Australia U20s have gone down to New Zealand in their final game of the inaugural TRC U20 tournament.
Queenslander Will McCulloch shone for the hosts with a second half double but it wasn't enough as the visitors rallied late to emerge 36-25 victors and claim the title.
Re-live all the action from TRC U20 on Stan Sport.
Australia drew first blood via a Harry McLaughlin-Phillips penalty in the fourth minute to lead 3-0. McLaughlin-Phillips remained a prominent figure early doors, forcing a ruck turnover to shut down a promising New Zealand attack while Angus Staniforth and Xavier Rubens created chances downfield.
However the visitors defended their line grimly and would go on to post the first try at Sunshine Coast Stadium with winger Stanley Solomon racing 40m to score down the left touch line after 17 minutes.
Australia struck back with another McLaughlin-Phillips penalty following a powerful scrum in the 30th minute but it was New Zealand with the last laugh before oranges as Solomon plucked an intercept and raced away for his second try to put his side ahead 12-5 at halftime.
The visitors struck again shortly after the break via halfback Dylan Pledger, who followed a Xavi Taele line break and backed up under the sticks to stretch New Zealand’s advantage 19-5.
Australia needed a spark and found it in flanker Dane Sawers, who burrowed over after 49 minutes following strong build-up from the hosts’ rolling maul.
Sawers’ try lit the fire for winger McCulloch, who laid on two tries in five blistering minutes down the left touchline to put Australia ahead 25-19.
The visitors hit back through hooker Manumaua Letiu with Rico Simpson’s conversion retaking the lead for New Zealand in the 70th minute.
A yellow card to lock Andrew Smith left New Zealand down a man for the final flurry but the Baby Blacks were undeterred, kicking a 72nd minute penalty to go up 29-25 before Taele scored his second try in the dying minutes.
Post-game, Australia skipper Toby Macpherson rued an inability to convert pressure to points.
"Proud of the boys effort but disappointed we didn't take our opportunities out there," Macpherson told rugby.com.au
"We just couldn't get that last pass. We created enough opportunities to lift that trophy and going into South Africa, that's going to be our work on."
