New Zealand 25
Ireland 3
NIGEL CAROLAN’S IRELAND Under 20s side lost their first game of the Junior World Championship campaign as New Zealand proved too strong in this pool decider.
With both sides boasting two wins from two, the Wolfpuppies started the game in solid fashion, limiting errors and forcing the ‘Baby Blacks’ to play out from their own half.
However, after out-half Joey Carbery slotted the opening score on his third attempt off the tee, New Zealand showed the potency of their attack.
Scrum-half Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi sniped and stepped cover defenders to go within a inch of the try-line after 18 minutes. Though Ireland held him short, the danger was far from over. Hurricanes number 10 Otere Black flung a beautiful long pass to his left and the prolific Tevita Li finished.
Black was unable to add the touchline conversion, but even so, a two-point deficit after a spirited first quarter was a huge blow to Irish hopes.
Black would add another straightforward penalty, but his side continued to struggle for momentum. Too often they went wide or attempted a break as a first option, despite Joshua Goodhue threatening to dominate the tight exchanges.
Ireland lost captain Nick McCarthy to injury six minutes before half-time, meaning Charlie Rock will see out the tournament as number nine and Ireland are now shorn of the half-back pairing they had hoped to play throughout this tournament.
Sean McNulty tackled by Akira Ioane
Black kicked a 37 metre penalty to give New Zealand an 11 – 3 half-time lead, Ireland were still in touch, but only for four minutes after the restart.
The floodgates never quite opened, however Ireland’s challenge was burnt off when Li skipped past would-be tacklers to ground the ball under the posts.
Openside Blake Gibson provided the third try, though later than he would have hoped. The number seven was guilty of a knock-on 10 metres out on the left flank after a big carry from Atunaisa Moli. He made up for that error soon after though, tucking the ball under his arm and driving for the corner after a destructive black maul.
Black added the conversion to give the Kiwis a 25 – 3 lead and that’s the way it stayed, Ireland unable to stage a late rally yet fighting long enough to prevent the Kiwis claiming a winning bonus point.
The result pits the Baby Blacks against France in the semi-finals, with England up against a South Africa side fresh from trouncing Australia.
Ireland meanwhile, are aiming for a fifth place finish.
The Wolfpuppies take on Wales in a 5th place semi-final on Monday for the right to face Australia or Scotland in the 5th/6th play-off.
Scorers
New Zealand
Tries: T Li (2), B Gibson
Conversions O Black (2)
Penalties: O Black (2)
Ireland
Penaltys: J Carbery
NEW ZEALAND U20: Luteru Laulala (Canterbury); Tevita Li (North Harbour), Jack Goodhue (Canterbury), Nathaniel Apa (Canterbury), Vincent Tavae-Aso (Auckland); Otere Black (Manawatu), Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (Taranaki);
Isileli Tu’ungafasi (Auckland), Liam Polwart (Auckland), Atunaisa Moli (Waikato) (capt), Joshua Goodhue (Canterbury), Hamish Dalzell (Canterbury), James Blackwell (Wellington), Blake Gibson (Auckland), Akira Ioane (Auckland).
Replacements: Ricky Riccitelli (Hawke’s Bay), Aidan Ross (Bay of Plenty), Tau Koloamatangi (Waikato), Mitchell Dunshea (Canterbury), Henry Stowers (Wellington), Harrison Levien (Waikato), Tinoai Faiane (Auckland), Mitchell Hunt (Auckland).
IRELAND U-20: Billy Dardis (UCD/Leinster); Jack Owens (Queen’s University Belfast/Ulster), Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster), Sam Arnold (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Jacob Stockdale (Queen’s University Belfast/Ulster); Joey Carbery (UCD/Leinster), Nick McCarthy (UCD/Leinster) (capt);
Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster), Sean McNulty (UCD/Leinster), Oisin Heffernan (Terenure College/Leinster), David O’Connor (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Alex Thompson (Queen’s University Belfast/Ulster), Josh Murphy (UCD/Leinster), Rory Moloney (Buccaneers/Connacht), Lorcan Dow (Queen’s University Belfast/Ulster).
Replacements: Adam McBurney (Ballymena/Ulster), Liam O’Connor (Cork Constitution/Munster), Conan O’Donnell (Sligo/NUIG/Connacht), Cian Romaine (Buccaneers/Connacht), Stephen McVeigh (Buccaneers/Connacht), Charlie Rock (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Tomás Quinlan (Cork Constitution/Munster), Fergal Cleary (Lansdowne/Leinster).
Referee: Matthew Carley (England)
