Wales have beaten Scotland three times in rugby league today, scoring seven tries in each game.
Ian Golden reported on the U16s and Students wins, with Eleanor Wilds at the U18 victory. Pics: Mark Stringer (U16s), Eleanor Wilds (U18s), David Butler (Students).
STUDENTS – SCOTLAND 10 WALES 34
Clive Griffiths made a welcome return to where it all started for him as a head coach, with Wales Students, coaching them to a 34-10 win over Scotland in the opening match of the Student Four Nations at the University of Nottingham.
It was Wales Students’ first international win since they returned after the pandemic in 2023, and after losing the last five matches, one with their heaviest ever defeat and two more in the top ten losses, this win, orchestrated almost perfectly from start to finish, was a welcome sight.
It was Griffiths’ 69th match in charge of a Wales side, the 44th for the Students, previously coaching them from 1988-92 and 2008-13. He had also famously coached Wales men 25 times from 1991-2000.
The win set the standard for what will be a tough week for Wales Students as they face England on Wednesday and Ireland on Saturday.
It didn’t start well for Wales. Jacob Holt gave Scotland the lead in the eighth minute with an unconverted try.
Wales soon levelled thanks to an excellent run by Lewis Ingram and then took the lead when Finlay Northrop grounded in the corner.
Thomas Moore scored Wales’ third try, brilliantly running onto his own grubber kick.
None of the tries so far had been converted, the strong wind on the very open university field affecting the accuracy, so Wales went into half-time 12-4 up.
The Welsh opened the second half well when Lewis Howells scored in the corner after ten minutes. Moore landed the first successful kick of the game to put the score onto 18-4.
From kick-off, Leo Jones went over in the opposite corner for Wales’ fifth try. It went unconverted but Wales now had a healthy three-try cushion.
James Tufnell used his strength to get a try back for Scotland, which Ethan Yarold improved, before being sent off minutes later for instigating a brawl. Wales’ Connor Thomas was yellow carded for his involvement.
With more open spaces, Wales soon scored again. Moore slipped through a gap to ground and convert himself.
Completing the rout was Ingram who turned on brilliant pace to run underneath the sticks for his second and Wales’ seventh try of the game. Moore converted.
1. Lewis Ingram (Swansea University)
2. Lewis Howells (University of Nottingham)
3. Eli Weekes (Swansea University)
4. Alex Naylor (Cardiff University)
5. Leo Jones (University of Exeter)
6. Llewellyn Hawkes (Cardiff University, co-captain)
7. Tom Moore (Swansea University)
8. Connor Thomas (Swansea University)
9. George Groves (Coleg y Cymoedd)
10. Alex Green (Coleg y Cymoedd)
11. Fin Northrop (Cardiff University)
12. Archie Whillock (Swansea University)
13. Mason Phillips (UCLAN, co-captain)
Subs:
14. Conor Madden (Swansea University)
15. Scott Simons (Cardiff Metropolitan University)
16. Iwan Stacey (University of Nottingham)
17. Mason Apsee (Coleg y Cymoedd)
18. Nat Cotton (Swansea University)
U16 – SCOTLAND 18 WALES 40
Wales beat Scotland 40-18 at Biggar RFC to go one step further to winning the U16 Four Nations title for the third season in a row.
The Welsh, coached by Paul Berry, go top of the U16 Four Nations table with that win, following England’s draw with Ireland, meaning a draw against the English in a fortnight will be enough to give Wales their third successive Four Nations title.
Just over two minutes had gone when Matthew Clatworthy raced through the centre to score Wales’ first try, converting it himself.
Scotland were soon level. Conor McGuiness made a darting run through the Welsh line and Ton Glover converted.
But from kick-off, Elis Thomas scored for Wales to give them the lead back. Clatworthy converted again.
Then, five minutes before half-time, Evan Williams was put through and he out-ran his markers to score. Clatworthy’s goal put the half-time score onto 18-6.
A long run from Harry Wrigglesworth extended Wales’ lead early in the second half. Clatworthy converted again.
But almost immediately, McGuinness raced away to score his and Scotland’s second try, again improved by Glover.
Wales continued to extend their lead, with tries from Tyler Mills, then Thomas again, the latter converted by Clatworthy.
But straight from kick-off again, Scotland got through, Will Barber getting a try back with Glover converting.
