#5 stephen ainslie u20s scotland 16 proof

Under-20 Six Nations Championships 2016

Scotland U20’s

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# 5 Stephen Ainslie Scotland U20’s

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Superb Scotland Under-20s stun England at Cumbernauld 05/02/2016 20:00 20:00 Scotland U20s Sco U20 24 - 6 England U20s Eng U20 Broadwood Stadium

Scotland laid down an impressive marker for this year’s Under-20s Six Nations as they shocked England 24-6 - their first-ever victory over the Red Rose at this level.

After their best-ever finish last year, Scotland’s starlets also made it four home wins on the bounce for the first time in the first Under-20 international to be held at Cumbernauld.

Tries from man-of-the-match Blair Kinghorn and Murray McCallum sent them on their way in the first half, with Joe Simmonds’ two penalties all England could muster in response.

And when Scott Cummings and Matt Smith then both charged through within two second-half minutes the game was won for Scotland, as they notched up their first Under-20s victory over England in 12 attempts.

After an intense opening five minutes, Simmonds’ penalty put England ahead with Scotland pinged at the breakdown in front of the posts.

England were dominating possession, but Scotland shocked their guests when full-back Kinghorn started and finished a thrilling break, exchanging passes with Rory Hutchinson on the right wing before dotting down in the corner.

The Edinburgh man could not add the conversion however, making it 5-3 to the hosts after 15 minutes.

England clearly had the edge at scrum-time, but dogged defence was keeping them at bay and the hosts still looked dangerous on the fast Cumbernauld surface.

Tom Galbraith’s fancy footwork saw him break through on 25 minutes before Adam Hastings and Robbie Nairn’s link-up play took Scotland up the field, before the latter knocked on.

England’s scrum earned them another penalty in a dangerous position, but skipper Jack Walker opted for touch.

And while a brilliant shove from Scotland following the lineout saw them clear, they were then penalised for holding on in front of the posts in the aftermath.

Simmonds’ second successful kick of the night edged his side back in front three minutes before the break, and despite fumbling the ball from the kick-off, England had another chance moments later.

Scotland were penalised at the contact, but this time Simmonds’ kick from just inside the halfway line fell agonisingly short.

Joe Marchant’s misplaced pass then saw Scotland break clear

through Hutchinson, and after Walker saw yellow, a quick tap-and-go allowed prop McCallum to burst through the tackle burrow over under the posts.

Kinghorn then added the simple conversion to make it 12-6 to Scotland at the break, and after Simmonds was forced off early in the second period, it was the hosts who again were making the early running.

Nairn first found some space down the right, before Hastings was so unlucky to see his 49th-minute grubber go dead after collecting his own kick.

But Scotland were soon rewarded for their pressure. A quick penalty from scrum-half Hugh Fraser created the space, and after a barrage on the England line captain Cummings was the man to force his way over on 55 minutes.

England were shellshocked, and moments later it got even worse for the Red Rose as a relentless Scotland crossed again - flanker Smith this time breaking off the back of a lineout and showing some impressive pace to finish in the corner.

Kinghorn’s conversion from the sideline was good this time, leaving the scoreline 24-6 and England with a mountain to climb.

Marchant came closest with ten minutes left, juggling the ball over the line with his side desperately searching for a way back, before a brilliant Smith tackle denied replacement Ben Robbins a score.

England stayed tryless and despite having won the Under-20s Six Nations four times in the last five years, Scotland are now the side to beat after a thrilling home performance.

McBryde snatches victory for Wales Under-20s 12/02/2016 18:30 Wales U20s Wal U20 18 - 15 Scotland U20s Sco U20 Parc Eirias 3,551

McBryde saw a last-gasp penalty sail between the posts as Wales overturned a half-time deficit to beat Scotland 18-15 and keep their Six Nations title hopes alive.

Scotland were in the ascendancy for much of the first period and were good value for their 15-5 lead.

But Wales roared back with tries from Tom Phillips and Keelan Giles to level the score. Fly-half Dan Jones had failed to find his range all night, but replacement McBryde took his first opportunity to steal the show and earn Wales a second victory of the tournament.

Much of the opening 20 minutes was played deep inside the Wales’ half, though the defence stood firm.

That was until full-back Ruairi Howarth made a break down the left flank, then offloaded to George Taylor as Scotland advanced towards the line.

And once they forced a penalty Rory Hutchinson took his first invitation to get points on the board with a successful kick from 22 metres.

Scotland continued to dominate and a driving mauls saw them advance 20m and eventually it was Matt Smith who crossed, just as he did last weekend against England, though Hutchinson saw his conversion swerve wide.

Wales had the chance to bridge the gap on 28 minutes after Scotland were penalised for not releasing, but Jones couldn’t find his range.

