Late surge catches Ireland off guard

Under-21 World Cup: Ireland will play-off for ninth to 12th place in the Under-21 World Cup against Japan and either Canada or Italy after their disappointing pool campaign ended with a 30-19 defeat to Argentina at Iffley Road on Saturday. Gerry Thornley and Lorcan Mullally report.

The Pumas' victory ensured the semi-final line-up in Oxford on Wednesday will be an all-southern hemisphere affair.

Ireland had needed to win and score four tries, while in the process making up a 27-point differential on Wales and hoping Wales would gain nothing from their game against South Africa.

While South Africa were duly beating Wales 51-20 all seemed to be going well when Ireland scored two tries inside the first seven minutes, through Richard Lane and Ciaran Potts, and a third after 27 minutes by Niall Ronan to put them 19-5 ahead.

However, they conceded tries either side of the interval and then two late tries sealed victory for the Pumitas, who were orchestrated by outhalf Alfredo Cordone.

Argentinian team manager Carlos Lizarraga said: "We deserved our win and do not fear Australia in the semi-final. Our players are improving all the time and in Alfredo Cordone, our number 10, we have a man who can control the game and bring out the best in the team."

Ireland coach Michael Bradley said: "We are all obviously very disappointed to lose today. We had a great start and were in control but then gave away a soft try near the end of the first half and another immediately after the restart."

In the other half of the draw, the gulf in standards between the hemispheres at this tournament was underlined with another epic at Newbury where a late penalty by the Australian centre Mark Gerrard completed a dramatic 37-all draw after New Zealand had led by 24-0 at one point. That penalty edged out France, who had beaten England 21-15.

Argentina now face Australia, while South Africa play New Zealand in Wednesday's semi-finals at the Kassam Stadium, Oxford United's home ground.

Wales, England, Scotland and France will be playing off for the middle placings and, despite beating the Scots, Ireland are consigned to meeting Japan at Newbury Rugby Club on Wednesday, and the winners of that game and the Canada-Italy match will meet at Henley on Sunday for a final ranking of ninth.

SCORING SEQUENCE:

2 mins: Lane try, Rainey con, 7-0; 7: Potts try 12-0; 17: Bosch try, 12-5; 27: Ronan try, Rainey con, 19-5; 33: Guinazu try, Cordone con, 19-12. Half-time: 19-12. 41: Torres try, 19-17; 50: Cordone pen, 19-20; 77: Villanueva try, 19-25; 80: Bosch try, 19-30.

IRELAND: P O'Brien (UCC); R Lane (UCC), K Matthews (UL Bohs), G Telford (Instonians), J Hearty (Blackrock); M Rainey (Glasgow Hawks, Capt), F O'Loughlin (Shannon); J Moran (UCD), R Best (Belfast Harlequins), D Fitzpatrick (Belfast Harlequins), D Gannon (UCD), N McComb (Dundee Highschool), J Muldoon (Galwegians), C Potts (St Mary's), N Ronan (Lansdowne).

Replacements: C O'Loughlin (Buccaneers) for F O'Loughlin (20 mins), T Bowe (Queens University) for O'Brien (52 mins), E McGovern (Old Crescent) for Fitzpatrick (53 mins), S Crawford (UCD) for McComb (62 mins), D McAllister (Terenure) for Rainey (67 mins).

ARGENTINA: F Bosch; T de Vedia, J Ignicio Ghidara, M Lecot, L Villanueva; A Cordone, M Torres; E Guinazu, A Vernet Basualdo, J Gonzalez, E Lozada, P Zabloy, A Bordoy, J Ignicio Ghidara, A Galindo.

Replacements: M Ayerza, P Henn, F Barni, J M Leguizamon, A Lalanne, G Graco, H San Martin.

POOLS A/D

P W D L F A B P

South Africa 3 3 0 0 188 58 3 15

Argentina 3 2 0 1 110 56 3 11

Wales 3 2 0 1 82 87 1 9

Scotland 3 1 0 2 68 77 2 6

Ireland 3 1 0 2 67 81 0 4

Canada 3 0 0 3 42 198 0 0

POOLS B/C

P W D L F A B P

Australia 3 2 1 0 115 64 3 13

New Zealand 3 2 1 0 124 74 2 12

France 3 2 0 1 78 49 2 10

England 3 1 0 2 107 76 2 6

Italy 3 1 0 2 59 92 1 5

Japan 3 0 0 3 51 177 1 1

RESULTS:

DAY 1: South Africa 36-27 Ireland; Argentina 62-13 Canada; Scotland 19-37 Wales; Australia 52-22 England; France 34-7 Italy; Japan 14-61 New Zealand.

DAY 2: South Africa 102-10 Canada; Argentina 18-24 Wales; Scotland 15-21 Ireland; Australia 24-5 Italy; France 23-26 New Zealand; Japan 3-69 England;

SATURDAY: South Africa 50-21 Wales; Argentina 30-19 Ireland; Scotland 34-19 Canada; Australia 37-37 New Zealand; France 21-16 England; Japan 34-47 Italy;

SCHEDULE:

(Matches to be played on Wednesday)

Semi-finals: South Africa v New Zealand, Kassam Stadiium (3.00); Argentina v Australia, Kassam Stadium (7.00).

5th-8th play-offs: Wales v England, Henley (3.00); Scotland v France, Henley (7.00).

9th-12th play-offs: Ireland v Japan, Newbury (5.00); Canada v Italy, Newbury (7.30).