Round 2 of the U20 Six Nations championships saw England and Ireland maintain their unbeaten records, with Ireland still in the hunt for back to back Grand Slams.

England had left it oh so late in France last week and they were in another tight old game at Myerside against Scotland on Friday night too as they won 21-17.

England led 14-10 at the break after tries from Theo Dan and Freddie Steward, both converted by former Harrow man Manu Vunipola, sandwiched a Scotland score from Sale Sharks hooker Ewan Ashman, converted by Bristol Bears’ Nathan Chamberlain, who had landed an early penalty too.

Scotland moved ahead midway through the half though as a penalty try took them 17-14 ahead. Like last week though, England stayed calm to come from behind for victory as Sale Sharks centre Connor Doherty scored with eleven minutes left to play to give England the lead again, a lead that Vunipola moved beyond that of just a penalty when he landed the conversion.

The visitors took a slender 14-10 lead into the interval with tries from Theo Dan and Freddie Steward either side of Ewan Ashman’s score.

Ireland made it two bonus point wins from two on Friday night as they backed up victory over Scotland with a 36-22 defeat of Wales to stay at the top of the table. They crossed the whitewash five times, twice through former St Michael’s College openside Mark Hernan, alongside scores from Ulster scrum half Lewis Finlay, Hernan’s old schoolmate Andrew Smith, and former Kirkham Grammar School star, Dan Kelly. With Munster fly half Jack Crowley adding four conversions and a penalty it made it too much to come back from for Wales, despite a brace from Scarlets centre Osian Knott, both converted by former Oakham fly half Sam Costelow, and a penalty try.

France, meanwhile, left it late again Italy to secure their bonus point with a 31-19 victory that leaves them in third place. Italy were 19-14 up with fifteen minutes to play but a penalty from Debaes followed by scores from Dumortier and then Farrisier, for the bonus point, with two more Debaes conversions have the home side the all important victory.

U20 Six Nations Round 2 Results:

France 31-19 Italy

Ireland 36-22 Wales

Scotland 17-21 England

Table:

Round 1 Results:

France 24-29 England

Ireland 38-26 Scotland

Wales 7-17 Italy

Home Nations Teams

Scotland

15 Ollie Smith (Ayrshire Bulls), 14 Harry Paterson (Heriot’s), 13 Matthew Currie (Watsonians), 12 Robbie McCallum (Boroughmuir), 11 Jacob Henry (Southern Knights), 10 Nathan Chamberlain (Bristol Bears), 9 Roan Frostwick (Watsonians), 1 Thomas Lambert (Sydney Uni), 2 Ewan Ashman (Sale Sharks), 3 Mak Wilson (Southern Knights), 4 Kieran Watt (Watsonians), 5 Cameron Henderson (Stirling County), 6 Jack Hill (Durham Uni), 7 Connor Boyle (Watsonians), 8 Rory Darge (Southern Knights, captain).

Replacements: 16 Rory Jackson (Watsonians), 17 George Breese (Stirling County), 18 Alex Maxwell (Stourbridge), 19 Jamie Campbell (Biggar), 20 Gregor Brown (Boroughmuir), 21 Kyle McGhie (Boroughmuir), 22 Cameron Scott (Boroughmuir), 23 Max Preistly (Glasgow Hawks).

England

15 Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers), 14 Gabriel Hamer-Webb (Bath Rugby), 13 Connor Doherty (Sale Sharks), 12 Max Ojomoh (Bath Rugby), 11 Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks), 10 Manu Vunipola (Saracens), 9 Sam Maunder (Exeter Chiefs, captain), 1 James Whitcombe (Leicester Tigers), 2 Theo Dan (Saracens), 3 Harvey Beaton (Saracens), 4 George Hammond (Harlequins), 5 Ben Donnell (London Irish), 6 Richard Capstick (Exeter Chiefs), 7 JJ Tonks (Northampton Saints), 8 Rus Tuima (Exeter Chiefs).

Replacements: 16 Ben Atkins (London Irish), 17 Emmanuel Iyogun (Northampton Saints), 18 Luke Green (London Irish), 19 Hugh Tizard (Harlequins), 20 Josh Gray (Gloucester Rugby), 21 Jack Van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers), 22 George Barton (Gloucester Rugby), 23 Ollie Sleightholme (Northampton Saints).

Ireland

15 Oran McNulty (Millfield/Galway Corinthians/Connacht), 14 Ben Moxham (Larne HS/Ballymena/Ulster), 13 Dan Kelly (Kirkham GS/Loughborough Uni/IQ Rugby), 12 Hayden Hyde (Cranleigh/Ballynahinch/Ulster), 11 Andrew Smith (St Michael’s College/Clontarf/Leinster), 10 Jack Crowley (Bandon/Cork Constitution/Munster), 9 Lewis Finlay (Down HS/Malone/Ulster), 1 Marcus Hanan (Clane/Old Belvedere/Leinster), 2 Tom Stewart (Belfast Royal Academy/Ballynahinch/Ulster), 3 Thomas Clarkson (Blackrock College/Dublin University/Leinster), 4 Thomas Ahern (Waterpark/Shannon/Munster), 5 Brian Deeny (Wexford Wanderers/Clontarf/Leinster), 6 Sean O’Brien (Blackrock College/UCD/Leinster), 7 Mark Hernan (St Michael’s College/Lansdowne/Leinster), 8 David McCann (RBAI/Banbridge/Ulster, captain).

Replacements: 16 John McKee (Campbell College/Old Belvedere/Leinster), 17 Harry Noonan (Greystones/Old Wesley/Leinster), 18 Charlie Ward (Tullow/Clontarf/Leinster), 19 Joe McCarthy (Blackrock College/Dublin University/Leinster), 20 Cian Prendergast (Newbridge College/UCD/Leinster), 21 Ben Murphy (Presentation College Bray/Clontarf/Leinster), 22 Tim Corkery (Kilkenny/Lansdowne/Leinster), 23 Luis Faria (Newpark/Dublin University/Leinster).

Wales

15 Ioan Lloyd (Bristol Bears), 14 Dan John (Millfield), 13 Osian Knott (Scarlets), 12 Aneurin Owen (Dragons), 11 Ewan Rosser (Dragons), 10 Sam Costelow (Leicester Tigers), 9 Dafydd Buckland (Dragons), 1 Theo Bevacqua (Eastbourne College), 2 Will Griffiths (Dragons), 3 Ben Warren (Cardiff Blues), 4 Jac Price (Scarlets), 5 Ben Carter (Dragons), 6 Ioan Davies (Cardiff Blues), 7 Jac Morgan (Scarlets, captain), 8 Morgan Strong (Ospreys).

Replacements: 16 Dom Booth (Scarlets), 17 Callum Williams (Scarlets), 18 Archie Griffin (Bath), 19 James Fender (Ospreys), 20 Gwilym Bradley (Cardiff Blues), 21 Ellis Bevan (Cardiff Met Uni), 22 Bradley Roderick (Ospreys), 23 Josh Thomas (Ospreys).