The home side finally showed signs of life five minutes before the interval when scrum-half Reuben Morgan-Williams made a dash to the corner passed outside to Keelan Giles, but Smith made a fabulous try-saving tackle on the line.

From the restart though, the Welsh pack drove for the line and Shaun Evans peeled off to cross the whitewash. Jones missed his conversion attempt from 22m.

On the stroke of half-time though, Scotland reasserted their advantage. Again the visitors utilised their superior strength in the pack and prop Murray McCallum, on target against the Red Rose, got on the scoreboard.

Hutchinson converted with the final kick of the half to leave the visitors 15-5 in front.

Within three minutes of the restart Wales got back into the game.

A move from right to left was finished off by captain Phillips, but again Jones failed to notch the extras.

And the scores were level on 62 minutes when Giles gathered the ball flowing a sweeping move, flew down the left wing and went over in the corner to level the scores. Jones’ kick was wayward.

Replacements made by either side disrupted the flow of the contest, but one of them had the game’s defining moment.

McBryde entered the fray on 79 minutes and his first action was a successful penalty that sparked big celebrations in Colwyn Bay.

Scotland Under-20s hold on to claim victory in Italy Italy U20s Ita U20 14 - 24 Scotland U20s Sco U20 Stadio Plebiscito 3,800 Scotland returned to winning ways in Padua as they overcame an early deficit to see off Italy 24-14 in the Under-20s Six Nations.

After round two’s last-gasp heartache against Wales, Scotland produced a dominant performance, scoring three tries against Italy to get their Championship challenge back on track.

Scotland Under-20s had started the tournament with a great win over England - their first at this level - and were then cruelly denied in Wales

by Billy McBryde’s late penalty. But their start in Italy left John Dalziel’s side with a mountain to climb.

Italy coach Alessandro Troncon made four changes for the visit of Scotland, with three in the backline, and they made a dream start as they scored the game’s opening try when Luca Sperandio crossed after only five minutes to put the hosts firmly in control.

On nine minutes Scotland edged themselves back into the game thanks to a penalty from Rory Hutchinson to bring the score back to 7-3.

Scotland continued to dominate and on 20 minutes scored the game’s second try - Matt Smith broke off the back of a lineout and gave the ball to Darcy Graham who ran the length of the field to score, with Hutchinson adding the extras to make it 10-7.

Scotland then started to turn the screw on the Italians and dominate territory and possession.

The visitors’ pressure finally told on the stroke of half-time as prop Murray McCallum scored his third try in as many games as he burrowed over from close range, with Hutchinson adding the extras to make the interval score 17-7.

Scotland saw their lead reduced on 44 minutes to 17-14 as Italy were awarded a penalty try in front of the posts after a succession of decisions went against the visitors.

And it got worse for Scotland soon after as stand-off Hutchinson was sent to the sin-bin for ten minutes after being adjudged to have taken an Italian runner out off the ball.

Despite the numerical disadvantage Scotland scored their third try of the night on 53 minutes as Ally Miller broke from the base of a scrum deep in the visitors’ half, before offloading to Robbie Nairn to bolt home.

Hugh Fraser took on the kicking duties in the absence of the sin-binned Hutchinson and extended Scotland’s lead to 24-14 with a smart conversion.

Scotland received their second yellow card of the evening on 66 minutes as prop Callum Sheldon was sin-binned for repeated infringement in the scrum, handing Italy the initiative up front, but the visitors held firm and claimed the win.

France Under-20s bounce back with win in Cumbernauld 11/03/2016 Scotland U20s Sco U20 21 - 36 France U20s Fra U20 Broadwood Stadium 1,500

Antoine Dupont inspired France Under-20s to a hard-fought 36-21 win over their Scottish counterparts in Cumbernauld to keep their slim title hopes alive.

John Dalziel’s outfit fought valiantly all night, Adam Hastings’ unerring boot kept them in touch throughout, but Thomas Lièvremont’s men did just enough to keep the Scots at bay.

After France Under-20s surged into an early lead with a penalty try, Scotland struck back with Ben Robbins’ try to lead 11-7 before Dupont’s cross-field kick created a score for Martin Laveau.

The half-back was again the architect after half-time, his excellent counter-attack creating a vintage French score for Damian Penaud.

Matt Smith’s score with 20 minutes remaining had given the hosts hope, but Judicael Cancoriet’s try ended their resistance before Anthony Belleau’s last minute try added gloss to the scoreline France Under-20s imitated their female counterparts in opening the scoring with a penalty try, captain and loosehead Clément Castets dominating full Scottish international Zander Fagerson five metres out.

Dalziel’s charges were unfazed by the bullish French start and Hastings got the scoreboard moving with two sweetly-struck penalties.

