World Rugby U20 Championship

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I could see out U20's beating them with Maunder, Curry 1. Curry 2 and Isiekwe

 

[Goodey]

******* hell

 

[ratsapprentice]

Aumua looks like one of my future favourite players.

With the players the senior side have taken, the u20's would be a much better match, as it is, I think the AB's look a fair bit stronger.

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

Is the hooker really fast or the winger really slow? It's not as if the NZ #2 was at full speed, caught him by surprise or anything. He literally outpaced him.

 

[BPM]

I could see out U20's beating them with Maunder, Curry 1. Curry 2 and Isiekwe

To be fair, the clear weakness in our side this year is the tight 5. With the exception of Isiekwe, none of the absentees you've mentioned would made a massive difference to that. Particularly when Earl, Randall and Mitchell have been among our better/most consistent performers.

Caulfield, Clegg and Nay are all decent enough at lock so I think the real problems are in the front row. That doesn't really excuse us having a crap lineout, but if your hooker can't throw ...

Cokanasiga would definitely have been useful - certainly with all the back three injuries, but again, I'd argue that Ibitoye and Aspland-Robinson (before his injury) have been performing at a good enough level to make his absence a bit of an irrelevance.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Is the hooker really fast or the winger really slow? It's not as if the NZ #2 was at full speed, caught him by surprise or anything. He literally outpaced him.

Hooker fast.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

I could see out U20's beating them with Maunder, Curry 1. Curry 2 and Isiekwe

Do we get Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett and Stephen Perofeta back too?

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Do we get Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett and Stephen Perofeta back too?

and could still see us beating that team IMO, would be a hell of a game though.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Gutwrenching. Fair play to England, came out the blocks better and then Mercer (will remember that name) just refused to be kept out at the end (even if I feel the defense could have been better there). Good luck for the final!

Rematch v France for us. Hope the guys can stay motivated for the 3rd place play off as a bitter sweet consolation prize.

#s 8 and 10 the stand out players for me for both England and SA.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Mercer has already looked comfortable at Prem level rugby so no surprise he is performing at U20 level.

 

[Penne Rara]

Hooker fast.

NZ ready to release their new Colesy#2 prototype

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

England U20: 15. Tom Parton (London Irish), 14. Darren Atkins (Bath Rugby), 13. Will Butler (Worcester Warriors), 12. Jacob Umaga (Wasps), 11. Gabriel Ibitoye (Harlequins), 10. Max Malins (Saracens), 9. Harry Randall (Gloucester Rugby), 1. Ralph Adams-Hale (Saracens), 2. Joe Mullis (Gloucester Rugby), 3. Ciaran Knight (Gloucester Rugby), 4. Josh Caulfield (Exeter Chiefs), 5. Jack Nay (Saracens), 6. Dino Lamb (Harlequins), 7. Ben Earl (Saracens), 8. Zach Mercer (Bath Rugby) captain.

Replacements: 16. Henry Walker (Gloucester Rugby), 17. Ollie Dawe (Bristol Rugby), 18. Alex Seville (Gloucester Rugby), 19. Justin Clegg (Worcester Warriors), 20. Josh Bayliss (Bath Rugby), 21. Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints), 22. James Grayson (Northampton Saints), 23. Paolo Odogwu (Sale Sharks).

Pretty worried about Umaga at 12 and Grayson on the bench.

NZ will be targeting 12 all day, huge ask for him.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Looking forward to/am terrified of watching Aumua.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

God this year looks so much more undersized than previous years.

 

[Reiser99]

That was a very debatable decision...

 

[TRF_Olyy]

NZ could have scored two more tries if their hands weren't so bad
Think we're in for a long afternoon

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Embrassing.

 

[Reiser99]

So many missed tackles...

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Honestly from this starting lineup can only see Mercer, Malins and Ibitoye making it.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Whoever has been teaching the tackling should be sacked, it's pathetically feeble