After one win and one loss, where are England U20s at in their bid for success?
There will have been some sore egos in the England U20 camp in the aftermath of their 35-27 opening round loss to Ireland in Cork, as the hosts not only beat the visitors, but also denied them any match points from the game.
There were extraneous variables at play that are undeniable, such as the fact England’s 23 was brought together from 12 different clubs, with only Bristol Bears and Bath not among those represented, and that they had no warm-up matches in the build-up to the tournament.
Conversely, Ireland were drawing their side from four provinces and the group already had two games under their belts, after they’d seen off both Leinster Development and Munster Development at the end of 2018.
That inability to create instant cohesion is one of the reasons why England regularly start the age-grade season slowly but that being said, nothing should be taken away from what was an exceptionally resilient Irish performance in their home opener, nor would they likely turn down England’s player pool in exchange for a little less preparation time.
Continue reading berlow…
Captain David Hawkshaw had been talked up previously, openside Scott Penny was getting positive reviews from his involvement with the senior Leinster side and fly-half Harry Byrne was back after an impressive 2018 season. What really stood out for Ireland in that contest, however, was the emergence of players around those three more well-known operators.
For years, Leinster have dominated the U20 pathway in Ireland, but the quartet of John Hodnett, Craig Casey, Josh Wycherley and Jake Flannery look like an impressive group that Munster can build around in the years to come, whilst Connacht hooker Dylan Tierney-Martin was in the mix for the most impressive performer in that game.
It was a game in which Ireland weathered an early England onslaught, stayed in the game and gradually began to exploit the visitors’ lack of chemistry as a unit, with an effective set-piece, turnover-creating defence and a clinical streak with the ball in hand.
That Irish performance deserves a lot of credit and they’re ability to back it up a week later in Scotland goes to show that they can be a force in U20 competition this season, but that will not diminish the hurt the England camp will have felt from the defeat.
They are notoriously slow starters and it was an away game against a strong, cohesive group, but this England side know they’re ceiling is high and that they have the firepower in their ranks to beat anyone at this level.
It’s not arrogance, it’s just self-awareness. How could you not know you’re a decent outfit when the starting midfield from their match a week later against France – Marcus Smith, Cam Redpath and Ollie Lawrence – have all been involved in senior England training camps? You can throw second-year lock Joel Kpoku into that category as well, whilst starting blindside Ted Hill even has a senior international cap, after he made his debut against Japan last year.
Unfortunately for France, the backlash to that loss was rather significant and it was the reigning World Rugby U20 Champions who were on the receiving end of it at Sandy Park on Saturday.
Again, England were still not the cohesive group that they will most likely be come the summer and they left a fair share of points out on the pitch, but the 31-19 scoreline really doesn’t give a true reflection of the dominance they had in that contest.
To see an age-grade French pack so brutally beaten up in the set-piece was stunning. There really isn’t another word for it.
That pack welcomed back Jean-Baptiste Gros from last year’s group, with the loosehead having broken through with Toulon since also, and whilst it was not the same unit without Demba Bamba or a couple of the second rows who were missing through injury, no one expected them to capitulate in the way they did.
For England, this was the redemption they craved, not only from the opening loss to Ireland, but also the loss to a number of these same French players in the World Rugby U20 Championship final in Beziers last year.
Exeter Chiefs tighthead Marcus Street tore into Gros repeatedly, ultimately sending the Frenchman to the sin-bin, whilst Ollie Adkins and Nic Dolly had similar success in the front row, with Kpoku and Alex Coles providing the ballast behind. As one-sided scrummaging contests go, you’re unlikely to see a more comprehensive beat-down than this one.
In some ways, though, that emphatic set-piece mauling arguably held England back. There was so much focus on the dominance that was being exerted in that area and an unrelenting desire to drive France back and essentially wrestle them into submission, that some opportunities to get the ball wide with tempo, and allow Redpath and Lawrence to test the gain-line, went untaken.
As a starting trio, Smith, Redpath and Lawrence went well. They linked up effectively and looked to be on the same page, albeit without being required takeover the game themselves. The back three of Josh Hodge, Ollie Sleightholme and Arron Reed also had their moments, but as with the midfield, it was a forward-dominated game from start to finish.
One of the key takeaways from the game was the leaps that a number of players had made in their second years at this level, with Gloucester’s Aaron Hinkley one of England’s more impressive performers in Cork, before picking up a well-earned man of the match award in Exeter. He seems more physical and more confident with the ball in hand than he was in 2018, both as an offloader and with his incisive running lines. Street is scrummaging straighter and resisting even the most acute angles from looseheads, whilst Hill and Kpoku just look more comfortable and at ease with themselves at this level.
