U18 Six Nations Festival: Matchday 2 Review – England and France remain unbeaten

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Matchday Two at the U18 Six Nations Festival saw England, France, and Wales all claim victories.

 

It leaves England and France as the only two undefeated teams, and they meet in the final matchday this Sunday at Kingsholm, live on FreeSpors.

 

England were up against Ireland, looking to add to their 38-20 victory over Wales, while Ireland were looking to bounce back after a narrow 29-24 defeat to France last time out.

 

France had actually got the day underway at Sixways with a thrilling 40-32 victory over an Italy side that for a while were looking like they might produce a comeback of even more drama than their 19-18 victory over Scotland last time out.

 

Up next were England and Ireland who played out a tight and fairly cagey opening spell of the game, Orlando Bailey and Chris Cosgrave exchanging early penalties.

 

Caterham’s Jude Williams started the try scoring for England though, scoring an electric first half brace with a lovely solo effort for his first try before finishing a brilliant flowing move for his second, Bailey converting both. Between those scores though Ireland crossed the whitewash through Ulster tighthead Oscar Egan, Cograve converting.

 

That left England 17-10 ahead at the break, and they stretched that out further early in the second half with an opportunistic try full of pace and power from St Paul’s Catholic College’s Phil Cokanasiga, Bailey converting for 24-10.

 

If anyone though that would see England start to stretch away though they were quickly corrected as Ireland stepped up the pressure and went on to dominate the bulk of the rest of the game. They hammered away at the England line, but some magnificent England defence kept repelling them. Eventually under that sort of pressure though the dam will crack, and eventually it did for Ireland, who took advantage of an Archie Benson yellow card for successive team penalties to cross through openside Oisin McCormack.

 

Still Ireland kept coming, and with just seven points in it the were plenty of nerves in the home crowd, but England held out with some stoic defence to remain unbeaten heading into Sunday’s game with France.

 

Speaking to www.englandrugby.com after the game England Head Coach Jim Mallinder said: “The players will have learned how tough international rugby is after that match.”

 

“It was a game which was quite unusual. Ireland had so much of the ball, we defended for long periods, when we had the ball we looked really dangerous and scored some really good tries but they put us under a lot of pressure, were very good in the set piece, we probably gave away too many penalties and lacked a little discipline and that is something we need to improve on as it enabled them a chance to get really good field position.”

 

“Overall though, we’re happy with the victory and the players showed great character to hold out and that’s very pleasing.”

 

Ireland’s next game is against Scotland, who fell to a second successive defeat as they faced a Wales side that was full of energy as they bounced back from defeat to England with a 28-17 victory.

 

Clifton College’s Ioan Lloyd was the star of the show, scoring two tries on the way to a total of eighteen points as he moved from last week’s position of full back to the fly half shirt for this one.

 

The Bristol man ran the game, and was helped by a fellow Exile in the form of Hartpury College’s Louis Rees-Zammit. Rees-Zammit missed the defeat to England as he was making his senior Gloucester debut, but on his return at Sixways he was in flying form, scoring a brace of his own.

 

Scotland went ahead early on through a penalty from Fettes College’s Harry Patterson but Wales responded quickly through Rees-Zammit’s first try, the Hartpury man ghosting clear after Lloyd released him.

 

Straight from the restart Wales were back at it and once again Rees-Zammit raced away. With Lloyd converting both, Wales had suddenly gone from 3-0 down to 14-3 ahead.

 

Lloyd turned from provider to scorer for Wales third try of the half, converting his own score to give his side a 21-3 lead, Scotland managed to regroup though, scoring through loosehead Jamie Drummond from the maul, with Patterson converting, leaving the half time score at a slightly more respectable 21-10.

 

Shortly into the second half though Lloyd added his second, converting again to give his side a 28-10 lead that was thoroughly deserved.

 

Credit to Scotland though, they kept plugging away and through their own endeavor and Wales’ slipping discipline, they lost two men to the bin, they created a few chances of their own, with Paterson eventually crossing for the try, converting his own score for a personal tally of twelve points, leaving the final score at 28-17 in Wales’ favour.

 

The final round of games takes place at Kingsholm on Sunday, all games again live on FreeSports. Scotland and Ireland get the day underway at 11am, with the two unbeaten sides, England and France, headlining the day at 1.40pm, Italy and Wales then round the Festival off at 4.10pm.

