OLD Monmothian George Tuckley and Abergavenny-born Evan Minto have helped Wales to a top-five play-off place in the Junior World U20s Rugby Championship in Georgia.

The Dragons duo started against the host nation at prop and back-row respectively in their tournament opener, where Wales just held on to win 25-24 after suffering two late yellow cards.

A late penalty-try for the hosts set up a barnstorming finish as they pressed for a winner.

And they looked to have found it when replacement back row Irakli Kolbaia carried a host of red jerseys with him as he rumbled over from 10m out, only for the referee to eventually rule he had been held up over the line.

Both Dragons then came off the bench in a comprehensive 47-0 win over Uruguay before starting in a brave 52-31 defeat at the hands of defending champions South Africa.

Then Wales with Minto starting beat Australia 38-36 in dramatic fashion for a first southern scalp since beating New Zealand seven years ago.

Wales had to play the last 20 minutes a man down after replacement Luke Evans’ yellow card was upgraded to a 20-minute red card.

Having overturned a 17-14 deficit, Wales were leading 31-22 ahead at that point but Australia’s dynamic ball players brought them right back into contention.

And the Junior Wallabies thought they had won it with a 79th-minute breakaway try only for it to be chalked off after the TMO spotted a knock-on.

The win put Wales through to a fifth-sixth play-off with Scotland, who beat Argentina 44-26, in Tbilisi this Friday (July 17, kick-off 5.30pm BST).

And having beaten Scotland 31-21 at Cardiff Arms Park in February and 53-40 in a warm-up in Edinburgh last month, Wales will fancy their chances in their final match, with coach Richard Whiffin urging: “If we can beat Scotland it would mean four wins out of five with the only loss against South Africa.”