Wales Under 20 lost to Argentina in an agonising penalty shoot-out at the IRB Junior World Championship 5th Place semi-final.
Phil Davies’ young guns were drawing 19-19 after 80 minutes, sending them into a sudden death period of extra time, and despite a number of drop goal attempts from both sides, neither Wales nor the tournament hosts were able break the deadlock and the game was decided on the first Junior World Championship penalty shoot-out.
Each side selected five players to take place kicks from different points on the 22 metre line – first directly in front of the posts, then to the left and right and back to the centre. After five kicks each, the sides were still level with five successful kicks each, Wales’ points coming from Ashley Beck, Kristian Phillips, Dan Fish, Rhys Downes and Matthew Jarvis.
The kicks then became sudden death and Blues and Pontypridd scrum half Rhys Downes was the first to miss. Argentina wing Fernando Luna converted his ensuing attempt, making the final score 9-8.
It was a game of cat and mouse throughout the match, with the sides never more than a score apart. Two penalties from Llanelli outside half Steven Shingler to one from Argentine scrum half Santiago Mendez kept Wales 6-3 ahead at half-time, and the pair also swapped penalties after the break.
Downes scored the only Welsh try of the match at 60 minutes, converted by Shingler, but the Pumitas were tenacious and, spurred on by a partisan crowd at Santa Fe, they quickly produced a try of their own through replacement prop Alexis Barone, converted by Mendez.
With 10 minutes to go, outside half Ignacio Rodriguez Muedra leveled the scores at 16-16 and although replacement outside half Matthew Jarvis added one of his own, Muedra forced the game into extra time with a penalty in injury time.
Wales team manager Tony Clement said, “It is very disappointing, especially as we had chances to win the game in normal time. It was a very intense, territorial game and all credit to Argentina, they were very physical and prevented us from taking the game away from them.”
Wales will play Fiji on Monday in their final game of the tournament to decide who finishes 7th overall. They have already beaten Fiji in the Pool stages.
Wales U20 Scorers: Try: Rhys Downes; Con: Steven Shingler; Pens: Steven Shingler 4, Matthew Jarvis
Sudden death goals: Ashley Beck 2, Kristian Phillips 2, Dan Fish 2, Rhys Downes
Wales Under 20: Dan Fish; Kristian Phillips, Owen Williams (Ashley Beck 62), Scott Williams, Adam Hughes; Steven Shingler (Matthew Jarvis 74), Rhys Downes; Dan Watchurst (captain, Will Taylor 65), Ieuan Davies (Rhys Williams 49), Will Taylor (Joe Rees 49), Joel Galley (James Thomas 49), James King, Edward Siggery (Rhys Jenkins 69), Josh Navidi, Morgan Allen
