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Australia opened their campaign in the World Rugby Under 20 Championship with an indifferent 34-22 win against a feisty Samoan side in Parma, Italy.
The game was in the balance with six minutes to go and Australia just five points to the good; but when winger and captain Andrew Kellaway got his first chance in space he took it to clinch the game and earn a bonus point for his country.
First Half
Australia got in a handy position after a cracking run from fullback Jonah Placid, and when Samoa infringed flyhalf Andrew Deegan was in a good spot to kick a penalty goal in the second minute of the game.
Australia lost two of their first three lineouts and it was a flaw that prevailed in the match. Sometimes the throws were nabbed by good anticipation but poor throwing was the main factor.
It didn’t seem to be a problem ten minutes in when 7 Michael Gunn scored from a lineout drive when a penalty was kicked to the corner, but later it became the spoiler of several opportunities in good areas of the field.
Big bopper lock Lukhan Lealaiauloto-Tui had a few good bursts on the day but he dropped a few balls also. After one such, Samoa nearly scored but a foot in touch denied the try.
Samoa got on the board with a penalty goal to 10 Josh Ioane to make the score 8-3 after 18 minutes.
There was no scoring for a while. Most of the play had been in the Samoa half of the field but the Aussie Under 20s were not getting the reward they should have, especially since the Japanese referee was hammering the Samoans at scrum time and for their over-enthusiastic line speed on defence.
But Placid ran on the blindside of a scrum and dodged over the line for a try. When Deegan converted the score was 15-3 in the 28th minute.
The Aussies lost their focus after that and turned the ball over twice in the Samoa 22; there was some poor kicking from hand by Deegan, and Lukhan got a yellow card for a dump tackle.
Things looked better just before the break when lock Ned Hanigan went on a long run, but his pass just before the line was dropped.
It was costly too: after the ball was cleared brilliantly by Samoa fullback Josh Tiatia, the Aussies got it back and chanced their arm instead of kicking for oranges. When Tiatia received the ball again for Samoa he chipped to the Aussies, but retrieved it 55 metres out; then the Samoans weaved their way through tackles for winger Trent Winterstein to score a brilliant team try a minute after the buzzer.
Half time score: Australia 15 – Samoa 8.
Second Half
Gunn poached the ball in his own 22 but when the men in gold threw to the lineout ten metres from the blue goal line soon afterwards the ball went loose. It got worse when the Samoans defended a 5-metre scrum and got the hit; scrumhalf James Tuttle knocked the ball on with his pack retreating, but it was not his fault.
Australia was getting the opportunities but they couldn’t advance on the scoreboard; the centres were getting few chances and the wingers less than that.
But from the Samoan scrum near their line THP Mike Tamoaieta was carded for collapsing it. A minute later LHP Cameron Orr advanced the ball and Deegan scored against 14 opponents though he missed the easy conversion. The young Aussies led 20-8 after nine minutes of second half play.
It was strange but Samoa started playing good rugby with a man in the bin, including choking up a promising Aussie maul.
The Aussies kept losing lineouts but the men in blue had no such problems. After THP prop Matt Sandell was off the field the Samoans earned a scrum penalty and their skipper and no. 8 Josh Dowsing scored from the lineout drive. When reserve Malu Falaniko kicked a good conversion with 15 minutes remaining Samoa was behind by only 15-20.
Soon after the restart the Aussies had some lineout satisfaction when no. 8 Adam Korczyk swiped a Samoan throw impressively 40 metres out. After several hit-ups including two from Orr, Placid dodged three Samoans to score handy. After a scratchy Deegan conversion Australia led 27-15 with twelve minutes left.
Samoa returned serve after they poached the ball from the restart kick and replacement prop Jerred Adams charged over the Aussie 22 with the ball. After several hit-ups Samoa scored by grounding the ball against the base of a goal post—it was Adams !! The conversion had Samoa within five points again – 22-27, with eight minutes to go.
Australian won a lineout and after some good recycling Deegan passed a money ball to Kellaway who won a couple of one-on-one contests to score the clincher. In doing so he registered a record eleventh career try in the competition, but he would be would have been more enthused about the bonus point that was notched up for his team.
Deegan did not kick at goal well on the day, and was out-of-sorts generally, but his last kick was perfect.
Final score: Australia 34 – Samoa 22.
The Players
Samoa
3 points – No. 8 Josh Dowsing was inspiring several times and showed the benefit of having a captain in the forwards.
2 points – Fullback Josh Tiatia was a brilliant spark who started the try on half-time.
1 point – Reserve prop Jerred Adams didn’t have long on the field but he made a difference in his shift.
Australia
3 points – Fullback Jonah Placid was the difference between winning and losing; albeit by hogging the ball.
2 points – No. 8 Adam Korczyk is not a line bender but he was skilful in many things including the rare poaching of the lineout ball that led to a try.
1 point – LHP Cameron Orr took the ball up several times to get the Samoans turned around.
The Wrap-up
Samoa lost 33-10 to Australia in the competition last year and lost again in the Oceania tournament a month ago. But this was an improvement on 2014, especially as the gold players seemed to get the rub of the green from the referee.
They would be disappointed at letting the Aussies come back with their last try to seal the match but they can look forward to beating Italy in their last pool game after they play the South Africans.
Australia was substandard in kicking from hand and at goal—and their lineout was a horror show. Their scrum was decent when they had their starters on the ground; but in the rucks they let the Samoans get the hit too often.
Like Samoa they allowed their opponents to return serve on the scoreboard too soon.
On that showing Australia will not make the final four—not even close. Their on-ball work has to be more furious and they have to improve their lineouts; they also have to get the ball more often to their rainmakers: Placid, Tuipolotu and Kellaway.
Scoring
Australia 34 (J. Placid 2, M. Gunn, A. Deegan, A.Kellaway tries; A. Deegan 3 cons, pen) def. Samoa 22 (T. Winterstein, J. Dowsing, J. Adams tries; J. Ioane pen, con; M. Falaniko con).
Video highlights from World Rugby here:
http://www.worldrugby.org/u20/video/74861
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