New Zealand secured third place in the U20 World Championship with a 38-24 victory over the Irish, after coming alive in the second half and scoring 31 unanswered points in half an hour.
New Zealand captain Vernon Bason on his side’s victory said: “Today was a game we really wanted to get over and finish the best we can and finish as high as we can and hold our chins up at how well we have progressed through this tournament, and I think it showed out there on the field today.”
Irish captain reflected on his side’s defeat as he said: “We just didn’t come out in the second half and New Zealand were the hungrier team in the second half and that was the swing of the game.”
The Irish opened the scoring on the ten-minute mark as Oliver Coffey sniped from the breakdown to touch down, after continued Irish pressure on the New Zealand line.
They then scored again in the 32nd minute as Ben O’Connor glided through the New Zealand defence to set up Jack Murphy who finished brilliantly in the corner.
New Zealand then managed to get themselves on the scoreboard in the final minutes of the half Vernon Bason powered over the line.
Irish flanker Bryn Ward saw himself sent to the sin bin in the process of New Zealand scoring.
The start of the second half saw New Zealand also go down to 14 men as Frank Vaenuku was sent to the bin for an illegal clear out at the ruck.
This didn’t bother New Zealand as they scored just minutes later with brilliant play by the Kiwi centres as Aki Tuivailala broke through and offloaded to Xavi Taele who slide over the line.
Just a minute after that try, New Zealand took the lead for the first time in the game as Bason scored his second of the game, hitting a brilliant line at the ruck and finished from 20 metres out as he slid over as the rain started to pour in Cape Town.
New Zealand replacements then started to make a difference as in the 56th minute Jeremiah Collins powered through three Irish defenders to score his sides fourth try.
The young kiwis then put the result to bed as Frank Vaenuku scored as he got on the end of a cross field kick, after some relentless carrying from his pack.
The winger then got his second five minutes later as New Zealand were really starting to play showing off their handling skills in the wet, along with some good fortune saw them extend their lead to 38-12.
The Irish though weren’t going down without a fight though, they continued to play and challenge the New Zealand defence, which saw Ethan Graham score in the corner.
Another try came in the dying minutes as Hugh Gavin broke the line and his centre partner Sean Naughton was there in support to score, to give the scoreboard at better look at 38-24.
Ireland 24
Tries: Coffey 10, Murphy 32, Graham 76, Naughton 79
Conversions: Murphy 11, 79
New Zealand 38
Tries: Bason 37,46, Taele 44, Collins 56, Vaenuku 66, 71
Conversions: Simpson 45, 56, 67, 72
Match Stats
Ireland New Zealand
10 Penalties conceded 9
9 Lineouts won 13
6 Lineouts lost 2
4 Scrums won 4
0 Scrums lost 2
1 Sin bin 1
Written by James Orpin
