{"id":181939,"date":"2025-06-13T20:08:18","date_gmt":"2025-06-13T20:08:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/181939\/"},"modified":"2025-06-13T20:08:18","modified_gmt":"2025-06-13T20:08:18","slug":"scotland-defeat-ireland-in-world-rugby-u20s-championship-warm-up-match","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/181939\/","title":{"rendered":"Scotland defeat Ireland in World Rugby U20s Championship warm-up match"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ScotlandScotland defeated Ireland in a World Rugby U20 Championship warm-up match in Belfast this [Friday] afternoon. Image: Joe Anderson <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n

FINDLAY BROWN<\/strong> @ Kingspan Stadium<\/p>\n

SCOTLAND U20s secured a convincing win in Belfast this afternoon, powering past hosts Ireland at the Kingspan Stadium, timing their remarkable improvement impeccably as they head into the World Rugby U20 Championship in Italy, kicking off at the end of this month. The omens were not great when torrential rain soaked the players during their warm-up, but the weather cleared helping both teams to play some attractive rugby in a match which yielded 14 tries.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Having suffered at the hands of the Irish in the past \u2013 losing 33-15 in the Six Nations just a few months ago, an improvement on 82-7 defeat of 2022 \u2013 Kenny Murray<\/strong>\u2019s players looked to have added the much needed solidity to their attacking flair.<\/p>\n

It was a day during which, as there had been for some time, a quiet nervousness surrounding the Scotland team, despite the spirited performance against France in their last fixture.<\/p>\n

However by the end of the 80 minutes, that feeling was almost flipped on its head as the young Scots dominated their once annual tormentors.<\/p>\n

Rory Darge extends Glasgow Warriors contract<\/a><\/p>\n

TOL Pod: Episode 45: Season Review<\/a><\/p>\n

2026 Women\u2019s Six Nations schedule revealed<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re only playing one game in the build up to the Championship, so it was good to see the transfer from the training pitch,\u201d said Scotland Under-20s coachMurray afterwards. \u201cThere was some good stuff, and a lot to work on as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the last few years we\u2019ve not beaten Ireland, and we\u2019ve worked hard to get to where we are.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe spoke a lot this week around getting on the front foot early and I thought we did that, and we always planned to use our full squad today and we managed to get all 28 players on the pitch which was great.\u201d<\/p>\n

After conceding four tries in 21 minutes in their last head-to-head with Ireland, the travelling side were in fact first to inscribe their names on the scoresheet, as Johnny Ventisei<\/strong>\u2019s quick thinking saw the centre dink a ball over a rushing Irish defence before Jack Brown<\/strong> poked it forward for a simple kick and collect.<\/p>\n

Ireland were soon level as No 8 Luke Murphy<\/strong> peeled off the back of a scrum five metres out before bouncing Hector Patterson<\/strong> and diving over.<\/p>\n

As half-time loomed, fly-half Matthew Urwin<\/strong>\u2019s kick into the 22 bounced awkwardly for Ireland\u2019s Sam Wisniewski<\/strong>, whose attempt to run the ball out backfired as he was turned over before Scotland executed their overlap fundamentals well to see Ventisei dot down his second in the corner.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Picking up as they left off, Scotland began to truly assert dominance in the game in the second-half despite a wave of substitutions. Reuben Logan<\/strong> finding himself on the wing, not for the last time, using some neat footwork to step inside before powering over.<\/p>\n

Responding almost immediately, Ireland pulled a try back courtesy of hooker Henry Walker<\/strong>, who bulldozed through a last ditch Scotland defence.<\/p>\n

Unfazed, the visitors crossed the whitewash for the fourth time as Noah Cowan<\/strong> produced a deft grubber just a meter out which Logan, on the wing against, did well to pick up and grab his brace.<\/p>\n

Within a couple of minutes, Scotland began to truly pull away, playing through the hands to leave substitute Cameron van Wyk<\/strong> in space and give Ireland an almighty task in trying to salvage a result.<\/p>\n

Scotland consolidated their dominant position when Logan, again loitering wide, made a break before putting Cowan in on for a comfortable score to extend Scotland\u2019s lead to 26 points and all but confirm victory.<\/p>\n

Ireland were able to pull a try back through a well worked driving maul but Scotland were soon in again as Brown, having returned to play as a replacement for Fergus Watson<\/strong>, ran in for his second of the afternoon.<\/p>\n

The game increasingly felt like a basketball match with its back and forth waves of momentum and a swelling score-line, and Ireland\u2019s refusal to be put away saw more points added to the home team\u2019s tally, as Connor Fahy<\/strong> profited from some loose passing in Scotland\u2019s 22 to pick up the ball and send Gene O\u2019Leary Kareem<\/strong> into space on the wing.<\/p>\n

And the hosts struck again when O\u2019Leary Kareem rose above the Scotland defence to collect a lofted ball and narrow the gap to two tries.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately for the battling home side, Scotland were intent on having the last word as replacement stand-off Isaac Coates<\/strong> produced a pinpoint cross-field kick for Brown to end the day with a hat-trick.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Teams \u2013<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ireland:<\/strong>\u00a0T Lawlor; D Moloney, C Mangan, E Smyth, C Molony, T Wood, C Logan; A Usanov, H Walker, A Mullan, M Ronan, B Corrigan, E McCarthy, B Power, L Murphy. Subs used:<\/strong> M Yarr, B Bohan, T McAllister, D McGuire, D Walsh, W Wootton, S Wisniewski, C Fahy, C O\u2019Connor, G O\u2019Leary Kareem, P Farrell, J Scott, L McLaughlin, P Moore<\/p>\n

Scotland:<\/strong> J Brown, N Moncrieff, J Ventisei, K Yule, F Watson, M Urwin, H Patterson; W Pearce, J Roberts, O Blyth-Lafferty, B Godsell , D Halkon, O Duncan, F Douglas, R Logan. Subs used:<\/strong> O McKenna, B White, J Shearer, C Moss, D Cockburn, N Cowan, I Coates, C van Wyk, M Fyffe, A McMichael, A Hunter, J Hocking, J Findlay<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Scorers \u2013<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ireland:\u00a0<\/strong>Tries: L Murphy, H Walker, M Yarr, O\u2019Leary Kareem 2; Cons: Wisniewski 2.<\/p>\n

Scotland:\u00a0<\/strong>Tries: J Brown 3, J Ventisei, R Logan 2, van Wyk, N Cowan; Cons: M Urwin, I Coates 3.<\/p>\n

Scoring sequence (Ireland first): <\/strong>0-5; 0-7; 57-5; 7-7; 7-12; 7-14 (h-t) 7-19; 7-21; 12-21; 12-26; 12-31; 12-36; 12-38; 17-38; 17-43; 22-43; 27-43; 29-43; 29-48.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

TOL Pod: Episode 45: Season Review<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

<\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a>