 

U18 6 Nations Festival – Unofficial Table:

 

PosTeamWDLPDBPsPoints
1France200+13210
2England200+2519
3Italy101-715
4Wales101-715
5Ireland002-1222
6Scotland002-1211

 

U18 6 Nations Festival Fixtures/Results (all live on FreeSports):

 

Matchday 1 – Saturday 13th April, Gillman’s Ground, Hartpury College

 

England 38-20 Wales

Ireland 24-29 France

Scotland 18-19 Italy

 

Matchday 2 – Wednesday 17th April, Sixways, Worcester Warriors

 

France 40-32 Italy

Ireland 17-24 England

Wales 28-17 Scotland

 

Matchday 3 – Sunday 21st April, Kingsholm, Gloucester

 

Scotland v Ireland – 11.10am

England v France – 1.40pm

Italy v Wales – 4.10pm

 

Teams:

 

England

15 George Worboys (Beechen Cliff & Bath), 14 Jack Bates (SGS Filton College & Bristol Bears), 13 Tom Roebuck (Wirral Grammar & Sale Sharks), 12 Phil Cokanasiga (St Paul’s Catholic College & London Irish), 11 Jude Williams (Caterham & Wasps), 10 Orlando Bailey (Beechen Cliff & Bath), 9 Raphael Quirke (St Ambrose College & Sale Sharks), 1 Luke Green (St Paul’s Catholic College & London Irish), 2 John Stewart (Beechen Cliff & Bath), 3 Fin Baxter (Wellington College & Harlequins), 4 George Martin (Brooksby Melton College & Leicester Tigers, captain), 5 Ewan Richards (Millfield & Bath), 6 Ollie Stonham (Felsted & Saracens), 7 Josh Gray (Dean Close & Gloucester), 8 Will Trenholm (Cranleigh & Harlequins).

Replacements: 16 Sam Riley (St George’s College Weybridge & Harlequins), 17 Phil Brantingham (RGS Newcastle & Newcastle Falcons), 18 Jenson Boughton (Hartpury College & Gloucester), 19 Archie Benson (Dean Close & Gloucester), 20 Jack Clement (Cheltenham College & Gloucester), 21 Jack van Poortvliet (Oakham & Leicester Tigers), 22 Tom Curtis (Sedbergh & Sale Sharks), 23 Joe Carpenter (Woodhouse Grove & Yorkshire Carnegie).

 

Ireland

15 Chris Cosgrave (St. Michael’s College/Leinster), 14 Jamie Osborne (Naas CBS/Naas RFC/Leinster), 13 Shane Jennings (Garbally College/Connacht), 12 Ben Carson (Wallace High School/Ulster), 11 Diarmuid Kilcommins (Coláiste Bhaile Chláir/Corinthians RFC/Connacht), 10 Cian Whooley (CBC Cork/Munster), 9 Conor McKee (Sullivan Upper School/Ulster), 1 George Saunderson (Sullivan Upper School/Ulster), 2 Lee Barron (St. Michael’s College/Leinster), 3 Oscar Egan (Coleraine Grammar School/Ulster), 4 Alex Soroka (Belvedere College/Leinster), 5 Darragh Murray (Colaiste Chiaráin/Buccaneers RFC/Connacht), 6 Donnacha Byrne (Summerhill College/Sligo RFC/Connacht), 7 Oisin McCormack (Garbally College/Connacht), 8 Alex Kendellen (PBC Cork/Munster, captain).

Replacements: 16 Tom Stewart (Belfast Royal Academy/Ulster), 17 Jack Boyle (St. Michael’s College/Leinster), 18 Mark Donnelly (CBC Cork/Munster), 19 Reuben Crothers (Wallace High School/Ulster), 20 Diarmuid McCormack (Clongowes Wood College/Connacht), 21 Will Hickey (St. Michael’s College/Leinster), 22 Ben Murphy (Presentation College Bray/Leinster), 23 Nathan Doak (Wallace High School/Ulster), 24 Harry O’Riordan (CBC Cork/Munster), 25 Karl Martin (St. Mary’s School Drogheda/Boyne RFC/Leinster), 26 Aaron Leahy (CBC Cork/Munster).

 

Wales

15 Dan John (Exiles & Millfield), 14 Mason Grady (Cardiff Blues & Glantaf/Bro Morgannwg), 13 Ioan Evans (Cardiff Blues & Coleg y Cymoedd), 12 Tom Mathews (Exiles & Hartpury College), 11 Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester & Hartpury College)
, 10 Ioan Lloyd (Bristol & Clifton College), 9 Dylan Davies (Dragons & Newbridge/Cross Keys College), 1 Theo Bevacqua (Exiles & Eastbourne College), 2 Rhodri King (Scarlets & Coleg Sir Gar), 3 Lewys Jones (Ospreys & Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera), 4 Ben Carter (Dragons & Caldicot, captain), 5 James Fender (Ospreys & Neath/Port Talbot College), 6 Alex Mann (Cardiff Blues & Coleg Y Cymoedd), 7 Harri Deaves (Ospreys & Bridgend College), 8 Carwyn Tuipulotu (Scarlets & Sedburgh).

Replacements: 16 Oliver Burrows (Ospreys & Millfield), 17 Sam O Connor (Scarlets & Coleg Sir Gar), 18 Iestyn Haskins (Cardiff Blues & Coleg y Cymoedd), 19 Rhys Anstey (Cardiff Blues & Coleg y Cymoedd), 20 Harry Breeze (Scarlets & Whitgift), 21 Bradley Roderick (Ospreys & Neath/Port Talbot College), 23 Ethan Lloyd (Cardiff Blues & Ysgol Cwm Rhondda), 24 Ed Dunford (Exiles & Whitgift), 25 Ethan Fackrell (Cardiff Blues & Coleg Y Cymoedd), 26 Morgan Richards (Dragons & Newport HS).

