The Ireland Under-20s closed out their RBS U-20 Six Nations campaign on a losing note at Kingsholm on Friday night as a slick England side ran in seven tries to secure a Grand Slam and championship double.
2008 RBS UNDER-20 SIX NATIONS: Friday, March 14
ENGLAND UNDER-20s 43 IRELAND UNDER-20s 14, Kingsholm, Gloucester RFC (Att: 3,725)
Scorers: England: Tries: Seb Stegmann, Hugo Ellis, Luke Eves, Matt Cox, Noah Cato, Nathan Catt, Mark Odejobi; Cons: Alex Goode 4
Ireland: Try: David Kearney; Pens: Ian Madigan 3
Eric Elwood’s Ireland side got off to a terrific start when a fourth-minute switch involving Eoin O’Malley put David Kearney through on a lengthy run to the try-line.
Ian Madigan’s trio of penalty goals kept Ireland in touch, trailing by 19-14 at half-time.
However, England cut loose in the second half courtesy of tries from Matt Cox, Noah Cato, Nathan Catt and Mark Odejobi.
In front of a 3,725-strong crowd, Ireland opened well and put together their most complete half of rugby so far this season to keep the unbeaten England on their toes.
Elwood opted to make one change to the side that slipped to an 11-6 defeat to Wales seven days ago. Blackrock College clubman Madigan was preferred to Martin Dufficy at out-half.
England were hoping to follow in Ireland’s footsteps – Elwood led his 2007 crop to a famous Grand Slam – and the hosts got off to an inauspicious start.
The English defence was caught out when centre O’Malley popped the ball behind him in the fourth-minute, allowing Kearney to collect and slice through a gap on a great angle.
Despite having 40 metres to cover, the Dundalk youngster showed great pace to cross to the left of the posts, becoming the second Kearney to score for Ireland this season after his older brother Rob’s effort for the seniors against Scotland.
Madigan missed the conversion and England snapped back just three minutes later when their impressive number 8 and captain Hugo Ellis was stopped just short of the Irish line and numbers out on the right led to winger Seb Stegmann touching down.
Centre Alex Goode stabbed the conversion through the posts for 7-5 but England’s poor discipline cost them during the first half.
By half-time, there was a penalty count of 7-2 in Ireland’s favour and the visitors made good use of it with Madigan regaining his poise in front of goal.
After a good bout of forward pressure, with skipper Paul Ryan and hooker Jason Harris-Wright as combative as ever, Madigan rifled a 15th-minute penalty over for Ireland to retake the lead.
The Irish were right in contention and there was moments of high quality from Elwood’s charges. Kearney did excellently to collect a garryowen in the 16th-minute under pressure from England’s strong-running back three.
Chris Cochrane and Kearney almost found space in midfield but a bobbling ball just eluded the pair, while Stegmann had nowhere to go in the 25th-minute when Cochrane and Ryan dumped him in a double hit.
But England were far more clinical when presented with try-scoring opportunities. Their second of the night arrived shortly before the half-hour when a flurry of passes ended with the influential Ellis dotting down with Goode adding the extras.
Ireland were allowed to strike back off the restart when the English forwards went offside and Madigan mopped up with a successful 29 metre penalty for 14-11.
The Irish pack were digging deep and after a series of scrums near their ten-metre line, they won one against the head to allow Madigan clear the danger.
Yet England were soon back on the front foot and five minutes before the break, centre Luke Eves nabbed a try after a good run down the blindside from Ellis and a link with speedy full-back Noah Cato.
Back in English territory, Ireland centre Conor Cleary showed good feet to almost carve open the hosts’ midfield and while the door was quickly shut, a thumping penalty from Madigan in the 39th-minute reduced the arrears to 19-14.
It looked like it was advantage Ireland when the second half began. English skipper Ellis was taken off with a suspected broken hand and David Nolan came up with a big lineout steal.
However, England’s greater physicality, ability to take their scores and superb counter-attacking play gradually told as they raced away with the result.
