World Rugby U20 Championship: Wales 13-32 France
Last updated on .From the section Welsh Rugby
| World Rugby U20 Championship Pool A: Wales v France |
|---|
| France (10) 32 |
| Tries: Carbonel, Pinto, Lebel, Delbouis Cons: Carbonel 3 Pens: Carbonel 2 |
| Wales (8) 13 |
| Tries: Lewis 2 Pen: Evans |
Wales look to be fighting for second spot in World Rugby U20 Championship Pool A after a 32-13 defeat to a well-drilled France side in Argentina.
Wales made the perfect start when centre Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler's break set up wing Tomi Lewis' opening try.
France hit back as Louis Carbonel's penalty, try and conversion helped them to a 10-8 half time lead.
Vincent Pinto, Matthis Lebel and Julien Delbouis tries after the break made the score safe for France.
Wales did score a consolation try with Lewis crossing again and they finished the match strongly after Cai Evans' penalty kept things close at the interval.
However, the vital scores came after the break when Alexandre De Nardi broke through to set up right-wing Pinto for an unconverted try.
Wales chased in vain to get back into things but substitute Matthis Lebel exploited a gap in the Welsh defence to cross and the reliable boot of Carbonel was again to the fore.
Wales finished strongly as Lewis went over again with the conversion striking the upright, but the French defence held firm as Wales tried to push on and Julien Delbouis crossed with Carbonel converting in the game's final action.
Wales conclude their group matches against Fiji in Santa Fe on Wednesday, 12 June with France taking on Argentina in Rosario.
Wales overcame hosts Argentina 30-25 in their opener while title-holders France broke Fiji's resistance with a 36-20 win in Pool A. In the other second round match, Argentina thumped Fiji 41-14.
At the end of the third round of games all 12 teams in the three-pool tournament will know whether they will be in the hunt to win it via the top-four play-offs or competing for fifth to eighth or ninth to 12th.
Wales beat Italy 34-17 to finish seventh in their final 2018 tournament game.
Wales U20s: Ioan Davies (Cardiff Blues); Tomi Lewis (Scarlets), Max Llewellyn (Cardiff Blues), Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler (Ospreys), Ryan Conbeer (Scarlets); Cai Evans (Ospreys), Dafydd Buckland (Dragons); Kemsley Mathias (Scarlets), Dewi Lake (capt, Ospreys), Ben Warren (Cardiff Blues), Ed Scragg (Dragons), Jac Price (Scarlets), Iestyn Rees (Scarlets), Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers), Jac Morgan (Aberavon/Scarlets).
Replacements: Will Griffiths (Ospreys), Garin Lloyd (Ospreys), Rhys Davies (Ospreys), Tom Devine (Dragons), Nick English (Bristol Bears), Morgan Jones (Scarlets), Lennon Greggains (Dragons), Harri Morgan (Ospreys) Sam Costelow (Leicester Tigers), Deon Smith (Dragons), Rio Dyer (Dragons).
France U20s: Alexandra De Nardi; Vincent Pinto, Arthur Vincent (capt), Antoine Zeghdar, Donovan Taofifenua; Louis Carbonel, Quentin Delord; Jean-Baptiste Gros, Rayne Barka, Paul Mallez, Gauthier Maravat, Killian Geraci, Sacha Zegueur, Jordan Joseph.
Replacements: Theo Lachaud, Giorgi Beria, Alex Burin, Eli Eglaine, Thibault Hamonou, Mathieu Hirigoyen, Loic Hocquet, Leo Coly, Mathieu Smaili, Julien Delbouis, Ethan Dumortier, Matthis Lebel.
Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Pali Deluca (Argentina), Esteban Filipanics (Argentina)
TMO: Brian MacNiece (Ireland)
