Dan Edwards gave Wales a needed summer marker as Steve Tandy’s side beat the Barbarians 33-31 at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, on a day framed by George North’s final act in professional rugby.
The result followed Friday’s Wales vs Barbarians preview and carried more edge than the fixture’s exhibition label. Wales led 14-5 at half-time after Kieran Hardy’s early score and Edwards’ first try, then pushed clear when the Ospreys fly-half struck again shortly after the restart.
Edwards control gives Wales a cleaner lesson
Official match data listed Wales’ tries through Hardy, Edwards twice, Reuben Morgan-Williams and Ellis Mee, with Edwards and Sam Costelow adding the conversions. Aaron Wainwright was named player of the match after anchoring a Wales back row that had to keep working as the Barbarians chase came late.
North, confirmed by Barbarian F.C. to be ending a 16-year career in this fixture, came off the bench and scored twice against the country he represented 121 times. His second, followed by Santiago Arata’s stoppage-time try and North’s last conversion, dragged the final margin back to two points.
North farewell keeps the afternoon in perspective
Wales will take the win, but the emotional centre belonged to North. Barbarian F.C. had billed the afternoon as a fitting finale for a player with four Six Nations titles, two Grand Slams and two British and Irish Lions tours behind him.
For Tandy, the sharper point is Edwards. In a loose, hot-weather fixture, he still gave Wales repeat scoreboard impact and another reason to keep the fly-half conversation live before the next block of internationals.
Sources: Autumn Internationals match centre, Barbarian F.C..
