England u20 30 - 7 Scotland u20
ALAN LORIMER IN TODAYS HERALD June 10 2009


Scotland suffered their second defeat in the IRB World Under-20 Championship despite putting in a strong performance against the No.2 seeds and RBS 6 Nations champions at the age group, England, at the Prince Tichibu Stadium in Japan.

The margin of defeat was not as great as feared by many, given that it was effectively an amateurs v professional contest, but for the presence of Richie Gray and Peter Horne in the Scottish ranks.

England, fielding a stronger side than the one that beat Scotland 20-6 in the Six Nations, were made to look ordinary in the first half by a Scotland team that had the greater share of territory and possession, although they still went in at the break trailing 20-0 after tries from the Gloucester duo of Charlie Sharples and Henry Trinder "How we were behind was a mystery," said John Jeffrey, the Scotland manager. "We dominated the first half with an outstanding performance from the pack, both in the scrums and the line-outs.

"We were unlucky to be penalised early on for rucking an England player out of a ruck when he had gone over the top. Then they got another penalty and two breakaway tries. We competed much better than we did at Worcester in the six nations. We have to translate that effort in our final pool game against Japan.

Jeffrey was pleased with the contributions of the substitutes, giving special mention to under-19 players Rob Harley and Grant Gilchrist. Another to impress from the bench was the flanker Struan Dewar who was prominent in Scotland's offensive game by running clever lines in attack.

Second-half tries from Bristol's Luke Eves and Sale Sharks' Carl Fearns extended England's lead to 30-0 but Scotland, who had come close through Ash McCulloch and Gray, were finally rewarded when Peter Jericevich, the replacement scrum half, went over from close range. Horne adding the conversion.

The Scots must beat Japan on Saturday if they are to confirm a place in next year's tournament in Argentina, when the number of participating countries will be cut from 16 to 12.

n Scorers. England U20 Tries: Sharples, Trinder, Eves, Fearns. Cons: Homer 2.

Pens: Homer 2 Scotland U20 Try: Jericevich. Con: Horne n TEAMs. England U20 THomer (London Irish); CSharples (Gloucester), HTrinder (Gloucester), LEves (Bristol, capt), WHurrell (Leicester Tigers); RMiller (Newcastle Falcons), DLewis (Gloucester); BMoon (Exeter Chiefs), JGeorge (Saracens), SKnight (Gloucester), JGaskell (Sale Sharks), GKitchener (Worcester Warriors), CLawes (Northampton Saints), JOvens (Bath), CYork (Harlequins).

Substitutes: JClark (London Irish), BBaker (Wasps), DWilliams (Gloucester), CFearns (Sale Sharks), BYoungs (Leicester Tigers), RClegg (Newcastle Falcons), JCobden (Leicester Tigers) Scotland U20 PHorne (West of Scotland); ADunbar (Selkirk), AMcCulloch (Aberdeen Grammar), RJohnston (Leeds Carnegie), GAnderson (Ayr); RMcGowan (Stirling County), HPyrgos (Loughborough Coll); DOrr (Haddington), FGillies (Heriot's), DMorton (Bridgewater), NCampbell (Glasgow Hawks), RGray (Glasgow Warriors), RWilson (London Scottish), SMcInally (Watsonians), CFusaro (Heriot's).

Substitutes: GCameron (Boroughmuir), GShiells (Kelso), GGilchrist (Stirling County), RHarley (West of Scotland), SDewar (Heriot's), PJericevich (Glasgow Hawks), SAitken (Aberdeen Grammar)

This article was posted on 10-Jun-2009, 12:11 by Hugh Barrow.