England Too Good For Irish Under-19s
The Ireland Under-19s put in a brave effort but were undone by their English counterparts, who scored four tries, in Friday’s U-19 international at the Twickenham Stoop.
…Castleknock out-half Brian Collins – who kicked two penalties for the Irish Under-19s…
The Ireland Under-19s put in a brave effort but were undone by their English counterparts, who scored four tries, in Friday’s U-19 international at the Twickenham Stoop.
UNDER-19 INTERNATIONAL: Friday, March 17
ENGLAND U-19 32 IRELAND U-19 9, Twickenham Stoop (Att: 1,723)
Scorers: England: Tries: Daniel Cipriani 2, Sam Bolt, Alex Shaw; Cons: Cipriani 3; Pens: Cipriani 2
Ireland: Pens: Brian Collins 2, Ian Keatley
It was a tale of two out-halves at the Stoop as having kicked Ireland into a 9-5 lead, Castleknock’s Brian Collins was forced off through injury, leaving Wasps starlet Daniel Cipriani to take the plaudits as his two late tries pushed the hosts out of sight.
Charlie McAleese’s Irish side got off to worst possible start when they conceded a try to Exeter scrum half Richard Bolt, who stepped inside Garbally full-back Sean Carey to score after only six minutes.
Irish out-half Collins then increased his influence, finding touch with evident ease to move England around the pitch and put pressure on the home side’s lineout. Queen’s lock Thomas Anderson, son of former Ireland international Willie Anderson, really came to the fore.
Collins kicked a brace of penalties to put the visitors 6-5 in front just after the half hour mark, but he was soon forced off after shipping a high tackle. UCD’s Ian Keatley kicked the resultant penalty on 37 minutes to see Ireland go in at the break with a 9-5 buffer.
However, England, coached by Nigel Redman, noticeably stepped up through the gears in the second half. Cipriani kicked two penalties to see the hosts go back in front by the 54th-minute. Leicester flanker Alex Shaw broke through for a try two minutes later and the screw was turning.
Ireland’s attacking game never got going. On the hour mark, Cipriani made full use of a fortunate bounce to grab his first try and he completed his 22-point haul with his second try in the dying minutes.
ENGLAND U-19: Chris Pennell (Worcester Warriors); Oliver Dodge (Leicester Tigers), Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers), Adam Powell (Saracens), Jordan Turner-Hall (NEC Harlequins); Daniel Cipriani (London Wasps & Whitgift), Richard Bolt (Exeter Chiefs & SWERA); Daniel Cole (Leicester Tigers), Ross McMillan (Nottingham), Jack Forster (Gloucester), David Attwood (Bristol & Bristol Univ), Ben Thomas (Saracens), Alex Shaw (Leicester Tigers), Andrew Saull (Saracens), David Tait (Sale Sharks).
Replacements used: Charlie Beech (Northampton Saints) for Cole (45 mins), George Hughes (Bath) for Cipriani (58-63), Ian Grieve (Bristol) for Tait (61), Sam McDonald (Worcester Warriors) for Attwood (64), Selorm Kuadey (Sale Sharks) for Powell (68), Rob Springhall (Leicester Tigers) for Bolt (69), Jordan Page (Leeds Tykes) for McMillan, Tom Mercey (Saracens) for Forster (both 70).
IRELAND U-19: Sean Carey (Garbally College); Shane Monahan (Trinity College), Ivan Dineen (CBC), Ian Keatley (UCD), Michael Barker (QUB); Brian Collins (Castlenock), Paul O’Donohoe (Belvedere College); Cian Healy (Belvedere College), David Gilchrist (UCD), James Gethings (Gonzaga), Thomas Anderson (QUB), Conor McInerney (UCD), Tommy O’Donnell (UL Bohemians), David Pollock (QUB) (capt), Kevin Sheahan (UCD).
Replacements used: Ian Whitten (QUB) for Collins (36 mins), Richard Sweeney (UCD) for Gethings (half-time), David Millard (St. Mary’s College) for Healy, David Drake (Instonians) for O’Donohue (both 49), Stephen Verso (Blackrock College) for Gilchrist, Andrew Browne (Galwegians) for Anderson, Jonathan Graham (Ballynahinch) for McInerney (all 62), Niall O’Connor (Limavady GS) for Carey (66).
Referee: Andy McPherson (Scotland)