England U20 outmuscle Ireland in World Rugby Junior World Championship thriller

Connacht winger Daniel Ryan scored a hat-trick but still ended up on the losing side as England opened their 2026 Junior World Championship campaign with a 34-27 victory over Ireland in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Ireland started strongly with two tries in the opening six minutes, but two yellow cards opened the door and England stormed through it, scoring 24 unanswered points.

Ireland, who have won their last four opening games in the tournament, made the perfect start in the first minute when Charlie O’Shea converted a try he set up with a lovely kick to Ryan.

Ireland, unbeaten in their last four and who beat England 31-21 at The Rec, Bath in February, doubled their advantage five minutes later when superb hands allowed Noah Byrne to go through the gap, and Ryan scored his second try.

It started to unravel for Ireland within seconds of Dyan McNiece receiving a 14th-minute yellow card. England’s forwards set up a maul, and hooker Jimmy Staples flopped over for a try that Hugh Shields converted.

Fixture

World Rugby U20 Championship

England U20

34 - 27

Full-time

Ireland U20

All Stats and Data

Within nine minutes, England had turned the game on its head. They took the lead when Zac Finch’s thundering carry set up Shields to pop up a pass for James Pater, and Shields added the conversion to give England a 14-12 lead.

It went from bad to worse for Ireland after 23 minutes, when they were briefly reduced to 13 men as Ben Blaney collapsed a maul after England caught and drove a lineout, and referee Ben Connor awarded a penalty try.

The Red Rose made it 24 unanswered points when Shields landed a 37th-minute penalty, only for Ryan to complete his hat-trick with a brilliant finish to punish bad defence following an O’Shea break within two minutes of the restart.

England re-established their two-try advantage after 45 minutes when Will Knight showed brilliant footwork to dance through the Ireland defence, and Shields landed his fourth conversion.

Ryan was denied a fourth try before England’s Seb Kelly was shown the game’s third yellow card, and now it was Ireland’s opportunity to turn the screw. Byrne squeezed down the left touchline to score from Ryan’s 66th-minute pass.

Ireland were building pressure as Josh Neil made a massive break to set up a move that saw Jack Deegan score his side’s fifth try from close range, but Shields’ late penalty calmed England’s nerves and saw them home.