England Under-21s Take Grand Slam
A five-try 40-5 win for England’s Under-21s guaranteed them their second U-21 6 Nations title in three seasons as Mark McDermott’s Irish side were comprehensively beaten at Sixways.
…Blackrock’s Fionn Carr – Ireland’s only scorer in Worcester…
A five-try 40-5 win for England’s Under-21s guaranteed them their second U-21 6 Nations title in three seasons as Mark McDermott’s Irish side were comprehensively beaten at Sixways.
UNDER-21 6 NATIONS: Friday, March 17
ENGLAND U-21 40 IRELAND U-21 5, Sixways, Worcester (Att: 9,726)
Scorers: England: Tries: James Haskell, David Wilson, Nick Abendanon 2, Jordan Crane; Cons: Toby Flood 3; Pens: Flood 3
Ireland: Try: Fionn Carr
It was an English performance of pace and power with the home pack dominating in most departments. McDermott’s charges never recovered from a poor first half in which they conceded 21 points.
The hosts registered two penalties inside the first five minutes, both from out-half Toby Flood, but it was centre Anthony Allen who really lit up the match midway through the half. He burst through from just inside the Irish half to race almost to the line before handing over to flanker James Haskell to finish off.
Flood missed the conversion but slotted his third penalty six minutes before half-time after Irish flanker Ejike Uzoigwe was yellow carded at a ruck.
Good work from number eight Jordan Crane and openside flanker Michael Hill set up a try for prop David Wilson minutes later and when Flood converted, Jim Mallinder’s England side led 21-0 at the break.
Three minutes into the second half, the hosts scored again when left winger Nick Abendanon jinked his way through to score and Flood again obliged with the kick. Five minutes later, Crane smashed his way over from a quickly-taken tapped penalty before a neat break from Haskell gave Abendanon his second touchdown under the posts and an easy conversion for Flood.
Ireland finally opened their account when Blackrock full-back Fionn Carr scored in the left-hand corner – the only high point on an otherwise forgettable night for the men in green.
TIME LINE: 1 minute – England penalty: Toby Flood – 3-0; 5 mins – England penalty: Toby Flood – 6-0
21 mins – England try: James Haskell – 11-0; 34 mins – Ireland yellow card: Ejike Uzoigwe; England penalty: Toby Flood – 14-0; 36 mins – England try: David Wilson – 19-0; conversion: Toby Flood – 21-0; Half-time – England 21 Ireland 0; 42 mins – England try: Nick Abendanon – 26-0; conversion: Toby Flood – 28-0; 48 mins – England try: Jordan Crane – 33-0; 57 mins – England try: Nick Abendanon – 38-0; conversion: Toby Flood – 40-0; 62 mins – Ireland try: Fionn Carr – 40-5; Full-time – England 40 Ireland 5
ENGLAND U-21: Mike Brown; Thom Evans, Matt Cornwell (capt), Anthony Allen, Nick Abendanon; Toby Flood, Ben Foden; Alex Rogers, Dylan Hartley, David Wilson, Richard Blaze, Tom Croft, James Haskell, Michael Hills, Jordan Crane.
IRELAND U-21: Fionn Carr; Peter Durcan, Darren Cave, Fergus McFadden, Matthew Williams; Conan Doyle, Duncan Williams; Callum Black, Stuart Philpott (capt), Paul Doran-Jones, David McGowan, Devin Toner, Ross Noonan, Ejike Uzoigwe, Sean O’Brien.
Referee: Carlo Damasco (Italy)