Revenge is so sweet for U18s
JUST five months ago some of the most exciting young players in Wales were dealt a lesson they will remember for the rest of their careers.
England Under-18s steamed to a 42-14 victory at Pontypridd, scoring six tries in the process.
But another day, another dawn, and a completely different result when the sides met in the Aon International Series in South Africa on Tuesday. With vastly changed line-ups, Wales Under-18s avenged that setback at Sardis Road by posting a 26-20 win over their Red Rose counterparts at Stellenberg.
The Wales youngsters outscored the opposition 4-2 on tries, with Cameron Lewis, Sam Costelow, Osian Knott and Teddy Williams crossing for Chris Horsman’s team, while Costelow also slotted over three conversions.
It was a day of sweet triumph for Costelow. The Pontypridd-born youngster who is now part of Leicester Tigers’ set-up was one of four Welsh players in the starting line-up in South Africa who had featured against England in March as Wales crashed to defeat.
He had been blotted out in that match, unable to exert an influence as the white-shirted youngsters overran Wales at forward and denied the home backs a platform.
But this time the highly-rated former Ospreys Under-16 player showed what he’s about. He was to the fore from the outset and on 15 minutes the diminutive fly-half put Coleg Sir Gar and Ospreys hooker Cameron Lewis over with a neatly judged pass after a multi-phase move.
England really ought to have heeded the lesson that the Pencoed RFC product was a player to be tightly marked, but he soon ripped open their defence for a second time.
Receiving possession some 30 metres out, he sliced through a gap and then stepped past full-back Will Haydon-Wood for a score he converted himself to put Wales 14-0 ahead.
The Welsh forwards were on top and winning plentiful possession for half-backs Ellis Bevan and Costelow to dictate and soon Wales claimed their third try, with Scarlets centre Knott doing the honours to make it 19-3.
England rallied through a try and conversion from George Barton to trim the deficit to nine points at the break, and in the third quarter their pack began to win more ball than at any stage.
Wales were forced to fall back on determined defence and any number of players put their bodies on the line. Invariably, the pressure told and, after Barton nailed his second penalty, Wales were facing a major character test.
It was one they came through. The Welsh forwards regrouped and put together a driving maul that sapped the soul of the English pack. The England defence was then stretched as Cardiff Blues lock Williams claimed the fourth Welsh try.
England did claim a last-gasp try through replacement Harvey Beaton, but it was Wales’s day — and a significantly different result to the last time the two sides had met.
MARK ORDERS