The side lost 27-5 in Saint Gaudens, south west France, conceding three tries to one for Blues scrum half Tomos Williams – but despite the reverse, Wales are confident they are on the right track to developing as a team and as individuals.
Coach co-ordinator Allan Lewis said, “We can’t fault the efforts of our players in the face of a very strong French side. We tackled well and showed huge commitment but if there’s one thing to learn from the game it will be that when we have possession, we must make that count, even in our own half.”
Defence coach Richard Hodges added, “Ironically, this was probably our best defensive performance, including our win over England. However, there were errors in our attempts to turn defence into attack and we have to work on that.
“However, there is no better opportunity to bounce back than the prospect of a home match in two weeks’ time. Ireland are a team on the up at the momen. They beat France and narrowly lost to England so it promises to be an exciting encounter at Eirias with our home support behind us.”
Flanker Ollie Griffiths said, “There is a lot of disappointment among the players about the result and performance – France put us under a lot of pressure. However, we said immediately after the game that this is what it’s all about – this is a huge learning curve for us and playing in matches like that in front of a big crowd is how we’re going to improve as individuals and as a team. The World Rugby Under 20 Championship is our ultimate goal and Ireland in two weeks’ time, at Colwyn Bay provides a great opportunity to show what we are capable of.”