The championship now takes a more interesting turn for England, with the Gallagher Premiership resuming this weekend and the U20s likely to lose a number of players to club duty. Smith and Hill will definitely be required by Harlequins and Worcester Warriors respectively, whilst the likes of Kpoku, Lawrence and Tom Hardwick could also be needed due to senior international call-ups. You can probably add the pair of Cadan Murley and Fraser Dingwall, if fit, to that list also.
The next three games, which see England make a trip to Colwyn Bay to take on Wales, before hosting Italy and Scotland in the final rounds, will give a strong indication of where they are at going into the World Rugby U20 Championship in Argentina this summer. The likes of Smith, Hill and Kpoku can perform at this level and whilst the England U20 coaches would surely love to have them in the group, building chemistry, they won’t have any qualms about bringing them back in for the preparation in the summer, as they are more than capable of playing catch up at that point.
Now, Steve Bates, Richard Whiffin, Mark Hopley and James Scaysbrook get to delve a little deeper into their pool of players and experiment with combinations, something which has long been a hallmark of how England use the Six Nations at this level.
If both Smith and Hardwick are required for Premiership rugby, does Bath’s Tom de Glanville get the keys at 10 or will they move Redpath inside, should he not be required by Sale Sharks?
Rus Tuima has shown his enviable ability from the bench and with Hill gone, could Tom Willis slide over to six to make way for Tuima in that back row? That pair coupled with Hinkley would make for some unit, or could the call go out to Andy Christie at Saracens, with the versatile loose forward having missed the start of the competition with injury? His ability to cover all three positions in the back row would be extremely valuable in Argentina.
This is often where England make the most of their advantage in the tight turnarounds of the U20 Championship, boasting a depth of player that allows them to strategically rotate and manage the workload of the competition, without sacrificing results or even try bonus points in the process.
England have the top-end quality to be successful in the summer and, on paper, it looks as though they have the depth, too, but the next three rounds of competition will give a much more valid insight into that.
Watch: Eddie Jones and Owen Farrell speak to the press after the game with France at Twickenham
Comments on RugbyPass
The Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to commentsIs Barrett going play full back??? They already have all the centers…
15 Go to commentsForgive my ignorance, I might not fully understand so would appreciate clarification: Didn’t the Bulls have to fly with three different carriers, paid for by the South African Rugby Union, whilst Edinburgh got a chartered flight sponsored by EPCR? Also, as far as I understand it South African teams don’t yet share in the revenue from the competition and are not allowed to host Semi-finals or Finals at home. Surely if everyone wants South Africans to “take the competition seriously” then they must make South Africans feel welcome, allow them to share in the revenue, and give them the same levels of access as the teams from the other countries. Just a reminder that South Africa has a large and passionate Rugby audience. Just by virtue of our teams being a part of these competitions means that more of us are likely to watch the knockout games, even if our teams haven’t qualified. It would be silly to alienate such a large audience by making them feel unwelcome.
18 Go to commentsFirst of all. This guy is very much behind the curve. All the bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning took place days ago already. Not adding anything to the topic other than more bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning. 🍼 Second of all, not one mention of the fact that South African teams can’t get home semi finals or finals. The tournament was undermined and devalued by the administrators. 🤡 Thirdly, football teams often have to juggle selections in mid week games, premier games, champions league games etc. and will from time to time prioritize certain titles over others. 🐒 And lastly FEK Neil, and anyone else for that matter, for insisting on telling teams how to manage themselves. If they make what is largely a business decision that suits them and doesn’t suit you - tough shite. 💩 It’s not rocket science as to why the Bulls did what they did. If this guy is too slow to figure it out (and is deliberately not mentioning one of the key reasons why) then he isn’t a journalist. He should join the rest of us pundit plebs in comments section. 🥴
18 Go to commentsSo the first door to knock on Rob is Parliament followed by HMRC. The Irish Revenue deliver a 40% tax relief rebate on the HIGHEST EARNING TEN YEARS of every pro Irish rugby players contract earnings at retirement. That goes a long way to both retaining their best talent and freeing up wages for marquee players. Who knows, if that had been in place in the UK, you might not have been able to poach Hoggy and Jonny Gray from Glasgow…!!!
