19-07-2025
Late try saves Irish blushes against Spain in World Rugby U20 Championship
World Rugby U20 Championship: Ireland 38 Spain 37
Neil Doak's Ireland managed to avoid the ignominy of finishing bottom of the World Rugby U20 Championship in Calvisano but only by scoring a match-winning try less than two minutes from the end against 14-man Spain.
It was a heart-breaking loss for the Spanish but relief for an Ireland side who had already finished bottom of this year's Six Nations having been finalists and semi-finalists in the last two World Rugby U20 Championships in South Africa.
The jeopardy had already been removed from this 11th place final in midweek when World Rugby confirmed there would not be any relegation as there will be an expanded 16-team tournament in Georgia next year when Fiji, Japan, Uruguay and the USA will join the dozen who took place this summer in Italy.
It was a first ever meeting between these sides in the grade, the 16th country that Ireland have played against at U20 level. But there was one familiar face in the Spanish line-up in lock Liam McNamee, who was born in Valencia, a current University of Galway student who came through the ranks with Carrick-on-Shannon RFC and Sligo Grammar and who played for the Connacht juniors this year.
Ireland laid the foundation for victory with two converted tries in the opening eight minutes. Centre Jonny Scott got his first after a good move off a lineout penalty while winger Charlie Molony scored off a scrum move inside the 22, with out-half Tom Wood converting both.
But Spain, who had only won one match in their two years in this tournament and who had lost all previous games to European opposition by an average of 25 points, hit back and after scrum-half Nicola Infer kicked a penalty, hooker Pau Massoni got in for a try.
Full-back Daniel Green got in for a try after a move off a right-wing lineout penalty at the end of the opening quarter but while they increased their lead through Scott when debutant lock Donnacha McGuire was in the bin when the former Blackrock College player was pinged for a late tackle, Spain struck for a second try when loosehead Alberto Gomez bulldozed over to cut the gap to 26-15 at the interval.
Spain cut the gap to the minimum with a converted try from Marcel Carreras and the boot of Infer. Hooker Henry Walker got over off a lineout but was then binned and while he was off Spain hit the front for the first time, with lock Victor Ofgojetu scoring after having one scratched and then when skipper Eanna McCarthy took over the throws in the absence of his hooker, Spain robbed one and scored from halfway from out-half Lucien Richardis, who has made his Top 14 debut for Toulouse, to lead 37-33 with 15 minutes left.
Spain were reduced to 14 men a minute later when replacement prop Danny Chico was sent off for a dangerous tackle. Ireland, with scrum-half Chris O'Connor and prop Jack Ryan coming on for their U20 debuts, rallied and seemed set for a shock defeat when Wood had a 73rd minute try ruled out after Scott was pinged on review for a knock-on in the build-up.
Ireland came with one final rally and Walker got through to score with less than two minutes remaining when they got the drive off a penalty in the right corner to prevent an embarrassing defeat.
Scorers for Ireland: Tries: J Scott (2), H Walker (2), C Molony, D Green. Cons: Wood (4).
Scorers for Spain: Tries: P Massoni, A Gomez, M Carreras, V Ofjetu, L Richardis. Cons: N Infer (2), G Otamendi. Pens: Infer (2).
IRELAND: D Green; C Molony (P Farrell 56), J Scott (G O'Leary Kareem 75), E Smyth, D Moloney; T Wood, W Wootton (C O'Connor 67); A Usanov (P Moore 60), H Walker, T McAllister (J Ryan 72); D Walsh (B Corrigan 53), D Maguire; M Foy (B Power 23), E McCarthy, O Minogue.
SPAIN: B Ortega (Gomez 70-76); J Garreta (G Otamendi 53), O Marsinyac (U Zuriarrain 74), H Pichardia, P Serrano; L Richardis, N Infer; A Gomez (H Gonzalez 49), P Massoni (M Perez 60), G Reyes Rendon (D Chico 65); V Ofojetu, L McNamee (G Gonzalez 63); U Salvador, M Carreras (M Lopez 58), M Pujana Lendinez.
Referee: Tomas Bertazza (Argentina).