 

Scotland

15 Harry Patterson (Fettes College), 14 Jordan Craig (Hamilton Bulls), 13 Matt Currie (Merchiston Castle), 12 Tom Jones (SGS Filton College/Bristol Bears), 11 Cameron Furley (St Albans/Saracens), 10 Joseph Strain (Dumfries Saints), 9 Jamie Dobie (Merchiston Castle), 1 Jamie Drummond (Marr), 2 James Johnstone (Preston Lodge HS/Preston Lodge), 3 Dan Gamble (Merchiston Castle), 4 Alex Samuel (St Leonard’s/Madras), 5 Rory Jackson (Kelvinside Academy), 6 Josh King (Queen Victoria/Stirling County), 7 Harri Morris (George Watson’s College), 8 Ben Muncaster (Rugby/Leicester Tigers).

Replacements: 16 Scott Clelland (Ayr), 17 Ben Mace (Stirling County), 18 Cole Lamberton (The Royal HS), 19 Struan Whittaker (Edinburgh Accies), 20 Jamie Campbell (Kelvinside Academy), 21 Cameron Scott (Preston Lodge), 22 Alex Harley (George Watson’s College), 23 Finlay Callaghan (GHK), 24 Gregor Brown (Robert Gordon’s College), 25 Nathan Sweeney (Loretto), 26 Scott King (Heriot’s).

 

France

15 Simon Desert (US Carcassonne, Académie Béziers), 14 Noé Valles (Union Bordeaux Bègles, Académie Bordeaux), 13 Maxence Darthou (CA Brive Corrèze), 12 Thibault Debaes (Section Paloise), 11 Nathan Farissier (Lyon OU), 10 Edgar Retière (ABCD XV, Académie Dijon), 9 Théo Idjellidaine (Stade Toulousain, Académie Toulouse), 1 Jean-Baptiste Lachaise (Aviron Bayonnais, Académie Bayonne), 2 Aymeric Tronc (CA Brive Corrèze, Académie Brive), 3 Maxime Baudonne (Racing 92, Académie Lakanal), 4 Matthias Halagahu (RC Toulon), 5 Thomas Ployet (Stade Rochelais, Académie La Rochelle, captain), 6 Yann Lagane (CA Brive Corrèze, Académie Brive), 7 Sacha Idoumi (ABCD XV, Académie Dijon), 8 Matthéo Ventura (Lyon OU).

Replacements: 16 Martin Augeix (SU Agen, Académie Agen), 17 Enzo Camilleri (FC Grenoble), 18 Paul Mallez (ABCD XV, Académie Dijon), 19 Joshua Brennan (Stade Toulousain, Académie Toulouse), 20 Killian Tixeront (AS Clermont Auvergne, Académie Clermont-Ferrand), 21 Nolan Le Garrec (Racing 92, Académie Lakanal), 22 Gabin Michet (AS Clermont Auvergne, Académie Clermont-Ferrand), 23 Alfred Parisien (Lyon OU), 24 Alexandre Borie (Union Bordeaux Bègles, Académie Bordeaux), 25 Jules Margarit (Lyon OU, Académie Lyon).

 

Italy

15 Luca Filippo Gruttadauria (Stade Toulousain), 14 Andrea Pancini (Cavalieri Union R.Prato Sesto), 13 Tommaso Menoncello (Benetton Treviso), 12 Umberto Marocchi (Primavera Rugby), 11 Nicholas Bordin (Femi-Cz Rovigo), 10 Mattia Ferrarin (Argos Petrarca Rugby), 9 Stephen Varney (Gloucester & Hartpury College), 1 Giacomo Ravagnan (Pesaro Rugby), 2 Tommaso Di Bartolomeo (Argos Petrarca Rugby), 3 Matteo Sassi Thomas (Toscana Aeroporti I Medicei), 4 Luca Adorni (Rugby Parma F.C. 1931), 5 Marco Ruffato (Rugby Bassano), 6 Daniele Ulisse (S.S. Lazio Rugby 1927), 7 Luca Andreani (Rugby Rovato), 8 Lorenzo Cannone (Florentia Rugby).

Replacements: 16 Matteo Fontana (Amatori Parma) 17 Dorin Tica (Kawasaki Robot Calvisano), 18 Ion Neculai (Cavalieri Union R.Prato Sesto), 19 Riccardo Favretto (Benetton Treviso), 20 Matteo Meggiato (Cus Padova), 21 Manfedi Albanese Ginammi (S.S. Lazio Rugby 1927), 22 Simone Gesi (Livorno Rugby), 23 Leonardo Marin (Moliano Rugby 1969), 24 Andrea Angelone (Avezzano Rugby), 25 Filippo Drago (Mogliano Rugby 1969).

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