Wales boss Byron Hayward hailed the “outstanding” Oli Andrew after his two tries helped see off Scotland 45-15 in the Six Nations Under-20 Summer Series.

Andrew scored the first of Wales’ seven tries after just three minutes and added a crucial fourth on the stroke of half-time to take the score to 24-5.  

It was another impressive performance from the Dragons flyer, having already shown great potential in Wales’ Six Nations campaign.

“That game for Oli today was absolutely outstanding,” said Hayward.

“He hasn’t played for the last couple of months because he’s been injured, and he’s missed a lot of the tail end of the season.

“For him to come back, he’s only been in full training for two weeks, and for him to put in a performance like that is exceptional, absolutely outstanding.”

The 19-year-old set the tone for a dominant Welsh display with an emphatic run and finish for his first score.

He collected a slightly wayward cross-field kick and hurtled towards the try line, out-muscling the Scottish defence to touch down despite an abundance of pressure.

He then finished off a great team move for Wales’ fourth, as they kickstarted their summer in Treviso with an assured performance ahead of games against Italy and Georgia.

“He’s a very, very important player for us,” said Hayward.

“I was really happy and impressed with his work rate off the ball, things that go unnoticed by the average person watching the game, but we certainly notice them.

“I was chuffed for him. 

"He’s a powerful runner and he’s a finisher, he’s proven that for Newport.

“Hopefully that’ll boost his confidence now after a game like that, getting the ball in his hands is a priority for us.”

Despite the result, Hayward feels that Wales have a way to go before they reach their best.

But he was delighted with his side’s bright start, having gone 10-0 down to the same opposition in the Six Nations before an Alex Mann inspired comeback.   

“We won with a really good last 20 minutes then,” said Hayward, reflecting on the improved start against Scotland.  

“But we played in fits and starts today. When we did put it together we looked really good. We looked quick and we looked clinical. 

“I’m very happy with the result and the scoreline.

“But no disrespect to Scotland, if they were more clinical that would have been a far closer game.”

The Six Nations Under-20 Summer Series takes place from 24 June – 12 July. Fans can watch every match live. For more information visit: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJHm6BFw-9JRA1CMekNLwMg