Ireland U20s 3-19 England U20s
Neil Doak's first competitive game in charge of Ireland ended in a 19-3 defeat by defending Under-20s Six Nations champions England at Virgin Media Park.
The hosts played 23 minutes of the first half with a numerical advantage and it was even 15 v 13 for nine minutes. But during that spell, England outscored Ireland 6-3 for a wind-assisted 9-3 half-time lead.
A second-half stalemate ensued and was broken by a late penalty try. In all, Ireland conceded 17 penalties to England’s 10.
These two teams have split the last five titles between them (three for Ireland to England's two) and the victors will expect to go far in this tournament.
England began with a strong wind at their backs and the even opening exchanges were broken in the 13th minute. Ireland strayed offside and Ben Coen made the straightforward kick for a 3-0 lead.
Within two minutes, French referee Jérémy Rozier would become the centre of attention after two English high hits on Irish players.
After multiple viewings on the big screen and howls from the crowd, Rozier deemed Junior Kpoku’s shoulder to the head of Eoghan Smyth a sending-off offence. The World Rugby law trial of the 20-minute red card meant the flanker could be replaced before the break.
After brief examination, Rozier decided the high tackle on Sam Wisniewski was just a penalty. The out-half chose to kick to the corner but a crossing penalty gave England an easy escape.
Their numbers were depleted even further when second-row and captain Tom Burrow was pinged in a ruck for slapping the ball out of scrum-half Clark Logan’s hands. Ireland, again, didn’t press home their advantage as Wisniewski booted the ball dead in the deceptive gale.
Despite their numerical disadvantage in the scrum, the powerful English pack twice regained possession against the head.
Those errors were compounded when Coen kicked 13-man England into a 6-0 lead after Ireland coughed up their fifth penalty.
Tighthead prop Alex Mullan was putting in an eye-catching shift and his good work got Ireland into the 22, where the visitors were caught offside. This time, Wisniewski chose the kicking tee to narrow the gap to 6-3 on the half-hour.
But Coen would soon nudge the 13 men back into a six-point lead after play was called back for an Irish high tackle.
Michael Foy twice mined turnovers, including some fierce pressure to force England over the dead-ball line, but Irish frustration grew with their maul held up before knocking on within a sniff of the tryline.
If the momentum had gone against Ireland, with England restored to a full complement and 9-3 ahead at the break, at least the wind was turning in their favour.
When Ireland won a penalty just inside opposition territory early in the second half, they curiously chose to tap-and-go and were pushed back into their own half before box-kicking possession away.
Next time, Wisniewski had a shot at the posts which the wind stubbornly wouldn’t draw in before a crossfield kick almost turned to disaster.
Charlie Griffin won the contest and kicked to the Sunday’s Well End tryline. Gene O’Leary Kareem stopped any potential try but couldn’t prevent a penalty, although England’s line-out malfunction saved Ireland.
The away team wouldn’t make the same mistake in the 68th minute. Although their maul was stopped, it was done illegally. Oisín Minogue was sin-binned and a penalty try made it 16-3.
Foy almost got in for a try in response but was tripped up just short of the line before another chance for the impressive flanker didn’t go to hand.
Coen added an insurance penalty and Charlie Molony was pushed into touch when eyeing a last-minute consolation try.
Scorers:
Ireland: Pen - Sam Wisniewski
England: Pen try; Pens: Ben Coen 4
Ireland: Charlie Molony; Derry Moloney, Connor Fahy, Eoghan Smyth (Gene O’Leary Kareem 55), Ciarán Mangan; Sam Wisniewski (Daniel Green 62), Clark Logan (Andrew Doyle 68); Alex Usanov (Billy Bohan 15), Henry Walker (Connor Magee 51), Alex Mullan (Tom McAllister 51); Mahon Ronan (David Walsh 67), Billy Corrigan; Michael Foy, Bobby Power (Oisín Minogue 66), Éanna McCarthy (capt).
Sin bin: Oisín Minogue (68-78)
England: Jack Kinder (Josh Bellamy 72); Jack Bracken, Angus Hall, Nic Allison (Nick Lilley 75), Charlie Griffin; Ben Coen, Archie McParland (Lucas Friday 26); Ralph McEachran (Oli Scola 78), Kepu Tuipulotu (Louie Gulley 74), Vilikesa Sela (Tye Raymont 77); Olamide Sodeke (Aiden Ainsworth-Cave 78), Tom Burrow (capt); Junior Kpoku (George Timmins 35), Henry Pollock, Kane James.
Red card: Junior Kpoku (15)
Sin bin: Tom Burrow (26-38)
Referee: Jeremy Rozier (FFR)
