead to 21-10.
Australian winger Brad Lacey crossed for Australia’s fourth try of the match after a break through the Argentinean defence by Lalakai Foketi and Andrew Kellaway taking Australia’s score to 33 points.
A mistake from the kick off cost Australia, as Argentina was able to strike back with an immediate try through Forward, Santaigo Montagner.
It was too little too late for Argentina with Australia finishing strongly winning the match 36-17 following another successful conversion from flyhalf Jake McIntyre.
The scorers:
Australian U20s
Tries: Kellaway 2, Alaalatoa, Lacey
Cons: McIntyre 2
Pens: McIntyre 4
Argentina U20s:
Tries: Enrique Pieretto Heiland, Santiago Montagner
Cons: Patrico Fernandez 2
Pen: Patrico Fernandez
England U20 63 v 3 Italy U20:
England Under 20s scored a nine-try 63-3 win against Italy in Pukekohe, New Zealand.
A hat-trick of tries from Nathan Earle, two from Gus Jones, two from James Chisholm and one-apiece from Billy Burns and George Catchpole secured the win while Sam Olver added 16 points with the boot and Burns two.
Olver and Jake McIntyre exchanged early penalties to make it 3-3, Olver’s second put England 6-3 up before Earle’s first try made it 13-3 after a smart chip through from Aaron Morris.
England’s second came from a rolling maul and was touched down by Jones – his fifth England U20 try. And the third was another one for the forwards, Chisholm scoring from the back of a dominant England scrum.
England made a quick start to the second 40 as Earle made a break through for his second and the Saracens wing had his hat-trick a minute later, tracking a quick break from Harry Sloan before flying over.
With the bonus point in the bag, England scored their sixth try through Chisholm who pounced on a loose ball after a grubber through from Olver.
Jones had his second try with 60 on the clock, in not too dissimilar fashion from his first – dotting down a rolling maul.
Replacement No.10 Burns scored and converted England’s eighth try before Catchpole had his first and England’s ninth, showing good pace to score out wide.
Scorers:
England U20:
Tries: Earle 3, Jones 2, Chisholm 2, Burns, Catchpole
Cons: Olver 5, Burns
Pens: Olver 2
Italy U20:
Pen: McIntyre
Pool B:
Wales U20 48 v 19 Fiji U20:
Having scored the first try of the competition, after only seven seconds, through wing Dafydd Howells, Byron Hayward's side dispatched the Pacific Islanders with a further five tries and 18 points from the boot of flyhalf Angus O'Brien.
O'Brien failed to convert Howells' quick-fire try, but Wales were 14-0 to the good inside 12 minutes courtesy of three penalties from the Cross Keys and Newport and Gwent Dragons' pivot.
Fiji struck back in the 14th minute with a try from prop Aseri Robarobalevu, but Wales no.8 James Benjamin restored order for Wales, with a try that O'Brien once again failed to improve.
To their credit, Fiji, kept their heads above water and even helped themselves to the game's fourth try – from centre and captain Akuila Tabualevu.
O'Brien, once again, responded with a penalty, before Japanese referee Akihisa Aso awarded Wales the first of two penalty tries.
O'Brien converted from in front of the posts taking the half time score to 29-12. O'Brien repeated the dose, a dozen minutes into the second half when the young Dragons were again awarded a penalty try.
With Wales dominating up front, Fiji were twice down to 14 men, with yellow cards for lock Lote Nasiga in the 24th minute and Robarobalevu on the stroke of half time.
With the game safely won, Wales improved their points difference with further tries from Benjamin and replacement Ben Roach.
Fiji bagged their third try in between when Peniona Toga crossed for Josese Kurukava to convert.
The Scorers:
Wales U20:
Tries: Howells, Benjamin 2, Roach
Cons: Angus O'Brien 3
Pens: O'Brien 4
Penalty Tries: 2
Fiji U20 :
Tries: Robobalevu, Tabualevu, Toga
Cons: Mroisio, Kurukava
France U20 19 v 13 Ireland U20
The Ireland Under 20s fell agonisingly short of defeating Grand Slam champions France in their opening match, going down 19-13 to France.
The French, boasting a much more settled side, dominated first half possession and territory. They opened up a 16-3 lead thanks to Ivan Roux's 31st-minute try, with half-backs Baptiste Serin and Fajardo kicking the other points.
But Ireland, thanks to a tenacious defensive display, hung in there and got their reward four minutes before the break when fullback Cian Kelleher ran in a timely seven-pointer.
France seized the early initiative at QBE Stadium with scrum half Serin almost scoring inside two minutes. He knocked on under pressure from the covering Kelleher after a smart chip and chase.
They leaked lineout possession in their own 22 on the half hour mark and France struck for a try that had been coming.
