Ireland U20s deliver timely boost with Six Nations win against England
Ireland's Tom Wood kicks a conversion. Pic: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan
IRELAND delivered a ruthless second-half blitz to secure back-to-back wins in this season’s Six Nations Under-20s Championship, crushing England at Bath’s Recreation Ground.
After a tense opening period, Andrew Browne’s young guns unleashed their power and precision, steamrolling the home defence in the process.
Lee Fitzpatrick, Josh Neill, Daniel Ryan and Noah Byrne finished with clinical precision, all conversions added, to turn a tight contest into a statement win.
The dominant finish didn’t just claim victory, it sent a warning shot ahead of Saturday’s showdown at the Allianz Stadium, where the senior sides are set for an equally fierce battle.
Ahead of kick-off, Ireland answered their opening-night humiliation in emphatic fashion, shaking off the sting of a 50-21 defeat to France with a gutsy 30-27 win over Italy in Cork - and they carried that defiant edge into their latest showdown in the Roman city.
Head coach Browne rang the changes. Donnacha McGuire, a late withdrawal last week, slotted back into the second row in place of the injured Dylan McNeice. Joe Finn shifted from the engine room to the back row, linking up with Garryowen club-mate Billy Hayes, who joined Diarmaid O’Connell and Josh Neill in a reshaped loose-forward unit.
England, on the other hand, arrived brimming with confidence. A dramatic 19-16 win over Wales was followed by a commanding 33-17 dismissal of Scotland - and they wasted no time asserting themselves, launching wave after wave of early attacks.
Ireland’s defence, however, held firm. Absorbing the pressure, they themselves then struck with precision. Centre Rob Carney sparked a stunning counter-attack from deep, slicing through the line before feeding Derry Moloney. The winger tore downfield and closed in on glory, only for the move to unravel at the final, agonising moment.
Ireland refused to blink. Carney and Moloney again combined dangerously on the right, forcing a penalty when England’s Seb Kelly failed to roll away at the breakdown. Tom Wood drilled the kick to the corner and from the line-out, Neill rose highest, the forwards locked in, and the maul rumbled with intent, allowing Leinster hooker Lee Fitzpatrick to peel off the back and powered over for the opening try, converted by Munsterman Wood.
England threatened an instant reply. Scrum-half Lucas Friday sniped down the blindside with the line in sight, but skewed his grubber into touch at the critical juncture.
The reprieve was brief as full-back James Pater plucked a towering up-and-under from the night sky, shrugged off two defenders and released Pearson, who brushed aside Noah Byrne to touch down. Keylock’s conversion levelled the mood - and shifted the momentum.
Moments later, they struck again. Sustained pressure ended with Bath No.8 Treacey burrowed over under the posts on familiar turf. Keylock plundered the extras to ensure maximum reward.
It was clinical and ruthless from England, but Ireland pushed hard for an immediate answer, driving deep behind enemy lines. But when the chance came to land a decisive blow, they faltered, the opportunity slipping through their grasp at the crucial moment.
After the restart, the spectacle gave way to a slugfest. The free-flowing flair on show earlier was shelved, replaced by a brutal, trench-by-trench arm wrestle. Both packs hurled themselves into the collision with ferocious intent, not in search of highlight-reel tries, but more to squeeze out inches, claim territory and wrestle back control of possession.
Ireland carried the greater menace. Centre James O’Leary thundered into the line and looked certain to score, only to be flattened inches short by a bone-rattling hit. However, England barely had time to reset. Instead, Ireland recycled at pace, struck while the line was scrambling, and Neill crashed over to finish the job. Wood nailed the conversion, and just like that, the sides were level once more.
The try lit the fuse. Ireland surged, scenting blood. Every carry had bite, every phase carried menace. They hunted in packs, demanding the ball and driving the tempo. England were scrambling now, their defence compressing too tightly - and Ireland spotted it in an instant.
Carney, outstanding throughout, pulled the strings again. He surged into the line and slipped a clever pass to Byrne, who whipped it wide with perfect timing. Waiting on the touchline was Connacht flyer Ryan, and the winger needed no second invitation. He squeezed through the narrowest of gaps and dotted down in the left corner.
From the tightest of angles, Wood delivered a moment of pure class - a sublime touchline conversion that arced between the posts and underlined Ireland’s growing authority.
The Irish double act struck again with ten to play. Wood went aerial, launching a perfectly weighted cross-field kick that Ryan plucked from the night sky. In one slick movement he hacked ahead, turned on the afterburners and won the foot race to the whitewash. Bonus point secured. Statement made.
But England weren’t done.
Emptying the bench, they injected fresh muscle into the pack and went back to basics. Carry after carry, they battered their way upfield, tightening the screw before spinning it wide at just the right moment. The ball found Exeter centre Nick Lilley, who lowered the shoulder and bulldozed over the line. Ollie Davies added the extras, and suddenly the pressure was back on.
Ireland, though, were not to be denied, replacement Charlie O’Shea landing a telling blow just minutes from time with a long-range penalty, while England replacement Will Knight saw last-gasp try - which would have ensured his side of two points - chalked off for a forward pass.
J Pater; T Offiah, N Lilley, V Worship (W Knight 63), G Pearson; F Keylock (O Davies 53), L Friday (G Newman 78); O Scola (O Spencer 70), J Staples (J Gorleku 70), O Streeter (S Tonga’uiha 59); E Williams, P Hogg (T Williams 53); A Ainsworth-Cave, S Kelly (G Marsh 59), C Treacey (c). Replacement (not used): W Knight
Pearson, Treacey, Lilley; Conversions: Keylock (2), Davies
N Byrne; D Moloney (J O’Sullivan 57), R Carney, J O’Leary, D Ryan; T Wood (C O’Shea 74), C Barrett (J O’Dwyer 63); M Doyle (C Foley 70), L Fitzpatrick (R Handley 29), S Bishti (c, B McLean 70); J Finn, D McGuire (S Walsh 57); J Neill, B Hayes (B Blaney 62), D O’Connell.
Fitzpatrick, Neill, Ryan (2); Conversions: Wood (4); Penalty: O’Shea
M White
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