They stretched their lead, five minutes after the break, when the very effective Jon Fisher teed up his back row colleague Matt Cox for a try which television match official Andy Ireland confirmed.
Goode, who had made the initial incision in the Irish defence, added a brilliant conversion to put 12 points between the sides.
Ireland rallied with O’Malley kicking a penalty to touch, close to the English 22, and a sweeping move sparked by scrum half David Moore almost saw O’Malley skate through for a try – but referee Neil Paterson called it back for a forward pass.
In the 59th-minute, Ireland created what looked a good opening on the left but with Kearney having to stoop to take a loose pass, a two-on-one situation involving Cochrane was lost.
England really turned on the style in the final quarter as they put the result beyond doubt and chalked up their fifth straight win of the championship.
The electric Cato cut through Ireland’s midfield on a great line and swerved past last defender Cochrane to notch an excellent try and his sixth score in five games.
Prop Nathan Catt, who led the English side for the second half, popped up on Goode’s shoulder in the 66th-minute to go in under the posts, allowing Goode to knock over an easy conversion for a 38-14 score-line.
With the game losing its structure and space opening up, England rounded off a comfortable win when winger Mark Odejobi burst clear on the counter and made the whitewash for a final five-pointer.
It was a frustrating finish for the Irish who deserved to be closer and were better than the final score-line suggests.
The likes of Paul Karayiannis, Eoin Sheriff, O’Malley and Patrick Mallon put in an amount of work, plugging away right to the final whistle, while Kearney hardly put a foot wrong all night and replacement Ian Nagle stood out during some late attacks in the English 22.
Elwood’s young squad will regather their thoughts now and reflect on a championship that has see the nucleus of a good team come together.
They can take plenty of positives from their showings over the last six weeks as they look ahead to the inaugural IRB Junior World Championship, which will begin for them on June 6 when they face Argentina at the Arms Park in Cardiff.
ENGLAND U-20: Noah Cato (Saracens); Seb Stegmann (Harlequins), Luke Eves (Bristol Rugby), Alex Goode (Saracens), Mark Odejobi (London Wasps); Adam Greendale (Leeds Carnegie), Joe Simpson (London Wasps); Nathan Catt (Bath Rugby), Joe Gray (Northampton Saints), Alex Corbisiero (London Irish), Graham Kitchener (Worcester Warriors), Scott Hobson (Cornish Pirates), Jon Fisher (London Irish), Matt Cox (Worcester Warriors), Hugo Ellis (London Wasps) (capt).
Replacements used: Andy Saull (Saracens) for Ellis (half-time), James Cannon (Northampton Saints) for Kitchener (53 mins), Scott Freer (Leeds Carnegie) for Gray, Billy Moss (Bath Rugby) for Corbisiero, Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers) for Simpson (all 68), Dan Norton (Gloucester Rugby) for Stegmann (70), Greg King (Worcester Warriors) for Saull (71).
IRELAND U-20: David Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster); Sean Scanlon (UCC/Munster), Eoin O’Malley (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Conor Cleary (Greystones/Leinster), Chris Cochrane (Queen’s University/Ulster); Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster), David Moore (Blackrock College/Leinster); Paul Karayiannis (Queen’s University/Ulster), Jason Harris-Wright (Greystones/Leinster), Ben Barclay (UCD/Leinster), David Nolan (Galwegians/Connacht), Eoin Sheriff (Lansdowne/Leinster), Kieran Essex (UL Bohemians/Munster), Paul Ryan (Blackrock College/Leinster) (capt), Patrick Mallon (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Replacements used: Trevor Conneely (Buccaneers/Connacht) for Essex (47 mins), Martin Dufficy (Dublin University/Leinster) for Madigan, Ian Porter (Queen’s University/Ulster) for Moore (both 49), Stephen Archer (UCC/Munster) for Barclay, Stephen Douglas (Ballymena/Ulster) for Harris-Wright (both 63), Ian Nagle (UCC/Munster) for Ryan (69), Eamonn Sheridan (Lansdowne/Leinster) for Scanlon (70).
Referee: Neil Paterson (Scotland)
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