3 Go to comments1. True, if that “free” ticket means access to all but the prized exhibit - EVIP only. SA cannot host semis, even if they’ve earned it (see Sharks vs ASM Clermont Auvergne at… Twickenham Stoop). 2. Why no selective outrage over Lyon doing the exact same thing a week earlier? Out of all the countries France send the most “B teams”, why nobody talking about “disrespect” and “prioritising domestic leagues” and “kicking them out”? 3. Why no mention of the Sharks fielding all of their Springboks for the second rate Challenge cup QF? No commitment? 4. Why no mention of all the SA teams qualifying for respective euro knock out comps in the two seasons they’ve been in it? How many euro teams have qualified for KO’s in their history? Can’t compete? 5. Why no mention of SA teams beating French and English giants La Rochelle and Saracens? How many euro teams have done that in their history? Add no quality? The fact is that SA teams are only in their second season in europe, with no status and a fraction of the resources. Since joining the URC, SA has seen a repatriation of a number of players, and this will only grow once SA start sharing in the profits of competing in these comps, meaning bigger squads with greater depth and quality, meaning they don’t have to prioritise comps as they have to now - they don’t have imports from Pacifica and South America and everywhere else in between like “European” teams have - also less “Saffas” in Prem and T14, that’s what we want right? 'If the South Africans are in, they need to be all in' True, and we have to ensure we give them the same status and resources as we give everyone else to do just that. A small compromise on scheduling will go a long way in avoiding these situations, but guess what, France and England wont compromise on scheduling because they ironically… prioritise their domestic comps, go figure!
18 Go to commentsthe success of the premiership can be summarized by : only 10 teams. It makes a huge difference with the overcrowded top 14 (let us not talk about Leinster and URC…)
1 Go to commentsGood for him. The ABs were fooling around again with converted fullbacks that had a penetration of a marshmallow. Laumape or as Aki has shown for Ireland, go forward is important in the centres. If it had been DMac - Aki- Aumua - Ioane- Telea- Jordan in France the final result would have been different.
4 Go to commentsDan Carter a apporté son professionnalisme, des méthodes de travail, un esprit qui manquaient à l’USAP. Son influence, même une fois blessé a été énorme. Et pour citer une anecdote, certains soirs il venait de lui-même à l’entraînement des jeunes pour dispenser ses conseils. On ne peut pas compter ce qu’il a apporté au club en heures de jeu sur le terrain. Est-ce que le club en a eu pour son argent ? Avec la publicité sur son nom et le titre, je suppose que oui.
1 Go to commentsThe SA sides are suffering from a bum rap here. There isn’t a side anywhere in the world that would do things differently in their shoes. They’ve been set up to fail in the EPCR comps by vested interests, with last minute intercontinental travel requirements that costs an arm and a leg to book in advance just on the possibility they might be required. And the total nonsense that denies any chance of home venues is entirely biased and absolutely unsporting. Either EPCR, the Top14 & the Gallagher Premiership get it sorted on a fair and equitable sporting basis for ALL participants or expect the ridicule to continue. Right now, these comps are a joke!
18 Go to commentsSA sides should do the right thing and leave the champions cup, they are lowering the standard with completely one sided games, not up to the right level. The greatest club tournament in the world is being banjaxed by the weak SA sides.
18 Go to commentsCouldnt agree more. SA sides need to show more committment and really have a go at the Champions Cup. Its quite possibly the most prestigious title in Europe and SA sides need to respect that prestige and serve up their best. EPCR needs to do more to ensure that sides from South Africa and sides travelling to and from SA have a better chance in this competition. The Bulls were put in a really difficult position of having to travel there and back in one week. One could argue that this is what the SA sides signed up for and that La Rochelle didnt complain or send out weakened sides despite having to travel to SA and back and play on successive weekends but surely the situation is also unfair on La Rochelle as well and so EPCR needs to think about successive gameweeks and the travel effect of the competition
18 Go to commentsI hadn’t watched much Canes this season but sat through a replay of that Chiefs game with no distractions. That pack is beastly. I really like the look of Iose. He loves the tough stuff. The first Quins clip may be the best I have even seen for a TH driving his opposite into oblivion. i need to take your word for the contribution of Walker, but Collier there with a straight back pushing up from under was a lovely thing to see. Have you fallen in love with Baxter also, Nick? I think Stuart Barnes may have written his column about him recently, naked. He positively frothed.
15 Go to commentsSmart guy. I wish he was running the RFU or something!
3 Go to commentsWhy Barrett, when Leinster already have at least 4 top centres.?
15 Go to comments