By David Parsons
The Welsh Academies U23 XV promised to give the Wales U20 side a run for their money in the first of two clashes ahead of the U20 Six Nations and they did exactly that at the Arms Park.
In front of a very healthy crowd, Richard Whiffin’s U20 team were forced to tough it out against their older and heavier counterparts in what should prove to be a very useful warm-up to the opening championship game against France in Vannes on Saturday 1 February.
Their 42-21 triumph included six tries with a final flourish provided by the speed and trickery of Scarlets full back Iorrie Badham. Having come on to replace the equally dashing Scott Delnovo just before the hour mark Badham sped half the length of the pitch for a try of his own.
Then he took a quick tap penalty just inside his own half and cut through to provide the scoring pass for fellow replacement Harri Ford to stroll over for the sixth and final try.
Richard Whiffin’s Wales U20 side will continue their build-up to the @SixNationsU20 with two games against a Regional Academies XV over the next two weeks.
Full story ▶️… pic.twitter.com/im8uymbdXy
— Welsh Rugby Union (@WelshRugbyUnion) January 6, 2025
Whiffin had wanted his players to have to work hard for their points and to try to solve problems throughout the game. With inspirational skipper Harry Beddall leading the way they managed to do just that.
When they found it too difficult to driver their way over the line, they spread the ball wide, and when they failed to make significant headway behind they reverted to the power of their dynamic second and back rows. It was an impressive all round performance that also featured some strong defending.
It was Beddall, one of six players with experience of playing at this age group, who got the ball rolling with a clever try from a driving line-out in the seventh minute. When the initial drive had been held up twice, Beddall broke off and found a way to the try line on the blindside.
Harri Wilde, who conducted proceedings superbly well at outside half on his home pitch, landed the wide angled conversion and those early points settled the nerves. The U20s enjoyed some good fortune five minutes later when the U23 pack drove them over the line from a penalty line out.
The referee initially awarded the try but then reversed his decision after consulting with his touch judge and penalised the U23s for obstruction in their maul. They weren’t to be denied midway through the first half when Cardiff Met wing Josh Carrington rounded off a Gabe McDonald interception two metres from his line to touchdown for a try that Josh Phillips improved to level the scores.
KICKOFF!!!
Harri Wilde gets us underway here at the Arms Park
Wales U20s 0-0 Welsh Academies XV pic.twitter.com/jPJEgKv9e3
— Harry Tovey (@ToveyHarry) January 10, 2025
Loose head prop Ioan Emanuel, who usually has to play second fiddle to his younger brother Steff in the try scoring stakes, then touched down twice in the space of five minutes to open up a 14 point gap.
Harry Rees-Weldon paved the way for the first with an amazing 50 metre break. Fellow wing Aidan Boshoff then carried up to within a few metres before Dragons scrum half Logan Franklin picked out Emanuel to drive over.
His second came from a tap penalty 15 metres out from the U23’s try line and came in the right corner as Emanuel once again found himself in the right place at the right time. Both tries were well converted by Wilde.
On the stroke of half-time the scratch side put together a great passage of play that ended with Swansea outside half Phillips executing a brilliant cut out pass to Dragons wing Walker Price. His try was converted by Phillips to cut the gap to one score at the break at 21-14 to Wales U20.
Ô | Wales U20s 42-21 Academies XV
Wales U20s take the spoils over a Welsh Academies XV in a nine try thriller at the Arms Park
Second half tries from Scott Delnevo, Iori Badham & Harri Ford sealed the win despite a second half Lucas De La Rua… pic.twitter.com/YuL6XZUxYg
— Welsh Rugby Union (@WelshRugbyUnion) January 10, 2025
The second half saw both coaches empty their benches. There was almost a dramatic start as U20 No 8 Evan Minto went on a rampaging run into the 22, but his pass to Franklin didn’t go to hand and a golden chance was lost.
Delnovo extended the lead for Wales U20 with a 20 metre burst in which he showcased his speed, fancy footwork and power. Wilde’s latest conversion made it 28-14. It stayed that way until Lucas de la Rua drove over off the back of a maul for a try in the 64th minute that Sam Potter converted to once again make it a one score game.
Then came that Badham inspired high speed flourish to allow Wales U20 to end on a high. Ford converted Badham’s try and then also added to his own try to give Wales U20 plenty to smile about head of round two at Llandovery’s Church Bank ground on Friday 17 January – and then the French and Italians in back to back away games in the championship.
Scorers: Wales U20: Tries: Ioan Emanuel 2, Harry Beddall, Scott Delnovo, Iorrie Badham, Harri Ford; Cons: Harri Wilde 4, Harri Ford 2.
Welsh Academies U23: Tries: Josh Carrington, Walker Price, Luca de la Rua; Cons: Josh Phillips 2, Sam Potter
Wales U20: Scott Delnovo (Aberavon); Harry Rees-Weldon (Dragons), Elijah Evans (Cardiff Rugby), Steff Emanuel (Cardiff Rugby), Aidan Boshoff (Bristol Bears); Harri Wilde (Cardiff Rugby), Logan Franklin (Dragons); Ioan Emanuel (Bath), Saul Hurley (Aberavon), Jac Pritchard (Scarlets), Kenzie Jenkins (Bristol Bears), Dan Germine (Ospreys), Arthur Moore (Bath), Harry Beddall (Leicester Tigers, captain), Evan Minto (Dragons)
Reps: Evan Wood (Cardiff Met) for Hurley 58; Harrison Bellamy (Gloucester) for Ioan Emanuel 41; Owain James (Dragons) for Pritchard 55, Deian Gwynne (Gloucester) for Beddall 41; Caio James (Gloucester) for Moore 41; Sion Davies (Cardiff Rugby) for Franklin 58; Harri Ford (Dragons) for Wilde 64; Osian Darwin Lewis (Cardiff Rugby) for Evans 64; Iorrie Badham (Scarlets) for Delnovo 58; Bedall for Minto 74
Welsh Academies U23 XV: Jac Davies (Scarlets); Josh Carrington (Cardiff Met), Gabe McDonald (Scarlets), Fraser Jones (Cardiff Rugby), Walker Price (Dragons); Josh Phillips (Swansea), Rhodri Lewis (Scarlets, captain); Morgan Williams (Dragons), Tomoya Adachi (Dragons), Nathan Evans (Newport), Evan Hill (Ospreys), Evan Rees (Cardiff Rugby), Lucas de la Rua (Cardiff Rugby), Owen Conquer (Dragons)
Reps Used: Sam Scarfe (Dragons) for Adachi 50; Freddie Chapman (Ospreys) for Williams 50; Joe Cowell (Cardiff Rugby) for Evans 50; Ethan Phillips (Cardiff) for Hill 50; Kobi Rees (Ebbw Vale) for Evan Rees 56; Luca Settaro (Scarlets) for, Sam Potter (Dragons) for Phillips 56; Kodi Stone (Cardiff Rugby) for Price 56; Charlie Probert (RGC) for Conquer 55
