England u20 33
Ireland u20 9
IRELAND’S FUTURE INTERNATIONALS could not improve on the performance of the senior men or women this evening and so a dreadfully disappointing day was compounded at Franklin’s Gardens.
Despite long periods of real dominance and some genuinely promising phases of play, Mike Ruddock’s side fell to comprehensive, four tries to nil defeat.
Out-half Ross Byrne kicked all of the visitors’ points, but the three penalties all came in the first half and were not enough to match England.
Second row Maro Itoje ground the first of the game for the reigning champions, the lock proving to be prolific at this level as he kept up his try-a-game record in this year’s campaign.
That score coupled with a conversion and three penalties from Billy Burns ensured England of an early commanding lead of 16 – 3 after 25 minutes.
The deficit proved too wide for Ireland to reel in and although Dan Leavy (who later departed with his arm in a makeshift sling) would push his pack to force penalties that brought the Wolfpuppies within seven points at half-time, they would not improve on 16- 9.
Six minutes into the second half Northampton wing Howard Packman delighted the home crowd by diving into the left corner to push the hosts further clear. Ireland’s resolve would not be broken, but despite the pressure they piled on in England territory, nor would the white wall. And when Burns opted to send a 57th minute grubber through at the other end, Nick Tompkins showed excellent pace to win the sprint and ground the third try.
By then, it was clear that the game was beyond Ireland and that they would have to wait a fortnight before claiming their second win of 2014. And England were only too pleased to drive the message home with Joel Conlon taking the score on the back of a dominant scrum.
Scorers
England:Tries: Itoje, Packman, Tompkins, Conlon.
Conversions: Burns (2)
Penalties: Burns (3)
Ireland:
Penalties: Byrne (3)
ENGLAND: Nathan Earle (Saracens); Zach Kibirige (Newcastle Falcons), Nick Tompkins (Saracens), Harry Sloan (Harlequins), Howard Packman (Northampton Saints); Billy Burns (Gloucester), Callum Braley (Bristol) (capt); Alex Lundberg (London Wasps), Harry Thacker (Leicester Tigers), Scott Wilson (Newcastle Falcons), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Charlie Ewels (Bath), Ross Moriarty (Gloucester), Joel Conlon (Exeter Chiefs), James Chisholm (Harlequins).
Replacements: Jack Walker (Leeds Carnegie), Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi (Northampton Saints), Paul Hill (Leeds Carnegie), Tom Ellis (Bath), Gus Jones (London Wasps), Henry Taylor (Loughborough University), Sam Olver (Northampton Saints), Henry Purdy (Leicester Tigers).
IRELAND: David Busby (Queen’s University/Ulster); Cian Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster), Dan Goggin (Young Munster/Munster), Peter Robb (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Adam Byrne (UCD/Leinster); Ross Byrne (UCD/Leinster), Nick McCarthy (UCD/Leinster); Peter Dooley (Lansdowne/Leinster), Max Abbott (Cork Constitution/Munster), Rory Burke (Cork Constitution/Munster), Sean O’Brien (Galwegians/Connacht), Ross Molony (UCD/Leinster), Peadar Timmins (UCD/Leinster), Dan Leavy (UCD/Leinster) (capt), Frankie Taggart (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster).
Replacements: Sean McNulty (UCD/Munster), Denis Coulson (Lansdowne/Leinster), Oisin Heffernan (Lansdowne/Leinster), Joe Joyce (Bristol/Exiles), Michael Triggs (Lansdowne/Leinster), Jack Cullen (Bruff/Munster), Conor McKeon (Lansdowne/Leinster), Harrison Brewer (Terenure College/Leinster).
