Replacement wing Deon Smith was the hero as Wales left it late to notch a dramatic win over England in the Under-20s Six Nations.
A contest characterised by attrition throughout, Wales had trailed by four with the clock running red before Smith went over in the corner.
England had controlled the second half, with Rusi Tuima’s score looking to be enough, but a late lapse gave Wales the chance and they took it emphatically.
A tightly fought opening to the match saw the sides separated by a single kick from the boot of Kieran Wilkinson, with defences ruling the roost and keeping chances at a premium.
But for a handful of promising breaks from both sides, it was a battle of big hits throughout the first half, each team going for it when handed attacking penalties rather than opting to bump their scores with kicks.
And that was how things stayed heading into the break, with the teams glad to get into the dressing rooms to pour over attacking strategies.
England burst out of the sheds and into the second 40, a half-time talking to seemingly serving them well, but couldn’t convert early ball into points as Wales held firm.
A quickfire break saw the ball spread wide to Connor Doherty, who fed Aaron Hinkley, but England’s drive was heroically held up over the line by solid Welsh rearguard action.
Out of nothing, Wales levelled, Cai Evans making it seven kicks from seven in the Championship as he gratefully converted a penalty.
Wilkinson got the chance to regain England’s lead almost immediately from distance, but his effort from distance shaded wide.
And Wales snatched the chance to take a first advantage of the match when they ceded good field position in favour of the points as Evans split the posts for 6-3.
But with ten minutes left on the clock, England forced the breakthrough, Tuima on hand after Tom de Glanville had slipped through the Welsh line, and the big back row did the rest.
England thought they’d wrapped things up when Connor Doherty crossed, but the play was called back upon inspection when Hinkley was adjudged to be offside.
A moment of madness from Doherty as he drove over the ruck saw Wales kick long with the match on the line, a line-out well gathered and the drive was on.
The initial effort was in vain, but the hosts bided their time before spotting their numbers out left, with Smith diving over to send the home crowd wild.
