Scotland u20s back in the big time
EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - FEBRUARY 23: Murdoch Lock of Scotland kicks the ball upfield during the Six Nations under 20 international match between Scotland and England at the Hive Stadium - Edinburgh Rugby Stadium on February 23, 2024 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
By James Orpin
Scotland have secured their spot back in the big time of age-grade rugby. They won the Rugby Trophy on home soil at the Hive Stadium in Edinburgh, against the USA on Wednesday evening, to confirm their promotion.
The Scots won the game with a convincing 48-10 shoreline. Second row Euan Mcvie led the charge scoring a hattrick for his side, then Jerry Blyth-Lafferty managed to add a brace of his own, then followed by tries from Johnny Ventisei, Tom Currie and Kerr Yule.
The USA fought hard but Scotland proved too strong with their first try coming within the first ten minutes and saw them in a comfortable lead of 17-0 at the halfway mark.
It was late on though that they really put the nail in the coffin and won the trophy in style as they scored four tries from the 66th minute to the 79th.
Then if it wasn’t for a late USA consolation try from Keelan Farrell it would have been a whitewash.
Wednesdays action also saw Japan confirm third place in the rugby trophy by putting 75 points on Uruguay, with Tasuka Masuyama, Shusui Kamei, Takaya Motohashi, Kenshin Shimizu all scoring braces and then Jingo Takenoshita, Kent Iioka and Ieto Ito also making their way over the try line.
The Netherlands also rounded off their debut campaign in the competition with a flourish beating Samoa 46-29 woth scores from: Tobias De Prieelle, Kees de Bruin, Ilann Vaasen, Niek Doornenbal and a double from Kit Temperley.
Earlier in the day Hong Kong ended their 12 game losing streak in the u20 rugby trophy by beating Kenya 34-14 win over Kenya to secure themselves a seventh placed finish. With tries from James Kee, Dom Hedley, Matthew Rickard, Hassan Lin and then a double from Ben Sheldon.
