U19s pay price of inexperience
It was Ireland’s first U19 game of the season as they prepare for the World Cup in Durban next month. England had three games under their belts and the experience showed.
Not that anything should take away from a superb English victory because they were very good, and Ireland, no excuses, looked very poor.
Only Robert Kearney and, for a time, David Sherry and Barry O’Mahony stood out.
Coach Pat Murray accepted there would have to be a major improvement if Ireland hope to make any showing in the World Cup this month but he pleaded: “This was very much an experiment; it was our first outing and England’s fourth.
“We play Wales next weekend and will know a lot more about where we stand after that.”
Dominic Shabbo got England’s opening try after 10 minutes and when Uche Uduoza got the second, converted by Daniel Cipriani, there was no looking back for England.
Marc Howgate got the third and Jordan Crane a fourth before the break to make it 22-3 for the visitors.
Ireland had a good spell in the early stages of the second half and Kearney kicked a penalty to narrow the gap. But England weathered the storm before taking full control again in the last quarter.
: R Kearney (UCD) captain, R Boles-Colston (Exiles), F McFdden (Clongowes), E Ryan (UCC), D Black (Portadown), K Lett (UCD), M D’Arcy (Dublin University), G Walsh (UL-Bohemians), G O’Meara (Lansdowne), K Griffin (Shannon), D McGowan (Buccaneers), D Toner (Lansdowne), D Twomey (Sunday’s Well), D Sherry (Ard Scoil Ris), D Laffan (Dublin University).
: M Tantz-McDonald (Mount Temple) for Black, injured 14), A Saunderson (Ballyclare) for Twomey (24), B O’Mahony (Crescent) for Laffan (h-t), P Durcan (Roscrea) for Boles (h-t), D Cave (Sullivan Upper) for Lett (46), C Black-Hartpury (Exiles) for Walsh, K Moloney (Blackrock) for Griffin (both 53), C Muldoon (Galwegians) for O’Meara (61), G Cooney (Old Belvedere) for Kearney (67), F Walsh (UCC) for Toner (68).
: S Geraghty (London Irish), U Odouza (Worcester), A Allen (NEC Harlequins), T Youngs (Leicester), D Shabbo (London Irish), D Cipriani (Wasps), R Lamb (Gloucester), D Hartley (Worcester), C Brooker (Bath), A Rogers (NEC Harlequins), J Inglis (NEC Harlequins), A Rae (Worcester), A Boyde (Lees Tykes), J Crane (Leeds Tykes) captain; M Howgate (Leicester).
: J Honeyben (Wasps) for Lamb (51), D Paul (Leeds Stykes) for Rogers (52), D Barrell (Saracens) for Boyde (53), N Abendanon (Bath) for Shabbo (56), A Powell (Saracens) for Allen (58), R Webber (Leeds Tykes), A Jarvis (Bath) for Hartley and Brooker (both 66).
: D Huw (Wales).
