| Wales: (5) 12 |
| Tries: J Morse, Page Cons: Price |
| France: (28) 45 |
| Tries: Mousques, Karaba, Aouad (2), Tolofua, Belaubre Pens: Cotarmanac’h Cons: Cotarmanac’h (4), Souverbie (2) |
France scored six tries on the way to a convincing Under-20s Six Nations win over Wales at Cardiff Arms Park.
The visitors wrapped up the bonus point before half-time, Xan Mousques, Joe Queré Karaba and two tries from Zinedine Aouad putting France 28-5 up.
Josh Morse scored Wales’ only try of the first half, and the hosts had a second through Macs Page on 62 minutes.
But two French tries rounded off the win for Les Blues – Sialevailea Tolofua and Mathys Belaubre with the scores.
It was a tough evening all round for Wales, who also had captain Harri Ackerman taken off on a stretcher after suffering a leg injury early on.
France took the lead when Maxence Biasotto broke two tackles before finding Mousques on the left wing to dive over in the corner.
Wales hit back through Josh Morse, a powerful driving maul from five-metres out pushing the French defence back far enough for the hooker to twist over the line.
But three tries in 10 minutes to end the first half put France in full control, Karaba pushing Walker Price out the way for Les Blues’ second before two scores from close range from prop Aouad.
An early penalty from Jean Cotarmanac’h in the second half extended the lead, and Thomas Souverbie reacted quickest at an over-thrown French line-out retain possession and pass to Tolofua to put France further ahead.
The home crowd at the Arms Park did have something to cheer in the second half as a smart grubber kick through from Rhodri Lewis was collected and touched down by Page for Wales’ second try.
But it was the visitors who had the last laugh, Belaubre finishing off a sweeping French attack with Harry Rees-Weldon in the sin-bin for going off his feet at the breakdown.
Defeat is a third in four games for Wales in the Under-20s Six Nations, while France bounce back from last week’s surprise defeat to Italy to win their second game of the campaign.
Wales Under-20s: Huw Anderson; Harry Rees-Weldon, Macs Page, Harri Ackerman, Walker Price; Harri Ford; Ieuan Davies; Josh Morse, Harry Thomas, Kian Hire, Nick Thomas, Osian Thomas, Lucas de la Rua, Luca Giannini, Morgan Morse.
Replacements: Will Austin, Jordan Morris, Sam Scott, Tom Golder, Will Plessis, Rhodri Lewis, Ellis Price, Aidan Boschoff.
France Under-20s: Xan Mousques; Maxence Biasotto, Fabien Brau-Boirie, Mathys Belaubre, Nathan Bollengier; Jean Cotarmanac’h, Thomas Souverbie; Zinedine Aouad, Mathys Lotrian, Zaccharie Affane, Corentin Mézou (capt), Hugo Descube, Geoffrey Malaterre, Joe Queré Karaba, Loan Lavergne.
Replacements: Léo Chauvin, Léo Ametlla, Thomas Duchêne, Simon Huchet, Sialevailea Tolofua, Kléo Labarbe, Oliver Cowie, Robin Taccola.
