England Make It Three From Three
England won their third match in succession in the final round of games at the Under-18 Six Nations Festival as they comfortably beat Scotland 32-5 at Musgrave Park on Tuesday.
2008 UNDER-18 SIX NATIONS FESTIVAL: Tuesday, April 1
ENGLAND UNDER-18S 32 SCOTLAND UNDER-18S 5, Musgrave Park
Scorers: England: Tries: Jamie George 2, Tom Casson 2, Andy Forsyth; Cons: Rory Clegg 2; Pen: Rory Clegg
Scotland: Alun Walker
Click here for photos from the Festival’s closing ceremony
Both teams went into this game with two wins out of two under their belts but a superb first half performance meant England killed this game off early.
England were on the scoreboard as early as the eighth-minute when hooker Jamie George crashed over following some good pressure up front.
English captain Tom Casson then touched down twice to add to England’s dominance, following two excellent midfield breaks.
George added another try before the break and, with the extras from out-half Rory Clegg, England had established a comfortable 27-0 lead at the break.
Scotland were a much more solid side after the restart and their defence worked hard to get them back into the game.
Hooker Alun Walker eventually got on the end of a phase of fine attacking play to get them on the scoreboard but England were too far ahead for the Scots to have any chance of winning it.
Andy Forsyth had the final word for England after a terrific try from the backs, which saw Sam Smith and Tom Homer assist in setting him up for the decisive score.
England coach Alex Sanderson said afterwards: “We are all delighted to get the three wins and it’s been a fantastic experience for us and these young players. We want these players to develop and learn and they have done that as a squad.
“To see the sense of camaraderie and spirit that has come through has been fantastic. Today we beat a very good Scotland team and we stuck to the structures we have put in place all season and we were able to dominate.”
ENGLAND U-18: Tom Catterick (Barnard Castle & Newcastle Falcons); Sam Smith (Cranleigh & Harlequins), Tom Casson (Sedbergh & Sale Sharks) (capt), Tom Homer (Milton Abbey & London Irish), Will Hurrell (Wyggeston & QE1 Coll Leicester Tigers); Rory Clegg (Barnard Castle & Newcastle Falcons), Sam Harrison (John Cleveland College & Leicester Tigers); Alex Gray (Barnard Castle & Newcastle Falcons), Joe Marler (Richmond College & Harlequins), Jamie George (Haileybury & Saracens) , Mako Vunipola (Millfield & Bristol Rugby), Tom Holmes (Sandbach & Sale Sharks), James Gaskell (Sandbach & Sale Sharks), Joe Trayfoot (Epsom College & Harlequins), Jacob Rowan (Bradford GS & Leeds Carnegie).
Replacements used: David Blackwell (Hartpury College & Gloucester Rugby) for George, Rob Milligan (Rugby School & Northampton Saints) for Trayfoot, Joe Quinn (St. Wilfred’s School & Leeds Carnegie) for Holmes, James Currie (Millfield & Bath Rugby) for Vunipola (all 35 mins), Andy Forsyth (QEGS Wakefield & Leicester Tigers) for Casson (39), Lee Imiolek (Myerscough College & Sale Sharks) for Marler (49), Freddie Burns (Bath College & Bath Rugby) for Clegg, Jordi Pasqualin (The King’s School Gloucs & Gloucester Rugby), Joe Barker (QEGS Wakefield & Leeds Carnegie) for Rowan (all 50), Jack Wallace (RGS High Wycombe & London Wasps) for Hurrell, Christian Wade (RGS High Wycombe & London Wasps) for Smith (both 65).
SCOTLAND U-18: Sam Hughes (Merchiston Castle School); Max Learmonth (Berwick), Alex Blair (Edinburgh Academy), Alex Dunbar (Annan), Tom Brown (Edinburgh Academy); Ross Aitken (Bell Baxter/Howe of Fife), Alex Black (Prince Henry’s School); Nicky Little (Hawick), Alun Walker (Musselburgh), Craig Owenson (Musselburgh), Grant Gilchrist (Stirling County), Robert Harley (West of Scotland), Jason Hill (Stirling County), Michael Maltman (Musselburgh), Stuart McInally (George Watson’s College) (capt).
Replacements used: Callum Connor (Bradford Grammar) for Little (31 mins), Michael Tait (Kelso Quins) for Black (35), Russell Weir (Merchiston Castle School) for Hill (39), Andrew Fraser (York) for Owenson (41), Seumas MacKenzie (Murrayfield Wanderers) for Gilchrist (60), Mungo Strachan (Fettes College) for Walker (67).
Referee: Stefano Penne (Italy)