Yacouba Camara and Oleg Ishchenko built momentum close to the posts before Fajardo's well-timed pass to the left put centre Roux over for a converted score.
Fajardo increased his influence with a well-struck drop goal while France had a penalty advantage, but Ireland soon began to eat into the 13-point deficit. Their first concerted visit to the French 22 resulted in a try.
Goggin, captain James O'Donoghue and Max Abbott made the initial incisions during a spell of good handling and recycling. Ruck possession was retained and Kelleher broke a tackle and swept by Fajardo to touch down to the left of the posts.
Byrne's successful conversion cut the gap to 16-10 and despite some further French pressure close to halftime, Ireland drew confidence from the choke tackle as Goggin and Ringrose won turnover ball from a maul.
The Six Nations winners lost subsequent ground as Dooley brilliantly drove Camara back in the tackle, only for Fajardo to answer back with a terrific drop goal in the 64th minute.
France, who conceded 16 penalties compared to Ireland's six, survived a close-in lineout and two scrums before they made certain of their hard-fought victory.
The scorers:
Ireland U20:
Try: Kelleher
Con: Byrne
Pens: Byrne, McKeon
France U20:
Try: Roux
Con: Serin
Pens: Serin 2
DGs: Fajardo 2
Pool C:
South Africa U20 61 v 5 Scotland U20:
Scotland took an early lead with a break-away try after ten minutes, but the Baby Boks stayed calm and soon reaped rewards for their efforts as first Pierre Schoeman and then Sergeal Petersen crossed the try-line.
Both tries came from a call by captain Handre Pollard, to execute attacking set-plays rather than kicking for poles.
The captain, who had a superb match, kicked both conversions to have his side up 14-5 at the break.
In the second half, once the rust had fallen off, the backs were able to express themselves as seven more tries followed.
Pollard started the spark with a great chip and chase that resulted in Lloyd Greeff scoring.
More probing play by the flyhalf saw Jesse Kriel crossing the line to score the bonus-point try.
Not to be outdone by the backs, who suffered the loss of centre Andre Esterhuizen due to injury, the forwards rumbled well and kept to their plays and structure.
Malcolm Marx scored after good interplay amongst the front row and Aidon Davis also got on the score sheet, but not before Warrick Gelant showed great pace down the blindside for his first JWC try.
A bunch of replacements did not stop the Junior Boks' momentum and both Kriel and Greeff scored their second five pointers of the evening to cap off a great performance.
The scorers:
South Africa:
Tries: Schoeman, J Kriel 2, Greeff 2, Marx, Petersen, Gelant, Davis.
Cons: Pollard 7, J-L du Plessis.
Scotland:
Try: Farndale
New Zealand v Samoa:
New Zealand kicked off their JWC campaign with a scratchy 48-12 win over Samoa.
Taught a lesson where it mattered up front, the home side's organisation, polish and ability to take their opportunities was their saving grace, the loose trio outplayed and out-hustled, the late flurry of tries giving New Zealand comfort on the scoreboard.
Once the ball stayed in hand it was Jackson Garden-Bachop opening the try scoring, dummying his way through from close range.
No.8 Matt Peni was a constant menace for would-be tacklers and quickly put himself in the 'ones to watch' bracket with McKenzie and line-bending lock Geoffrey Cridge.
A drive-over try from a five metre lineout pushed the score out to 22-0 and the fitness levels in both sides started to contrast with halftime looming.
Where New Zealand's backline was a weapon, Samoa's was ponderous and pedestrian so the forward pack took over, working their way into position for Lakisipone Lee to sneak over.
The huge Samoan eight were keeping them in the game, bettering their Kiwi counterparts at the ruck and revealing a talent for pinching the ball.
For all of their good work up front the Samoan defence was shambolic, Peni busting the line at will to set up the simple try to Garden-Bachop.
Worth the admission price alone was the entrance of man-mountain Cameron Skelton, who at 145 kilograms and 205cm tall was lucky to have found a fitting uniform.
Samoa centre Nathaniel Apa's try in the corner to bring the scores to 27-12 was just reward for a concerted period of pressure which highlighted their advantage in close quarters and in the physical contest.
McKenzie continued to pull the strings and brought some semblance of control back to the New Zealand side with his raking boot, his slick pass bringing the try to replacement Tevita Li.
Captain Anton Lienert-Brown and blindside flanker Kyle Harris scored late but it was a cruel blow to a rough diamond Samoan side.
The scorers:
New Zealand U20:
Tries: Garden-Bachop 2, Drummond, Peni, Li, Harris
Cons: Mo'unga 2, Hickey 2
Samoa U20:
Tries: Lee, Apa
Con: Talataina Mu
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