France U20 v Wales U20, Stade de la Rabine, Vannes
France U20 (21)
Tries: Akrab 2, Pacome, Mousques 2, Brau Boirie, Taccola, Llaveria, Jabea Njocke Cons: Jurd 9
Wales U20 (12)
Tries: Boshoff, Thomas 2 Cons: Wilde, Ford
Both sides were shown yellow cards in the first half - to France's Antoine Deliance and Wales's Harry Beddall - but only the hosts managed to score with a man down when hooker Lyam Akrab went over on the stroke of half time.
That was Akrab's second try, the Montpellier forward having already touched down in the opening minutes of the match, followed by a try from fullback Ugo Pacome approaching the half-hour. Wales scored two tries by wing Aidan Boshoff and hooker Harry Thomas to keep them within reach of France in the first half.
But it was the second half where things began to unravel for the visitors, and France came into their own: winger Xan Mousques scoring a brace either side of a try by replacement back Fabien Brau Boirie. To make matters worse for Wales, opposition fly-half Diego Jurd simply could not miss from the tee, suggesting we could be watching the next Thomas Ramos in action.
Thomas scored again for Wales on the hour to show there was still life left in Richard Whiffin's team after watching France run up a big score, but Les Bleuets wasted little time in extinguishing any feel-good factor as Nathan Llaveria scored a try that Jurd converted for a 100% success rate with the tee.
With 80 minutes on the clock, replacement prop Edouard-Junior Jabea Njocke ensured Jurd's record remained flawless when he powered over for a try under the sticks.
REACTION FROM THE FRENCH CAMP:
Lyam Akrab: "I was thrilled to give my best, and the whole team is really happy. We struggled in the first half - I don’t think we were at our best. But in the second half, we got the right messages and got back on track. The first game is always crucial to show what you’re capable of."
Xan Mousques: "It was tough at the end. I took a few hard knocks, but I’m fine. We’ve got six days to recover. We started well, but the first half was really difficult. We struggled to find our rhythm and bring energy into the game. In the second half, we came back with a lot more ambition and pace. The final score was a bit heavy, but that’s okay. With a new staff, it’s important for us to build connections and bring energy. Playing good matches consistently will help us grow together."
Player of the Match Robin Taccola: "It’s incredible to have the chance to play on home soil wearing this French jersey. Of course, there’s the medal, but it’s mainly thanks to the work of the whole team. It’s about the individual within the collective. I hope this sets the tone for a great Championship. With Xan and Corentin, we have a bit of experience, but at the U20 level, it’s a new group every year. We wanted to integrate smoothly and bring our experience to the table. The squad is top-notch, and we hope to go as far as possible together."
