Wolfenden plays part at U18s festival
A PEEBLES youngster has been congratulated for his efforts in Scotland’s U18s Six Nations Festival campaign.
A last-gasp penalty secured the young Scots a 20-17 win over hosts Italy in Parma in their final match of the tournament.
Peebles’ Ross Wolfenden – alongside fellow Borderers Nairn Moncrieff and Mac Rutherford, and Biggar’s Harry Stewart – was selected in the squad to represent his country in the festival.
A Peebles RFC spokesperson said: “Congratulations to Ross Wolfenden and his Scotland U18s team-mates who fought back from a 17-point deficit to beat Italy 20-17 in the final game of the 6Ns Festival in Parma!
“Ross came on for the final 20 minutes to play his part in a thrilling encounter.”
The U18s started the contest by beating Georgia, a game which Wolfenden notched a penalty and a conversion.
He was again in the starting XV as the Scots were beaten by England in the second game.
Against Italy, having gone 17-0 down in 32 minutes, the young side rallied to find a way to win, making it two wins from three in the competition.
Wolfenden was named among the replacements but came on to play his part as the game hit boiling point.
Pietro Chelli slotted an early penalty to give his side an early lead.
The first try came in the 12th minute, and it was Italy who scored. And the hosts got a second try in the 32nd minute.
With a minute left of the half, Scotland got themselves on the board and back in the match. After a brilliant driving maul took Joe Roberts close, Christian Lindsay carried to inches short and from the next phase Henry Armstrong found space, sidestepped the last defender and dived over.
Four minutes into the second half, Scotland won a penalty at the scrum and Hamish MacArthur went for goal. From around 35 metres out and straight in front, his kick dissected the posts.
And the young Scots drew level in the 45th minute. It was started by an excellent break down the left by Jamie Thomson, who found the lively MacArthur on his inside shoulder to finish it off.
With less than two minutes, Italy were penalised at a driving maul and MacArthur kicked Scotland into the lead for the first time from out wide left.
With the last play, Italy kicked a penalty to the right corner and mauled for the line from the resulting lineout, but Scotland’s pack defended resolutely and trapped the ball, bringing the game, and the festival, to an end.