Lineen’s young Scots looking to halt Wales
Scotland complete their Six Nations under-20 campaign tonight at Stadiwm Zip World in Colwyn Bay (kickoff 7.35pm) where they face a Wales side chasing a hattrick of wins.
Wales lost their opening two matches to Italy and Ireland but then hit form with successive wins over France and England giving them a 50 per cent record going into the final round.
Sean Lineen’s charges are level with Wales on championship points despite having won only one of their four matches. But such has been the Scots’ determination this season that they have achieved bonus points from each of their defeats, a point not lost on Wales head coach Gareth Williams.
He said: “They [Scotland] have been excellent this season and probably haven’t got the results they have deserved. They did a job on us last year and a lot of those players are returning so we are quite aware of what they are capable of. They have had consistency in selection this year.”
The Six Nations under-20 tournament is normally used as a warm-up for the World under-20 Championship, but with the latter event scheduled to be played in Northern Italy’s coronavirus hotspot in just over three months, there must be considerable doubt about the competition going ahead.
If it is does not go ahead in June and is not rescheduled then that could have a knock-on effect for Scotland.
The Scots were relegated from the top 12 last year and, consequently, are in the second tier World Trophy event, due to take place in Valencia next September.
Scotland would be favourites to finish first in the Trophy event resulting in promotion back to the elite group of 12 for next year’s World under-20 Championship. But if this year’s top tier competition falls victim to the coronavirus pandemic then there will be no relegation and hence no promotion. WALES UNDER-20: I Lloyd (Bristol Bears); F Jones (Aberavon), B Roderick (Ospreys), A Owen (Dragons), M Grady (Cardiff Blues); S Costelow (Leicester Tigers), E Bevan (Cardiff Met); T Bevacqua (Cardiff Blues), D Booth (Scarlets), B Warren (Cardiff Blues), J Fender (Ospreys), B Carter (Dragons), I Davies (Cardiff Blues), J Morgan (c) (Scarlets), M Strong (Ospreys) Replacements W Griffiths (Dragons), C Williams (Scarlets), H O’connor (Scarlets), E Scragg (Dragons), G Bradley (Cardiff Blues), D Buckland (Dragons), J Hawkins (Ospreys), L Scully (Worcester Warriors)
SCOTLAND UNDER-20: O Smith (Ayrshire Bulls); R Mclean (Boroughmuir Bears), M Currie (Watsonians Rugby), R Mccallum (Boroughmuir Bears), J Henry (Southern Knights); N Chamberlain (Hartpury College/bristol Bears), R Frostwick (Watsonians Rugby); T Lambert (Sydney University), E Ashman (Sale Sharks), M Wilson (Southern Knights), K Watt (Watsonians Rugby), C Henderson (Stirling County), J Hill (Durham University), C Boyle (Watsonians Rugby), R Darge (c) (Southern Knights). Subs: R Jackson (Watsonians Rugby), A Maxwell (Stourbridge), G Breese (Stirling Wolves), J Campbell (Biggar), G Brown (Boroughmuir Bears), K Mcghie (Boroughmuir Bears), C Scott (Boroughmuir Bears), J Blain (Heriot’s Rugby).