Battling Wales hold on to deny Georgia

POOL A

■By BEN PETERS

Star man: Toulon No.8 Mikheili Shioshvili scores for Georgia

PICTURES: World Rugby

Georgia ………………24pts

Tries: Shioshvili 20, 37; Razmadze 43, Penalty 85 Conversion: Khalvashi 38

Wales ………………… 25pts

Tries: James 5, Cummings 16, Leggatt-Jones 63 Conversions: Leggatt-Jones 6, 63 Penalties: Leggatt-Jones 34, 69

WALES edged out tournament hosts Georgia with a thrilling one-point victory at the Avchala Stadium in Tbilisi to kick off their Junior World Championship campaign.

Head coach Richard Whiffin’s team showed immense resilience to survive a late onslaught when down to 13 men.

Wales led 25-17 with just five minutes remaining in Tbilisi through Caio James, Rhys Cummings and 15 points from fly-half Carwen Leggatt-Jones.

But two yellow cards and a late penalty try set up a barnstorming finish as Georgia pressed for a winner.

Back row Irakli Kolbaia rumbled over the line from 10 metres out but referee George Selwood ruled he had been held up over the line.

Wales had seen Cardiff

Kicking on: Wales No.9 Sion Davies

wing Tom Bowen sent off for a second yellow card just moments after replacement prop Yestyn Cook was sin-binned in conceding the late penalty try.

Back rower James gave Wales the perfect start when he opened the scortisan home crowd inside the Avcjala Stadium with Scarlets fly-half Leggatt-Jones converting.

Cardiff wing Cummings added a second try in the 16th minute.

Oustanding Toulon No.8 Mikheil Shioshvili, who had starred in Georgia’s 23-21 warm-up victory over New Zealand last week, barged over from a driving lineout on 20 minutes and then bulldozed over again just before half-time as the home side cut the Welsh to 15-12 at the break.

Bowen was yellow-carded for a high tackle in the opening minutes of the second half and Georgia hit the front. They kicked to the corner for tight-head Gabriel Razmadze to drive over.

Wales responded despite being down to 14 men. Full-back Lewis Edwards had a try chalked off after losing control of the ball when going over the line but Leggatt-Jones made no mistake in the 52nd minute, darting over after centre Steffan Emmanuel had ing in the fifth minute. The Gloucester flanker charged over from close range over to stun a par-gone close. The fly-half converted and then added a penalty to make it 25-17 in the final quarter.

Hooker Tom Howe was held up over the line as Waes looked to make the win certain, and that provided the impetus for the home side to rally and make the final minutes uncomfortable viwing for Whiffin and his coaches.

But Wales held on despite the late drama and will face Uruguay on Thursday.