Junior World Championship

South Africa (26) 52

Tries: Schoeman, Adams, Mnebelele 2, Theron, Khosa, van Wyk 2 Cons: Ahmed 6

Wales (14) 31

Tries: C James, Emanuel, Darwin-Lewis, Bowen, Edwards Cons: Leggatt-Jones 3, Lucas

Tenacious Wales were overpowered by eight-try South Africa in the shoot-out for the Junior World Championship semi-finals.

Richard Whiffin’s Wales side set up a shot at the last four by beating tournament hosts Georgia and Uruguay, but a meeting with the reigning champions meant a step up in class.

The Junior Springboks responded to a fast Welsh start at Avchala Stadium to book a place in the last four in the defence of their title.

Flanker Caio James and centre Steffan Emanuel scored tries in the first half for Wales and were followed over by centre Osian Darwin-Lewis, wing Tom Bowen and full-back Lewis Edwards in a spirited showing.

But South Africa turned on the power to avoid an upset, finishing with five tries from driving line-outs.

Wales, who were chasing a spot in the semi-finals for the first time since 2013, now drop into the play-offs for places fifth to eight.

The Welsh youngsters will take on Australia first on Sunday, 12 July (17:30 BST), with a final game to follow against either Argentina or Scotland.

They made a rapid start in Tbilisi and struck first through a driving line-out in the fourth minute, flanker James reaching over and Carwyn Leggatt-Jones adding the touchline conversion from the right.

It was 14-0 after 10 minutes thanks to Emanuel crashing over from captain and flanker Deian Gwynne’s cute pass.

South Africa responded with 26 unanswered points to be in control at the break.

They were level by the 18th minute thanks to tries by scrum-half Hendre Schoeman and centre Ethan Adams, both converted by Yaqeen Ahmed.

A pair of driving line-out scores earned their four-try bonus point, with hooker Siphosethu Mnebelele and lock Heinrich Theron going over.

Those tries came either side of a yellow card for prop Jac Pritchard, who paid the price for too many team infringements.

A brutal finish in the 43rd minute by blind-side flanker Risima Khosa, part of an all-Lions back row, showed there would be no South African complacency.

But back came Wales after wing Cheswill Joose – going up against fellow United Rugby Championship (URC) breakthrough prospect Bowen – was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on.

The TMO denied lock Will Evans a try after spotting a knock-on but Leggatt-Jones put Darwin-Lewis over and converted to make it 33-21 with half an hour to go.

South Africa responded with another try from a driving line-out, this time by replacement hooker Liam van Wyk, before a Welsh cracker by Bowen from Darwin Lewis’ offload.

That score earned Wales a bonus but the spoils were secured through another driving score by Van Wyk that made it 45-26 in the 62nd minute.

A similar try followed by Mnebelele as South Africa passed a half-century before Wales finished on the front foot and scored their fifth through full-back Edwards with the help of a two-man advantage.

Wales Under-20s head coach Richard Whiffin said: “I’m incredibly proud of the boys. We spoke about swinging the bat and we certainly saw that, scoring five tries and having two disallowed.

“We were brave with the ball but the Junior Boks were very clincial when they got in the 22.”

Wales Under-20s: Lewis Edwards (Ospreys); Rhys Cummings (Cardiff), Osian Darwin-Lewis (Cardiff), Steffan Emanuel (Cardiff), Tom Bowen (Cardiff); Carwyn Leggatt-Jones (Scarlets), Sion Davies (Cardiff); George Tuckley (Dragons), Tom Howe (Cardiff), Jac Pritchard (Scarlets), Will Evans (Scarlets), Tom Cottle (Cardiff), Deian Gwynne (Gloucester, capt), Caio James (Gloucester), Evan Minto (Dragons).

Replacements: Oscar Thomas (Bath), Dylan James (Ospreys), Yestyn Cook (Scarlets), Luke Evans (Exeter), Osian Williams (Bristol), Alex Ridgway (Bath), Cai Gealy (Bristol), Lloyd Lucas (Cardiff).

Yellow card: Pritchard 30.