Corey Baldwin’s double helped power Wales to an impressive opening-night win over Scotland in the Under-20s Six Nations, getting their campaign off to the perfect start.
Jason Strange’s men did the damage in the first half, first through Harri Morgan’s score inside five minutes and then with follow-up scores for Joe Goodchild and Baldwin.
Scotland’s only points in the first 40 came through a penalty from Paddy Dewhirst but an improved showing after the break resulted in a scoreless third quarter.
Cai Evans extended Wales’ lead with a penalty and with 10 minutes remaining openside flanker Dan Davies burrowed over to secure the bonus point, with Baldwin completing his double late on to ice the cake.
Wales got off to the perfect start with a spell of pressure that saw Callum Carson break a tackle inside the opposition 22 before offloading for the lurking Morgan to go in under the posts.
Scotland rallied and were eventually rewarded for their efforts on 20 minutes when full-back Dewhirst split the sticks with a penalty attempt from 30 metres out.
But from then on it was all Wales, with a superb break from Ryan Conbeer leading to Goodchild’s neat finish in the corner a couple of phases later.
The home side’s third try was a thing of beauty, with fly-half Ben Jones chipping into the middle of the pitch with the outside of his boot – leaving Baldwin to collect and race away to the posts.
The visitors tightened up after the break with play moving back and forth until minute 57 when Welsh full-back Evans made a superb break to race away to the corner and offload to Max Williams, who couldn’t quite make it over the line.
Evans then struck the first points of the second half, stroking over a lovely penalty from distance just after the hour mark.
Stevie Scott’s side kept Wales out for another 10 minutes as they attempted to prevent the bonus-point try, but Davies’ powerful drive for the line earnt the crucial try for the hosts.
Wales weren’t done there though and three minutes from time Baldwin completed his double to put the seal on an emphatic result, crashing over the line at pace from three metres out.