The Scottish forwards grew into the game, Ally Miller and captain Callum Hunter-Hill prominent throughout, and after 26 minutes Robbins took a sharp inside line to sneak over from close range and put Scotland Under-20s ahead for the first time, but Hastings’ conversion slid wide.

The French struck back five minutes later when scrum-half Dupont noticed Laveau in space on the wing and though his kick was slightly skewed, it bounced favourably for the winger to touch down and Belleau to convert. Hastings reduced the deficit on the stroke of half-time as he nudged a 50-metre penalty with room to spare.

Dupont again came to the fore after half-time, he collected an awkwardly bouncing cross kick from Hastings deep inside the French 22 and immediately set-off on the counter, beating two men before shifting the ball to Penaud, who powered over.

Mathieu Tanguy saw yellow for a ruck infringement on 60 minutes and the Scots took full advantage, Hastings sticking the ball in the corner before Smith wriggled over off the back of a well-worked maul, with Hastings again on target with the conversion.

It was Cancoriet who put the result beyond doubt with ten minutes left.

Castets charged down a laboured Scots kick and the powerful openside seized on the loose ball before cantering over, leaving Belleau to sink the conversion. And it was the outside-half who landed the final blow, sliding over for a fifth French score in the last minute.

Ireland Under-20s down Scotland to claim third place

18/03/2016 Ireland U20s Ire U20 26 - 18 Scotland U20s Sco U20 Donnybrook 2,500 Read more at http://www.rbs6nations.com/en/u20/under_20_6_nations_match_centre.php#8PSbKY4viAXP6jTa.99 Will Connors’ second-half score and a dominant scrummaging per-

formance earned Ireland Under-20s a hard-fought 26-18 victory over their Scottish counterparts at Donnybrook to claim third spot in the Under-20s Six Nations.

Scotland Under-20s will be disappointed not to have made more of a strong first-half. Two Adam Hastings penalties and a Ben Robbins score were scant reward for the amount of possession and territory they enjoyed.

It was Ireland though who looked more clinical in attack - outstanding hooker Adam McBurney barged over from a lineout and Jacob Stockdale finished some flowing backs play.

Connors scored immediately after half-time before the front-row earned Ireland a penalty try and despite George Taylor’s consolation score, John Dalziel’s boys fell to their third defeat and will finish fourth in this year’s tournament.

Scotland initially dominated proceedings, their potent pack - Ally Miller in particular providing vital go-forward throughout - creating quick ball for Hastings in the backline.

The initial pressure told after five minutes when Scotland won a penalty right in front of the Irish posts and Hastings banged it over.

Hastings was on target again from 30 metres out to extend Scotland’s lead to 6-0, but it was Ireland who struck first.

Scotland were pinged at the ruck for going off their feet and Ireland neglected the three points and were rewarded for their enterprise in kicking to the corner.

James Ryan broke from the ensuing maul and McBurney crashed over from close range and Brett Connon converted to put Ireland ahead for the first time after 25 minutes.

Scotland though came straight back at the Irish. A Miller carry took Scotland deep into Ireland’s 22 before Fraser unlocked the green wall with a clever inside pass to winger Robbins, who ran under the sticks for his second try in as many weeks.

A thoughtless moment from the otherwise exceptional Hastings saw him hand the initiative back to Ireland.

Thinking the half was over, he kicked the ball dead, only for Ireland’s youngsters to attack - swiftly moving the ball left into Stockdale’s grateful hands and over for their second try of the night. Conon missed the conversion to send Scotland in with a slim 13-12 lead.

And it was Ireland who started the brighter, Connors barrelled over after four minutes of the second-half. Connon converted and put Ireland 19-13 ahead.

Substitute Rory Hutchinson had a chance to reduce the deficit with a shot at goal three minutes later, but it drifted wide.

McBurney and his front-row colleagues turned the screw for Ireland, dominating the Scottish pack and applying pressure in the shadow of the visitors’ posts, forcing a penalty try which Connon converted to make the score 26-13 with just over half an hour remaining.

Scotland gave themselves hope with 15 minutes left when a brilliant Hutchinson off-load was moved through several pairs of hands and Taylor outstripped the covering defence to score. Hutchinson could not convert and Ireland held on for victory.

Scotland U20s 15 Tom Galbraith 14 Ben Robbins 13 Rory Hutchinson 12 George Taylor 11 Darcy Graham 10 Adam Hastings 9 Hugh Fraser 1 Murray McCallum 2 Jake Kerr 3 Callum Sheldon 4 Callum Hunter-Hill 5 Stephen Ainslie 6 Scott Burnside 7 Matt Smith 8 Ally Miller 16 Lewis Anderson 17 George Thornton 18 Adam Nicol 19 Hamish Bain 20 Lee Scott 21 Ruaridh Dawson 22 Robbie Nairn 23 Ruairi Howarth gpfoto

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