Scotland cruise past Zimbabwe

By SAM JACKSON

Scotland ran in 10 tries to beat Zimbabwe 64-33 in their opening Pool A game of the World Rugby U20 Trophy tournament, but a five-try second-half burst from the Junior Sables ensured it wasn't all plain sailing.

Samoa, Uruguay and Spain also emerged victorious in their opening games.

POOL A: SCOTLAND 64-33 ZIMBABWE

Scotland, making their first appearance in the tournament after being relegated from the U20 Championship in 2019, impressed in their opener with speedster Geordie Gwynn scoring four tries.

Scotland scored their first try after just three minutes. Capitalising on a turnover on halfway, they moved the ball wide to co-captain and scrum-half Ben Afshar to show his pace and touch down.

Hooker Jerry Blyth-Lafferty grabbed the next from a lineout maul. Winger Gwynn then scored twice – the first from a chip and chase to the corner followed by a simple score off an attacking scrum.

Zimbabwe lost two players to yellow cards and Scotland made their numerical advantage pay with the last play of the half, Gwynn completing his hat-trick with a simple finish.

Lock Eddie Erskine was next over just after half-time following a stunning 50 metre run from Gwynn.

Afshar then got his second after a flowing team move before replacement hooker Corey Tait scored from a driving lineout to make it 50-0.

Zimbabwe got one back froma lineout drive when hooker Bryan Chiang broke away and stretched over. Zimbabwe scored three more tries in quick succession through Edward Sigauke, Leo Mutendi and Tawanda Matipano – the latter finishing length-of-the-field moves.

Scotland intercepted another Zimbabwe counter-attack for Ben Salmon to score but replacement Shadreck Mandaza responded after forcing a msitake from his kick ahead. Scotland had the final say with Erskine getting his second.

POOL A: URUGUAY 33-31 USA

Uruguay full-back Juan Carlos Canessa's boot was the difference against USA. He coolly held his nerve to nail a tricky late conversion out wide and pull Los Teritos back into the lead after they had earlier let slip a 13-point advantage.

Uruguay fly-half Icaro Amarillo grabbed the first try after six minutes as Los Teritos opened their campaign in style.

Two penalties from Canessa either side of Amarillo's touchdown helped Uruguay race into a 13-0. But USA captain Dominic Besag scored after a one-two with his winger Sosaia Pongi.

Canessa and USA flyhalf Hugh O'Kennedy traded penalties, before USA prop John Wilson was yellow carded and from the resultant penalty lineout Uruguay lock Franco Bertini touched down from a driving maul.

USA scored first after the restart through hooker Hayden McKay and two O'Kennedy penalties put USA ahead for the first time. McKay broke off from the back of another maul for his second try. Canessa's boot cut the deficit to five points and replacement Dante Soto's 75th-minute try – with his first touch of the game – levelled the scores leaving Canessa to be the hero with a tricky conversion.

POOL B: SAMOA 34-25 KENYA

Two quick tries from captain John Mata Samuelu and a double from winger William Hunt ensured former U20 Trophy champions Samoa opened their 2023 challenge with a win.

POOL B: SPAIN 53-0 HONG KONG

Spain made a flying start to the tournament with a nine-try 53-0 win over Hong Kong in Nairobi.

Pool Fixtures

Thursday, July 20: Samoa v Hong Kong 8:00am Uruguay v Zimbabwe 10am Scotland v USA 12pm Spain v Kenya 2pm

Tuesday July 25: USA v Zimbabwe 8am Kenya v Hong Kong China 10am Spain v Samoa 12pm Scotland v Uruguay 2pm