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.
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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
I’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
19 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
19 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
12 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
19 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to commentsI think he is right, SBW is respected in RSA. The guy who never stood up is a worm. Sseems lots of NZ SBW hate, you do the crime do the time.
12 Go to commentsAfter missing the curfew, the player was simply too “Shagged” to stand up.
12 Go to commentsVernier is probably the best 12 in the world though she has some English competition these days . I am nervous for England because it is unpredictable France and who knows which team will turn up, but they have not yet shown anything that should worry England, Saturday could be a different day. I would be more confident against the BFs.
1 Go to commentsWhat a difference Rodda and Carter made. Rodda has been out for ages but he is really the only world class lock in Australian rugby. Him, Carter and Beale made a huge difference on the weekend. If only they had a few decent props they’d be a much more dangerous team. Hamish Stewart was excellent last week as well. His carrying has improved significantly and has to be next in line after Paisami at 12 for the Wallabies. He’ll benefit hugely with Beale at fullback, there’s just no better communicator in Australian rugby than him and his experience will make a huge difference for the Force. No one sees space like Beale and he’s still sharp. I can see Force making a late charge into the top 8 if they can get some consistency.
2 Go to commentsRodda will be a walk up starter at lock. Frost if you analyse his dominance has little impact and he’s a long way from being physical enough, especially when you compare to Rodda and the work he does. He was quite poor at the World Cup in his lack of physicality. Between Rodda and Skelton we would have locks who can dominate the breakdown and in contact. Frost is maybe next but Schmidt might go for a more physical lock who does their core work better like Ryan or LSL. Swain is no chance unless there’s a load of injuries. Pollard hasn’t got the scrum ability yet to be considered. Nasser dominated him when they went toe to toe and really showed him up. Picking Skelton effects who can play 6 and 8. Ideally Valetini would play 6 as that’s his best position and Wilson at 8 but that’s not ideal for lineout success. Cale isn’t physical enough yet in contact and defence but is the best backrow lineout jumper followed by Wright, Hanigan and Swinton so unfortunately Valetini probably will start at 8 with Wright or Hanigan at 6. Wilson on the bench, he’s got too much quality not to be in the squad. Paisami is leading the way at 12 but Hamish Stewart is playing extremely well also and his ball carrying has improved significantly. Beale is also another option based on the weekend. Beale is class but he’s also the best communicator of any Australian backline player and that can’t be underestimated, he’ll be in the mix.
8 Go to commentsWhy do people keep on picking Ardie at 7 when he's a ball in hand 8? A modern 7 is the lead tackler and ruck clearer which isn't his strength.
19 Go to commentsSly dig there at Ireland’s propensity to back a non-Irish coach. Must really want it. I’m not sure I like ROG very much. Comes off as unpleasant. But he’d gain my respect if he took a number 7 ranked team and turned them into WC winners. Not even back-to-back. Argentina? Scotland? Or how about Wales? France would be too easy, no?
1 Go to commentsA bit of sensationalism, but surprised by the comments about SBW. I’ve always thought of him as a pretty authentic person. There is nothing worse than working with a colleague you’ve seen straight through.
12 Go to comments100% agree with your comment about Touch. I’ve been playing it competitively since Covid. It’s on a Wednesday night after work. It means the weekend is free for time with my family.
2 Go to commentsRodda back is massively important for the Wallabies. Kaitu at hooker important too coz he was very good a few years ago.
2 Go to comments