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Ireland U20s snatch draw against England with late try

Updated / Friday, 8 Mar 2024 22:51
Flanker Bryn Ward was one of Ireland's standout performers
Flanker Bryn Ward was one of Ireland's standout performers

England U20 32-32 Ireland U20

Ireland's hopes of a third successive U20 Six Nations Grand Slam title are over, but Richie Murphy's side can still retain the championship, after a dramatic 32-32 draw away to England.

Luke Murphy's try in the final play of the game, which was converted by replacement Sean Naughton, saw the defending champions claim a deserved share of the points, which will see the race for the title go down to the final night next Friday.

It looked like their title hopes were all but over when Ben Waghorn's try on 78 minutes sent England into a 32-25 lead but, with the clock in the red, Ireland pulled out one final play.

Munster number 8 Murphy burrowed his way under the posts to give Naughton a simple conversion to tie the game and ensure there will be no Slam in this year's championship.

In an enthralling game at The Rec, Ireland had been 15-13 in front at half-time after two stunning tries from Finn Treacy and Ben O'Connor, with out-half Jack Murphy instrumental to both.

The defending champions were 20-13 and 25-18 ahead at stages of the second half when Hugo McLaughlin and then Henry Walker's tries saw them bring up a bonus-point, but the hosts had too much power as the game wore on, and drew level with just over 10 minutes left.

The England pack came with a big reputation after picking up three dominant bonus-point wins from three, and when they dismantled an Irish scrum in the opening two minutes, it looked like it would be a long night for Ireland.

Shortly after, the hosts got in for the opening try of the game when captain Finn Carnduff ploughed over to score.

Sean Kerr and Jack Murphy swapped penalties to leave the game at 10-3 to the hosts, before Ireland's backline exploded into life on 15 minutes, as Murphy's sweet crossfield kick landed in the hands of Treacy, and the wing turned on the gas to step outside Alex Wills and run in under the posts.

Murphy converted and the out-half continued to dictate the game as Ireland became dominant in open play as the half wore on.

Shortly before the 30-minute mark, they stole a lineout and went on the counter-attack, with McLaughlin darting down the wing. With the English defence backtracking, Ireland continued to play at pace, before a perfect pass from Murphy put Treacy into space and he popped back inside to O'Connor who dived over to score.

A second Kerr penalty kept England in touch, 15-13 at the break, but Ireland made it a seven-point game on 47 minutes as the impressive McLaughlin got a deserved try when he dived over in the left corner.

The Leinster wing, who had moments earlier knocked-on a potential try-scoring opportunity, was left in acres of space out wide after some dominant Irish carrying had sucked in the English defence. In windy conditions, Murphy's conversion was again off-target.

On 55 minutes, England came back again, and with their forwards getting on top, Carnduff spotted a gap at the fringe of a ruck, which he exposed by breaking clear into the 22. A penalty advantage followed, before George Makepeace-Cubitt's crossfield kick found Oli Spencer, who grabbed their second try, this time unconverted, which left Ireland 20-18 ahead.

With just under 20 minute remaining it looked like Ireland were tiring, but a huge scrum penalty gave them field position in the England 22 as replacement hooker Henry Walker's lineout to Evan O'Connell set up a dominant maul, which Walker finished off to bring up the bonus-point score.

Murphy's conversion, from close to the left touchline, could have put Ireland into a two-score lead, but the out-half's struggles with the wind continued and he sent it wide, Ireland now leading by seven, 25-18.

The powerful England bench started to make an impact and they won a succession of penalties to get back down to Irish territory. After a pick-and-go penalty close to the Irish line, Kane James forced his way over to score, before Kerr's latest conversion made it a level game on 69 minutes.

In the final minutes, another dominant English scrum saw them get back into the Irish 22, as they chased the lead and a bonus-point try of their own, and it came after 76 minutes through Waghorn.

By the time Kerr had landed an incredible touchline conversion, Ireland were seven behind and into the final two minutes, but while the defending champions couldn't save their Grand Slam bid, they were able to kill England's hopes of the Slam, and bring the title race down to the final week with Murphy's 80th-minute try.

Ireland host Scotland in Cork next Friday and Richie Murphy's side will realistically need to win while also hoping England lose in France, which would see them win a third title on the trot.

England: Ben Redshaw; Toby Cousins, Ben Waghorn, Sean Kerr, Alex Wills; Josh Bellamy, Archie McParland; Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Jacob Oliver, Billy Sela; Olamide Sodeke, Junior Kpoku; Finn Carnduff (capt), Henry Pollock, Nathan Michelow.

Replacements: James Isaacs, Scott Kirk, James Halliwell, Zach Carr, Kane James, Ben Douglas, George Makepeace-Cubitt, Oli Spencer.

Ireland: Ben O'Connor; Finn Treacy, Wilhelm de Klerk, Hugh Gavin, Hugo McLaughlin; Jack Murphy, Oliver Coffey; Alex Usanov, Danny Sheahan, Jacob Boyd; Alan Spicer, Evan O'Connell (capt), Joe Hopes, Bryn Ward, Luke Murphy.

Replacements: Henry Walker, Ben Howard, Patreece Bell, Billy Corrigan, Sean Edogbo, Tadhg Brophy, Sean Naughton, Davy Colbert.

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