Ireland youngsters go two from two

Ireland Under-20s 46 Fiji Under-20s 3

Wingers Darren Sweetnam and Rory Scholes scored two tries apiece as the Ireland Under-20s secured a bonus point win over Fiji at the IRB Junior World Championship.

Mike Ruddock's side needed the bonus point to keep the pressure on Australia and New Zealand at the top of Pool B, ahead of their crunch clash with the Baby Blacks on Thursday.

Scholes' second try of the evening in Vannes wrapped up the bonus point by the 54th minute and prop Christopher Taylor and flanker Daniel Leavy also touched down in a five-try second half display.

Sweetnam's opener, allied to three Tom Daly penalties, had the Irish 14-3 in front at half-time with Emori Waqa kicking a lone penalty for the Fijians.

Three tries in the space of nine minutes, early in the second half, put the result beyond doubt as Ireland, with only four starters on board from last Wednesday's win over Australia, kept up their winning form in the north west of France.

The Fijians had nothing to lose after going down 59-6 to New Zealand in their opening game, and a break from openside Jone Baleidau was the first glimpse of their traditional expansive style.

Scrum half Emori Waqa, their only scorer against the Kiwis, drew a kickable penalty wide before Ireland settled into their stride.

Ruddock's charges won a scrum penalty and further good work from the back row at a ruck allowed Daly boot Ireland in front after 11 minutes.

Fiji threatened at times from crisp offloads and strong broken-field runs, and their left winger Elia Ratucove was hauled down by Scholes in sight of the try-line.

But Ireland struck for their first try on the quarter hour mark. Half-backs David Shanahan and Steve Crosbie were combining well and they passed to the right for Mark Roche to send Sweetnam over in the corner.

Daly, who got the initial move going with a sidestepping run, flashed a difficult conversion attempt wide and the Carlow youngster pulled a subsequent penalty to the left of the target.

Fiji closed the gap to 8-3 courtesy of a well-struck Waqa penalty, but Ireland soon got further reward from their scrum with twins Edward and Bryan Byrne impressing in the front row and the loose.

Fiji held out as the Irish built from a close-in lineout, Jack O'Donoghue and Bryan Byrne being thwarted before Ireland settled for a three-pointer from Daly.

The penalties were beginning to stack up against Fiji as half-time approached, but Daly sent a 34-metre effort wide for his third miss from five kicks.

Peceli Yato failed to roll away after stopping the progress of Irish captain Conor Joyce near the Fijian 22-metre line, the resulting penalty seeing Daly get back on target.

Shanahan was to the fore when the second period got underway, finding a terrific touch on the right and it took a last-ditch tackle to force a knock on as the busy scrum half dived for the whitewash.

Ireland's scrum was becoming more and more of a weapon as they marched Fiji back towards their line. They won a succession of penalties and prop Taylor was then able to plunge over for try number two from close range.

Daly converted for 21-3 and Scholes added his name to the scoresheet three minutes later with a scintillating run from inside his own half.

The Ulster youngster broke over the halfway line, chipped over the top and beat the two covering defenders to get the touchdown in the left corner.

With Ireland now playing with plenty of confidence and Sean McCarthy, Gavin Thornbury and O'Donoghue all prominent up front, the bonus point was swiftly registered.

A slick back-line move initiated by regular skipper Luke McGrath, who came on for Shanahan, saw Crosbie and Daly combine with the latter's lovely inside pass releasing Scholes to crash over to the right of the posts.

The winger's second unconverted effort put 28 points between the sides and the Irish management gradually unloaded the bench.

A fine touch-finding kick from one of the reserves, Rory Scannell, got Ireland into scoring range again and the Fijian defence proved brittle.

Roche scooped a long pass out for Sweetnam to shrug off a first-up tackle and tee up Leavy to slide over in the right corner.

The touchline conversion from Scannell was missed and there were groans from the try-hungry home crowd when Ireland opted for the posts from an advanced position. Scannell added the three points.

With 11 minutes left, Ireland added their final try of the night and it was a brilliant individual effort from Sweetnam, the former Cork hurler who will enter his second year in the Munster Academy later this summer.

He put boot to ball near the right touchline, regathered his kick and did superbly well to stay in play, avoid a tackle and then step inside the final defender to race in behind the posts.

Scannell converted and the Irish management will have been pleased to keep Fiji try-less as Sweetnam and Roche showed their prowess in defence, with the Islanders unable to convert a late bout of pressure into points.

Scorers: Ireland U-20s: Tries: Darren Sweetnam 2, Christopher Taylor, Rory Scholes 2, Daniel Leavy; Cons: Tom Daly, Rory Scannell; Pens: Tom Daly 3, Rory Scannell

Fiji U-20s: Penalty: Emori Waqa

IRELAND U-20: Darragh Leader (Galwegians/Connacht); Darren Sweetnam (UCC/Munster), Mark Roche (Lansdowne/Connacht), Tom Daly (Lansdowne/Leinster), Rory Scholes (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster); Steve Crosbie (Old Belvedere/Leinster), David Shanahan (Clontarf/Leinster); Edward Byrne (UCD/Leinster), Bryan Byrne (UCD/Leinster), Christopher Taylor (Malone/Ulster), Gavin Thornbury (UCD/Leinster), Sean McCarthy (Shannon/Munster), Conor Joyce (Malone/Ulster) (capt), Daniel Leavy (UCD/Leinster), Jack O'Donoghue (UL Bohemians/Munster).

Replacements used: Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster) for Shanahan (53 mins), Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster) for Joyce (60), Rory Scannell (Dolphin/Munster) for Daly (61), Ryan Furniss (Worcester Warriors/Exile) for Taylor, John Donnan (Ballynahinch/Ulster) for McCarthy, David Panter (Corinthians/Connacht) for Scholes (all 66), Peter Dooley (Lansdowne/Leinster) for E Byrne, George McGuigan (Newcastle Falcons/Exiles for B Byrne (both 68), McCarthy for Leavy (72-74, blood sub).

FIJI U-20: Timilai Rokoduru; Mosese Qionimacawa, Nasoni Kunavore, Akuila Tabualevu, Elia Ratucove; Peceli Tuisese, Emori Waqa; Joji Ravula, Tunai Vatubua, Mesake Doge, Esikia Macu (capt), Kemueli Tokalau, Laijaisa Bolenaivalu, Jone Baleidau, Peceli Yato.

Replacements: Penaia Cakobau, Zachery Lee, Aseri Robarobalevu, Sailasa Kerekere, Marika Vunibaka, Dylan Bower, Joeli Douglas, Joshua King.

Referee: Shuhei Kubo (Japan).