Wales U20’s Junior World Championship bid to make the semi-finals ended in Pool A heartbreak as reigning champions South Africa fought back from an early scare to win 52-33 in a winner-takes-all clash.

Wales couldn’t have asked for a better opening, scoring twice inside the first nine minutes.

Caio James forced his way over after four minutes, before Deian Gwynne teed up Steffan Emanuel for a second just five minutes later. Carwyn Leggatt-Jones added both conversions to give Wales a dream start.

But reigning champions South Africa, chasing a third Junior World Championship title, responded emphatically.

Scrum-half Hendre Schoeman crossed under the posts on 12 minutes, and four minutes later a slick move – sparked by a clever chip from powerful centre Ethan Adams – ended with Adams himself touching down after fly-half Yaqeen Ahmed returned his pass.

Ahmed, playing his first game since a red card for South Africa A against Zimbabwe last month, converted both scores to level things up.

The Junior Boks then seized control. Siphosethu Mnebelele snapped up a try from the base of a ruck on 24 minutes, and Wales’ afternoon got tougher still when Jac Pritchard was sin-binned for a side entry.

Heinrich Theron powered over just before half-time, and South Africa continued the rout two minutes into the second half through a powerful Risima Khosa try, with Ahmed converting both to make it 33 unanswered points.

Wales did find a foothold when South Africa lost Cheswill Jooste to a deliberate knock-on, and Osian Lewis capitalised soon after, finishing off a short pass from Leggatt-Jones, who added the extras.

Liam Van Wyk restored the Boks’ momentum with a driving-maul try on 52 minutes, only for Tom Bowen to hit back with a blistering score four minutes later and cut the gap to 38-26.

Any hope of a Welsh comeback was snuffed out as Van Wyk added his second try on 61 minutes, before Mnebelele crashed over five minutes later – both converted by Ahmed to put the result beyond doubt.

Mnebelele was later sin-binned for a shoulder making contact with a Wales player’s head, and Wales had the final word through full-back Lewis Edwards, with Lloyd Lucas converting in stoppage time.

The result sends South Africa through to the semi-finals as Pool A winners, while Wales will face Australia in the semi-finals of the ‘fifth place bracket.’

“I’m incredibly proud of the boys,” Wales Under-20s head coach Richard Whiffin said.

“We spoke about swinging the bat and we certainly saw that, scoring five tries and having two disallowed.

“We were brave with the ball but the Junior Boks were very clinical when they got in the 22.”

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