Young Dragons roar into the last four

Eli Walker, Matthew Morgan and Ross Jones all scored first half tries as a rampant Wales team strolled to the semi-finals of the Junior World Championship with a comfortable 74-3 triumph over Samoa at the University of Western Cape Stadium.

Friday’s shock win over four time winners New Zealand, their first defeat in the competition since its formation in 2008, had put Wales in the driving seat for the last four but nobody expected Wales to progress so convincingly.

Another Ospreys product, Tom Prydie, amassed 29 points, the Dragons bound winger touching down for two tries and converting eight of the 11 tries scored by a rampant Welsh side. He also added a penalty as Wales reached the semi-finals of the tournament for the first time since the 2008 tournament which was held in Wales.

The young Dragons already had one foot in the semi-final at halftime, leading 25-3 having crossed for four tries and once Cory Allen dummied his way over shortly after the break, there was no way back for Samoa.

Wales dominated from the outset with their scrum on top throughout. It was from their set piece Wales scored their first try after driving the Samoan scrum backwards at a rate of knots. Scrum half Tom Habberfield drifted left before off-loading to Eli Walker who dived over.

In the 11th minute full back Fomai Ah Ki pegged back three points with a short-range penalty but that was cancelled out almost immediately with Prydie chipping over.

Matthew Morgan danced over from close range after the forwards went through the phases patiently. Prydie's conversion put Wales 15-3 ahead.

The Samoan set-piece was clearly struggling with the front row warned as early as the 20th minute to stop bringing the scrums down.

Wales were dominant and then scored a try straight from the training ground. The ball was hit up by the forwards and then passed smoothly through the backline to Prydie who simply dotted down in the corner.

Wales didn't have to wait long to score their next try with the impressive full back Ross Jones scoring in the same corner after another slick attack.

With the elements in their favour after the interval, Wales continued to enjoy themselves with centres Cory Allen and Thomas Pascoe touching down for converted tries to stretch the lead to 39-3.

Prydie then hoovered up a loose pass to convert his own try as Wales made a raft of changes but it didn't disrupt their progress.

Samoa prop Andrew Broomhall received a yellow card and from the very next scrum replacement back row Ellis Jenkins was on hand to dot down.

That was followed by Gareth Thomas who ploughed over from five metres. Ieuan Jones and Darren Harries then completed the rout as Wales maintained their tempo right up until the final whistle.

Wales scorers
Tries: Walker, Morgan, Prydie (2), Jones, Allen, Pascoe, Jenkins, Thomas, Jones, Harris; Con: Prydie (8); Pen: Prydie

Samoa:

Pen - Ah Ki