Sam Costelow's try worthy of Barry John at his best. Pic: Getty Images.

Costelow’s Stunning Try A Throwback To Golden Era For U18s

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Wales beat England 26-20, and by the convincing margin of four tries to two, in their latest outing in the Aon Under 18 International Festival in South Africa.

If it was a tactically mature performance, the lopsided penalty count probably made life far harder than it might have been for Chris Horsman’s talented young side. In the end Wales conceded 12 penalties to England’s three and suffered as a result in the middle third of the game.

But when they had the ball, and were in full flow, they played some great rugby with the latest Pencoed product now exiled in Leicester, outside half Sam Costelow, playing a starring role.

Last year it was Tigers recruit Tommy Reffell who helped Wales to victories over SA Schools and England in Cape Town before going on to lead Wales Under 20 at the Junior World Championships this summer.

Costelow’s distribution and kicking were excellent and he scored a try that Barry John, Phil Bennett or Jonathan Davies would have been pleased with in their pomp.

Receiving 25 metres out from the English posts in a central position he spotted a miss match in midfield, glided through the gap before side-stepping the final defender to go in unopposed under the crossbar.

He had already converted the opening try of the game from another outstanding prospect, Coleg Sir Gar and Ospreys hooker Cameron Lewis, and he went on to added the extras to the fourth and final try from Glantaf and Blues lock Teddy Williams, the son of the former Wales No 8 Owain Williams.

A George Barton penalty from 30 metres after offside at a ruck finally got England off the mark, but Wales hit straight back with their third try. This time it was the Sir Gar and Scarlets centre Osian Knott who raced clear to score in the right corner to make it 19-3.

England finally found their feet and Barton skipped past two defenders to cross from a try at the posts which he also converted to cut the gap to nine points at the break. The English forwards were far more direct in the second half and denied Wales possession for long periods, but the Welsh defence stood firm.

The only problem for the Welsh side was the stream of penalties they were conceding.

When lock Jac Price conceded his side’s ninth penalty of the game in the 46th minute for not releasing in the tackle it gave Barton another shot at goal and he made it 19-13. Leicester Tigers lock George Martin then threw an outrageous dummy to almost reach the line, but good defence kept him out.

Wales reasserted their authority with a fourth try that had its origins in a 20 metre driving maul. England conceded a penalty, Wales kicked to the corner and after securing the line-out moved the opposing defence from right to left and back again for Williams to bag the try.

Costelow added a superb wide-angled conversion and not even a second English try at the posts by replacement prop Harvey Beaton, which Tom Curtis improved, could save them from a second successive defeat following their 41-21 reverse to France in their opening fixture.

Scorers: Wales U18: Tries: Cameron Lewis, Sam Costelow, Osian Knott, Teddy Williams; Cons: Sam Costelow. England U18: Tries: George Barton, Harvey Beaton; Cons: George Barton, Tom Curtis; Pens: George Barton 2.
Wales U18: Ioan Lloyd (Clifton/Bristol/Exiles); Harri Doel (Sir Gar/Scarlets), Osian Knott (Sir Gar/Scarlets), Aneurin Owen (Ysgol Gwynllyw/Dragons), Louis Rees-Zammit (Hartpury/Gloucester/Exiles); Sam Costelow (Oakham/Leicester Tigers/Exiles), Ellis Bevan (Bryanston/Exiles); Callum Williams (Maes y Gwendraeth/Scarlets), Cameron Lewis (Sir Gar/Ospreys), Ben Warren (Cymoedd/Cardiff Blues), Teddy Williams (Glantaf/Blues), Jac Price (Coleg Sir Gar/Scarlets), Oliver White (Llandovery College), Jac Morgan (Sir Gar/Scarlets, captain), Carwyn Tuipulotu (Sedburgh/Scarlets)
Reps: Llew Phillips-Taylor (Sir Gar/Scarlets), Luke Yendle (Newport HS/Dragons), Garyn Phillips (Coleg Gwent/Dragons), Archie Griffin (Marlborough/Bath/Exiles), Rob Brookson (Coleg Gwent/Dragons), Ioan Davies (Cymoedd/Blues), Morgan French (Bromsgrove/Worcester/Exiles), Dan Babos (Dragons Academy/Dragons), Evan Lloyd (Coleg Gwent/Dragons), Ewan Rosser (Coleg Gwent/Dragons), Morgan Richards (Newport HS/Dragons), Joe Roberts (Sir Gar/Scarlets)
England U18; Will Haydon-Wood (Newcastle Falcons /Sedbergh); Jack Bates (Bristol Bears / SGS Filton), Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks / Wirral Grammar), Phil Cokanasiga (London Irish / St Pauls College), Josh Gillespie (Northampton Saints / Millfield); George Barton (Gloucester / Dean Close), Raffi Quirke (Sale Sharks / St Ambrose College); Rowan Mullis (Gloucester / Hartpury College), Sam Riley (Harlequins / St George’s Weybridge), Jack Hughes (Northampton Saints / Uppingham), George Hammond (Harlequins / Whitgift), Chunya Munga (London Irish / Leighton Park School), Archie Smeaton (Yorkshire Carnegie / Hymers College), Fin Rossiter (London Irish / Wellington College, captain), Jack Clement (Gloucester Rugby / Cheltenham College)
Reps: Alfie Barbeary (Wasps / Bloxham), James Whitcombe (Leicester Tigers / Woodhouse Grove), Harvey Beaton (Saracens / Sutton Valence), George Martin (Leicester Tigers / Brooksby Melton College), Harry Dugmore (Harlequins / Whitgift), Nahum Merigan (Bath / Beechen Cliff School), Callum Pascoe (Northampton Saints / Millfield), Tom Curtis (Sale Sharks / Sedbergh), Josh Hallett (Saracens / New Hall School), Louis Lynagh (Harlequins / Hampton School), Lennox Anyanwu (Harlequins / Christ’s Hospital)

Aon U18 International Series
Friday, 10 August
England 21-41 France
SA Schools 43-40 Wales
Tuesday, 14 August
Wales 26-20 England
SA Schools v France
Saturday, 18 August
France v Wales
SA Schools v England

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