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What written judgement said about Alex Mann's role in gouging saga
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'They spoiled the party for us... We want to set the record straight'
By Neil Fissler
Ben Coen won’t let Wales become party poopers for the second time in four months as England aim to end the World Rugby U20 Championship on a high after suffering the disappointment of relinquishing their crown.
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Wales inflicted England’s first defeat in two years when they denied them the Under-20 Six Nations title with a 23–13 win at Cardiff’s Arms Park in March, before a reverse against South Africa cost them their Junior World Cup crown.
Now, Mark Mapletoft’s side, facing their fourth game in three weeks, have got a shot at redemption, and they are determined to take it as they face two more games and look to avoid their worst finish in 13 years.
England finished seventh in South Africa in 2013, and that’s not an option for Exeter Chiefs fly-half Coen, who kicked the last-minute match-winning penalty that gave them a thrilling 36–33 victory over Australia last Wednesday.
He points out that England didn’t give a good account of themselves in Cardiff, but they can make up for it by ending this tournament on a high at the Stadio Luigi Zaffanella in Viadana.
“Whenever you play Wales, there’s always that edge, but this one definitely carries a bit more weight. They spoiled the party for us in the Six Nations. They had a game plan, and to be fair to them, they nailed it.
“But we didn’t give a fair representation of ourselves that night either. We want to set the record straight. This is our chance to show what we’re about, to focus on ourselves and put in a performance we’re proud of.
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“That’s all we can control now. Fifth place might not be what we wanted at the start of the tournament, but it’s still something we’re desperate to fight for.
“There’s no time to feel sorry for yourself or moan about being tired. That only makes things worse. It’s about putting yourself in a good headspace and making sure the body is ready to go again.
“Monday is a big opportunity, and we want to put in a performance that reflects what this team is really about. We’ve put in too much work and sacrificed too much not to finish on a high,” he said.
Coen, who started last season’s World Rugby U20 Championship final win over France in Cape Town, points out that England haven’t done enough to retain their title and says there is no point in moaning and feeling sorry for themselves.
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“Our aim from the start of the tournament was clear. We wanted to win it. So, to not even be in with a shout of the semis is a real blow. But that’s sport, I suppose.
Sometimes it just doesn’t go your way, and if we’re being honest, it’s on us. We didn’t do enough across the three games. You can’t sit and moan about it, though.
“We’ve had to dust ourselves down quickly and put everything into this Wales game now. That’s been the focus since we came off the pitch against Australia,” he added.
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