The last say went to Wales, Charlie Eatly scoring his side’s seventh try just before the end, Clatworthy adding the goal.
1. Scott Hewitt (Dewsbury Moor/Thornhill Community Academy)
2. Ioan Herbert (Bridgend Blue Bulls/Gowerton School)
3. Elis Thomas (Bridgend Blue Bulls/Gyfun Bro Dur)
4. Evan Benjamin (Bridgend Blue Bulls/Pencoed Comprehensive)
5. Harry Wrigglesworth (Swansea Rams/Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Myrddin)
6. Matthew Clatworthy (Bridgend Blue Bulls/Porthcawl Comprehensive)
7. Kelyn Jude-Hobbs (Torfaen Tigers/Croesyceiliog Comprehensive)
8. Will Mathers (Kippax Welfare/Castleford Academy)
9. Charlie Burrows (Torfaen Tigers/West Monmouth)
10. Tyler Mills (Crosfields ARLFC/Great Sankey)
11. Lewis Mathias (Crosfields ARLFC/Great Sankey)
12. Josh Harding (Aber Valley Wolves/Blackwood Comprehensive)
13. Ed Williams (Seaton Rangers/Cockermouth School)
Subs:
14. Zak Nottingham (West Wales Jets/Dyffryn Aman)
15. Rhys Wood (Aber Valley Wolves/Heolddu Comprehensive)
16. Ceirion Emment-Jones (Bridgend Blue Bulls/Gyfun Gymraeg Llangynwyd)
17. Eddie Ashman (Kippax Welfare/Harrogate Grammar)
18. Evan Williams (Torfaen Tigers/West Monmouth)
21. Noah Johnson (Aber Valley Wolves/Corpus Christi High School)
23. Charlie Eatly (West Wales Jets/Gyfun Y Strade)
U18 – SCOTLAND 20 WALES 34
Wales go into a winner-takes-all match against England next month in the final round of the U18 Four Nations Championship after beating Scotland 34-20 in a thriller at Grangemouth RUFC.
There were less than ten minutes on the clock when Alex Richardson scored a try to give Wales the lead and Kyson Rees added the conversion.
Scotland hit back on 15 minutes thanks to a Harrison Goldthorpe try. Shaun Callan converted to level the scores.
It wasn’t long before Wales regained the lead through an unconverted Evan Rowlands try, but Scotland went into the break 14-10 to the good due to tries from Harry Woodard and Max Erasmus.
Unfortunately for Wales, errors were costing them and Scotland capitalised. They increased their lead 10 minutes into the second half through an Isaac Maclean try that Callan converted.
But then two back-to-back tries from Wales turned the game around. First from Dan Wilds with Jack Wilcox converting before scoring a try of his own from kick-off. Gabrielson kicked the goal and Wales were 22-20 up.
Then with eight minutes to go, an Ethan Williams try increased Wales’ lead to 26-20. Gabrielson couldn’t convert so Wales were just one score ahead in the dying stages of the match.
And with the crowd cheering both sides along, it was Wales who sealed the game thanks to an excellent try from Oscar Jones just three minutes from the end, quickly followed up by Richardson’s second and Wales’ seventh as the final whistle blew.
Gary Dunn’s side will now face England in Widnes on Saturday 12th June as part of a double header with the U16s sides.
1. Ethan Williams (Cynon Valley Cavaliers)
2. Alex Richardson (Latchford Giants)
3. Evan Rowlands (North Wales Crusaders)
4. Rhodri Roberts (Swansea Rams)
5. Bobi Jones (Swansea Rams)
6. Josh Gabrielsen (Bridgend Blue Bulls)
7. Dan Wilds (Swansea Rams)
8. Ollie Bellavia-Walker (South Wales Jets)
9. Kyson Rees (Swansea Rams)
10. Reuben Malson (Torfaen Tigers)
11. Oscar Jones (Bridgend Blue Bulls)
12. Tom Underwood (South Wales Jets)
13. Charlie Thomas (Swansea Rams, capt)
Subs:
14. Olly Rees (Swansea Rams)
15. Ralf Roberts (Halton Farnworth Hornets/Salford Red Devils)
16. Cae Jones (Torfaen Tigers)
17. Rhys Hughes (Swansea Rams)
18. James Tucker (Swansea Rams)
19. Harley Smith (Cynon Valley Cavaliers)
20. Jack Wilcox (Swansea Rams)
