Ireland risk being relegated from the World Cup championship after losing 29-45 to Scotland. Noel MacNamara's men will now face off against either Georgia or Japan to secure their World Cup fate for next year.
Harry Byrne and Peter Sylvester got Ireland off to a great start with two converted tries, with Sylvester running on from a clever grubber from Byrne to touch down:
➡️ to match pic.twitter.com/4BMQI6G8Od
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) June 12, 2018
But Scotland hit back with two tries from Finlay Richardson to leave the scores at 14-17 to the Scots.
??????? How about the support play from @Scotlandteam U20's, as Finlay Richardson finishes off a dynamic team try against @IrishRugby at the #WorldRugbyU20s pic.twitter.com/r5ioo7LFhQ
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) June 12, 2018
The Scots would go on to boss the rest of the first half with Logan Trotter scoring another try with Irish scrum-half Hugh O’Sullivan in the sin bin, to leave the scores at 24-17 at the break.
It was to get worse for Ireland in the second half as Guy Graham and a Kyle Rowe touched down to push the score out to 38-17. Rowe's try in particular showing Scotland's flair in attack:
.@Scotlandteam score fantastic team try against Ireland as they secure qualification for next year's #WorldRugbyU20s pic.twitter.com/5lxAtmilhQ
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) June 12, 2018
Ireland and Scotland then exchanged tries through Tommy O’Brien & Devante Onojaife, and Jack Daly also managed to touch down to add some gloss to the scoreline at 29-45, but Ireland will need to go back to the drawing board after a disappointing World Cup campaign that has seen them lose all four of their pool games so far.
The result means that if Ireland fail to secure victory against either Georgia and Japan, who are currently in action, they will be relegated into the the depressingly named World Trophy.
After the game captain Caelen Doris cited ill discipline as one of the main reasons for the defeat:
? REACTION: @IrishRugby U20's Captain, Caelan Dorris spoke after his sides defeat to @Scotlandteam 45 - 29 at the #WorldRugbyU20s pic.twitter.com/O4yQ4UsIi3
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) June 12, 2018
