6 days ago
Baby Blacks triumph in sweltering heat
New Zealand proved too hot for Georgia in the sweltering Italian heat as they triumphed 38-19 at the under-20 world championship on Saturday.
The Baby Blacks, who made a stuttering start to the tournament against the host nation, showed fluidity on attack and discipline on defence after the Georgians scored the opening try following a ruck turnover.
New Zealand responded when winger Maloni Kunawave created a turnover, resulting in a quick tap penalty by Oli Mathis, which earned Luka Keshelava a yellow card for a cynical offside tackle.
Following another tap, New Zealand quickly moved the ball left with James Cameron delivering a pass to Harlyn Saunoa, who dived into the corner for his side's first try.
Georgia scored a try from a maul but much of the rest of the game belonged to the Baby Blacks.
Saunoa grabbed his second try on the end of a pass from Southland midfielder Tayne Harvey.
When Georgian prop Bachuki Baratashvili was yellow-carded for a second consecutive game for a head-on-head tackle, the New Zealanders pounced.
Otago halfback Dylan Pledger sent Mathis thundering into a hole. Mathis transferred back to Pledger, who was tipped over but offloaded from the ground to lock Xavier Tracey to give New Zealand the lead.
Eli Oudenryn extended that advantage when he splintered off a maul and stampeded clear for a try, and lock Aissake Vakasiuola gathered a charitable lineout throw and sauntered in to give the Baby Blacks a 31-14 lead at halftime.
New Zealand's growing ascendancy was illustrated by the fact that they made 34 of 35 first-half tackles, and Georgia missed 27 tackles.
A 43rd-minute pitchside fire briefly held up proceedings but the real heat was on the field as New Zealand flyer Maloni Kunawave scored a nice try.
That, however, was the end of the scoring as the game staggered from stoppage to stoppage, the players visibly strained by the searing heat.
Rampaging No 8 Micah Fale had a game-high 13 carries for 90m, while New Zealand's wingers combined for five turnovers, a dozen defenders beaten, and 142m gained.
The Baby Blacks now play Ireland on Thursday. U20 world championship The scores
New Zealand 38
Harlyn Saunoa 2, Xavier Tracey, Eli Oudenryn, Aissake Vakasiuola, Maloni Kunawave tries: Rico Simpson 4 con
Georgia 19
Shota Kheladze, Mikheil Shioshvili, Mikheil Khakhubia tries; Luka Takaishvili 2 con
Halftime: New Zealand 31-14. — NZ Rugby
