“We’ve got a new group, having lost a lot of players because of a January 1st birthday cut-off,” he explains, “but it’s great to see a lot more boys exposed to international competition. I was pleased with how it panned out, with the group performing better in the second half. They took on our messages and produced a reasonable performance.:
Horsman allows that there is a lot to work on after last night’s match, but adds that this is only to be expected with such a young group. “In terms of build-up, preparation in camp during the week, I think we got a lot out of it and we’ll benefit from tonight.”
The physical Scots were far from walk-overs, and Horsman says he was fully aware of the threats they would pose. “They lost to England but it was quite a close game, and we know how good England can be,” he says. “They played some good stuff, challenging us early on, particularly in the first 15, 20 minutes. But we regathered our composure and were able to implement our game plan and attacking strategy.”
The Welsh coaching set-up will rotate roles during the competition, and Horsman praised coach Danny Milton’s contribution to Wales’ defensive output as they kept the visitors scoreless in the second half. “The defence was excellent, and I think Danny has done a sterling job. With the role changes during the series, we’re challenging ourselves as much as the players.”
In earlier International Series action, England ran away with a 55-11 result against Canada at Taffs Well, while Ireland defeated Italy in a 39-23 thriller at the BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park.
Day Two of the International Series takes place this Wednesday in Parc y Scarlets, with Wales taking on Canada in the third and final match of the day. “There will be a bit of focus on improvement some of the things we did tonight, but it’s important that we not get fixated on things that didn’t go too well against Scotland or what the threats are of Canada,” Horsman says. “It’s about building and progressing and steadily towards how we want to perform and how we want the players to develop.”
U18 International Series, Day Two – Wednesday 12th April, Parc y Scarlets
Scotland v Italy (15:30)
England v Ireland (17:15)
Wales v Canada (19:35)
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