Daniel Ryan hat-trick not enough as Ireland U20s fall short against England

Poor discipline and a malfunctioning lineout undid an awful lot of excellent work from Ireland. They now face an uphill battle to progress

Connacht winger Daniel Ryan scored a hat-trick for the Ireland U20s against England at the World Rugby Junior Championship in Georgia. Pic: Tamuna Kulumbegashvili/Sportsfile

World Rugby Junior Championship Pool C: England 34 Ireland 27 

A superb hat-trick from Connacht winger Daniel Ryan was not enough for Ireland to make a winning start to their World Rugby Junior Championship campaign in Georgia.

Andrew Browne’s men will have a lot of regrets about this one as poor discipline and a malfunctioning lineout undid an awful lot of excellent work throughout the park, not least from a solid scrum and an exciting backline with ball in hand.

The two bonus points were scant consolation and they now face an uphill battle to qualify for the semi-finals with only one team going through from a pool in which Argentina hammered the USA 78-14 in the opening game in Tbilisi.

England were much more efficient and made it count in the end, even if they were on the back foot for most of the second half when Ireland enjoyed 59% possession playing against the wind.

Ireland had a dream start at the Avchala Stadium and raced into a 12-0 lead after eight minutes as England struggled to get into the game playing against the wind.

But Ireland got on the wrong side of Welsh referee Ben Connor and two yellow cards in succession saw them go in at the break trailing by double scores at 24-12.

Ryan, the former St Michael’s College winger who made his Connacht senior debut against Ulster in December, scored both of Ireland’s tries in that blistering start, both of which came when they had penalty advantage.

He crossed for the first after just 75 seconds after a neat crosskick from outhalf Charlie O’Shea, and scored again down the left after eight minutes after a good move.

In between the other winger Charlie Molony did well to get back to deny Sam Winters, but in England’s next attack down the right, Ireland lock Dylan McNeice was binned for offside. It proved costly as England scored 21 points while he was in the bin.

Hooker Jimmy Shields scored off a lineout after 14 minutes, then fullback James Pater raced through to touch down with a penalty advantage and just before McNeice returned, referee Connor awarded England a penalty try and binned Ireland flanker Ben Blaney.

Ireland dug in and did well to hold England scoreless during the second yellow card before outhalf Hugh Shields pushed the lead out to 24-12 but he kicked a penalty to the left corner dead just before the interval.

Ryan completed his hat-trick two minutes after the restart when he fended off the challenge of lock Eliot Williams after being set up by O’Shea, but England hit back with their only try of the second half from Will Knight four minutes later.

Ryan was harshly denied a fourth try on review, while a horrible bounce thwarted him on the hour when a crosskick from replacement outhalf Tom Wood bounced back into the hands of fullback Pater instead of the Irish winger.

By then referee Connor had finally lost patience with England and binned flanker Seb Kelly after a fifth penalty in a row and Ireland made it count when fullback Noah Byrne scored after good work by the impressive McNeice.

Laois native Jack Deegan crowned a superb display off the bench at half-time by finishing off a great break from Josh Neill, but the conversions from opposite wings were narrowly missed by Wood.

England pushed the lead out to seven with a penalty from Shields in a rare second half attack but the Northampton Saints player missed one from the left in the final play in a game that Browne’s men will feel slipped from their grasp.

Scorers - England: Tries: J Staples, J Pater, W Knight, penalty try; Cons: H Shields (3); Pens: Shields (2).

Ireland: Tries: D Ryan (3), N Byrne, J Deegan. Con: C O’Shea.

England: J Pater; Z Finch (G Pearson 64), N Lilley, W Knight, S Winters; H Shields, L Friday; A Poku (O Spencer 56), J Staples, O Streeter (S Tonga'uiha 72); E Williams, A Ainsworth-Cave; T Williams (P Hogg 72), S Kelly (J Lewis 73), C Treacey (c).

Ireland: N Byrne; C Molony, R Carney (J Deegan half-time), J O'Leary, D Ryan; C O'Shea (T Wood 60), C Barrett; M Doyle (A Cooper 65), R Handley (D Maguire 58), S Bishti (B McClean 71); D McGuire (P Woods 65), D McNeice; J Neill, B Blaney (A Lautsou 58), D O'Connell.

Referee: Ben Connor (Wales).