Report: Scotland Men U20 v Japan U20 – Scottish Rugby

Scotland opened the scoring in the first ten minutes of the match when captain Liam McConnell collected a loose ball. The skipper found stand-off Andy McLean who charged up the midfield and found winger Geordie Gwynn running a lovely inside to bounced off two tacklers to power his way over the tryline for the opening score of the game. McLean was then able to convert the score he helped create to give Scotland the lead 7-0.

Almost ten minutes later Scotland stretched ahead thanks to a second try by Gwynn, when he showed great strength and a quick change of pace to burst through three defenders and run in for a second try of the evening. The conversion attempt by McLean hit off the posts. 12-0

Japan mounted an attack on the half hour mark but Scotland’s scramble defence was too much for the visitors to face and they failed to get over the whitewash thanks to individual dominant hits by the backline, in particular, who stopped the Japanese overlap from scoring out wide.

In the last play before the end of the half Scotland crossed the whitewash once again however the Euan McVie was held up over the line.

Half-time: Scotland U20 12-0 Japan U20

Scotland opened the scoring in the second half too thanks to a lovely well worked try by Gwynn who off loaded to fellow winger Finlay Doyle who scampered down the wing to score in the corner with McLean once again adding the extra two points on offer.

McLean then went over for a try of his own only moments later when he dotted down in the far corner which he duly converted himself.

On the 53rd minute Japan were shown a yellow card for repeated offences with openside flanker Koki Kawagoe sent to the sidelines for 10minutes. Scotland capitalised on this instantly and scored at the next phase of play thanks to a try by openside flanker Freddy Douglas. McLean once again adding the conversion with pin-point accuracy from out wide.

Scotland were awarded a penalty when Japan were penalised for holding on at the ruck with McLean slotting the ball between the sticks.

The stand-off further extended their lead when McLean slotted another penalty when Freddy Douglas won a jackal penalty.

On the 69^th minute Japan got on the score sheet when they passed out wide to find an overlap for replacement back Tasuku Masuyama to get over the whitewash, the conversion attempt was unsuccessful.

They got themselves a second when they emulated their first only moments later, this time on the opposite side of the pitch when blindside flanker Shusui Kamei finished like a winger in the corner.

Scotland rounded off the scoring when replacement scrum-half Hector Patterson made a break up-field and put replacement full-back Jack Hocking in for the final score of the evening which McLean also converted.

Full-time: Scotland U20 46-10 Japan U20

Scores
Scotland: TRY Geordie Gwynn (2), Finlay Doyle, Andrew McLean, Freddy Douglas, Jack Hocking CON Andrew McLean (5) PEN Andrew McLean (2)
Japan: TRY Tasuku Masuyama, Shusui Kamei

Yellow Cards
Japan 53 mins Koki Kawagoe

Scotland U20: 15. Fergus Watson (Glasgow Warriors), 14. Finlay Doyle (Loughborough University), 13. Johnny Ventisei (Glasgow Warriors), 12. Findlay Thomson (Watsonians), 11. Geordie Gwynn (Ealing Trailfinders/Brunel University) (co-captain); 10. Andrew McLean (Boroughmuir Bears), 9. Conor McAlpine (Watsonians); 1. Robbie Deans (Edinburgh Rugby), 2. Jerry Blyth-Lafferty (Edinburgh Rugby), 3. Ollie Blyth-Lafferty (Edinburgh Rugby), 4. Euan McVie (Edinburgh Rugby), 5. Ryan Burke (Glasgow Warriors), 6. Liam McConnell (Edinburgh Rugby) (captain), 7. Freddy Douglas (Edinburgh Rugby), 8. Tom Currie (Edinburgh Rugby) – (co-captain)

Replacements: 16. Seb Stephen (unattached) (on for J Blyth-Lafferty 59mins), 17. Ben White (Biggar RFC) (on for Deans 57mins), 18. Jake Shearer (Ayrshire Bulls) (on for Gwynn 75 mins), 19. Ruaraidh Hart (Glasgow Warriors) (on for Burke 57mins), 20. Dylan Cockburn (Southern Knights/Melrose RFC) (on for Currie 68mins), 21. Hector Patterson (Edinburgh Rugby) (on for McAlpine 67mins), 22. Kerr Yule (Glasgow Warriors) (on for Thomson 57 mins), 23. Jack Hocking (Edinburgh Rugby) (on for Watson 59mins)
(for Turner 52 mins)

Japan U20: 15. Jingo Takenoshita, 14. Kent Lioka, 13. Yamato Ueda, 12. Takaya Motohashi, 11. Kohaku Edisawa; 10. Ryunosuke Ito, 9. Joji Takaki; 1. Jinnosuke Mori, 2. Kenshin Shimizu, 3. Towa Nunobiki, 4. Chuka Ishibashi, 5. Yotaro Monobe, 6. Shusui Kamei, 7. Koki Kawagoe, 8. Yoshiaki Taian.

Replacements: 16. Kyoya Tanaka, 17. Haruya Kerakawauchi, 18. Yuta Hatta, 19. Shuntaro Isobe, 20. Ryoku Masuo, 21. Daichi Yoshikawa, 22. Yamato Murata, 23. Tasuku Masuyama

Referee: Lex Weiner (USA)