The England Under 20s beat Australia 38-24 in Round Two of the Junior Rugby World Championships at QBE Stadium in Albany, and in denying them any bonus points made it unlikely that the Aussies would qualify for the semi finals.
England did not look like world-beaters but they played two or three years older than the Aussies did and after a slow start took the lead and were never headed afterwards.
First half
Australia had a dream start after 8. Ross Haylett-Petty made a break after a sweet pass from 4. Tom Staniforth and galloped up near the England line. After a scrum the young Poms did not match up on defence and 11. Andrew Kellaway scored in the corner. It seemed too easy after the good conversion from 10. Jake McIntyre made the score 7-0 at the six minute mark.
Ross Haylett-Petty made the break
Then came the first of many restart problems for the boys in gold, Every time there was a score they either had problems getting out of their reception zone or stopping an England attack from their kick. You could track the connection between many England scores and this malady.
On the first occasion, after the Aussie try, 6. Sean McMahon was offside at a ruck, and 10 Billy Burns slotted a penalty for England to make the score 7-3.
The young Wallabies weren’t too good on their own restarts either. They kicked their first one deep and England nearly scored down the other side of the park because the edges weren’t manned well enough, soon enough. Australia lost their lineout throw, another rugby ailment they had, and they couldn’t get rid of England invaders from their patch.
After camping around the Aussie 22 for a while impressive scrumhalf Henry Taylor went over. Burns made the score 10-7 to England at twelve minutes.
25 seconds after the restart England were five metres out from the Aussie line again because 11. Nathan Earle caught the restart ball and hared past three Aussies who were running the other way. Again they parked on the Aussie 22, and this time Taylor scored under the posts. It was 17-7 England at 18 minutes and they had even stuffed up a try earlier when they had seven on two.
Tom Staniforth gets a don’t argue from Tom Stephenson
England were too dominant in the tackle whichever side had the ball and kept their power running or their counter rucking going, relentlessly, like they were in a war. The Aussies were missing tackles and that was partly because the Poms wouldn’t let too many shoulders connect with them.
McIntyre kicked a penalty goal for Australia and the Poms ran the restart kick back into the Aussie 22. This time Earle scored, forcing his way through some weak tackling. After the Burns conversion the score was 24-10 with nine minutes to go in the half.
Instead of dropping their heads the Aussies won their own lineout ball after England kicked their restart ball into touch 40 metres from their own line. Australia charged up the other touchline and after Kellaway kicked through they forced a five-metre scrum, and Kellaway scored on the third phase. With McIntrye off the field briefly David Horwitz, who had thrown a couple of influential passes in a short time, converted.
At halftime the score was 24-17 but now there was some hope. It could have been a lot worse.
Second half
It got worse. Australia got a penalty kick after the second half kick-off and lost their too-long lineout throw near halfway. England’s blitz running was then impressive and too good for the Aussie defenders. 7. Gus Jones went in three minutes after the break following a fine run by 13. Nick Tompkins. After the conversion the score was 31-17.
Gus Jones – scored England’s fourth try
The restart karma changed then, and England knocked on after their clearing kick got tipped. When McIntyre grubbered for touch England knocked on again, at their lineout. From the scrum McIntyre moseyed over the line to score while defenders were looking for the real runners.
After his conversion Australia was still behind but only by 24-31. But England spoiled the Aussie party and scored their fifth try after a lineout drive and spreading the ball wide to the opposite corner. 38-24.
Australia had time to score a converted try to earn two bonus points even if they couldn’t win, but they weren’t good enough to. With 15 minutes to go and 30 metres out Jonah Placid ran straight into the last defender instead of passing to Brad Lacey with nothing in front of him but 30 metres of grass.
England had the skills to keep the Aussies in their own half too much after that and won 38-24.
The teams
Australia
Their restarts were poor again and they lost their lineout ball six times. They didn’t have much deception in the lineout and it seemed too easy for the England jumpers to intervene.
The most disappointing aspect was their one-on-one tackling and sometimes it was two on one that was poor. England power runners breached poor body positions repeatedly.
The forwards also watched too much and reacted rather than making things happen before their opponents did. They lacked the firepower to move the young Poms backwards so their backs could attack defensive lines that weren’t set.
Nick Tompkins – one of England’s best
England
They always had the winning of the game after a bad start but they will be disturbed that Australia scored their three tries from scrums near their line so easily.
Apart from the odd knock on at the lineout their set piece was solid. They managed the game well and knowing the weakness of the Aussie lineout were good enough kicking from hand to force Australia to throw the ball in twice as often as they did.
Their swarming forwards were magnificent in the first half and had the Aussies putting out fires everywhere. It was like they had a couple of extra fellows on the field.
The players
Australia
3 points: 3. Allan Ala’alatoa – England couldn’t shift him.
2 points: 11. Andrew Kellaway – Set up his second try then scored it with a bit to do.
1 point: 6. Sean McMahon – Got penalised a couple of times but he played like they did.
Andrew Kellaway – two meat pies
England
3 points: 9. Harvey Taylor – Scored two tries and was dangerous even when the Aussies knew what he was going to do.
2 points: 13. Nick Tompkins – Set up a try and made metres and breaks nearly every time he had the ball.
1 point: 7. Gus Jones – Scored a tough try, was early at the breakdowns and good over the ball.
Scoring
England Under 20 – 38 (H. Taylor 2, N. Earle 2, G. Jones tries; B. Burns 5 cons, pen ) def Australia Under 20 – 24 (A. Kellaway 2 tries, J. McIntyre try, cons 2, pen; D. Horwitz con.)
