6N U20, Round 3: The Fight for First Place
Ireland and England have each won both their matches in the 2020 Under-20 Six Nations, but Ireland top the log because they have two bonus points to England’s one. And Ireland and England meet in Round 3 and they do so in England.
It is a likely to be an all-out affair of high quality. There will be no place to hide in Franklin’s Gardens on Friday evening.
Ireland’s two victories this year have been more lavish than England’s, but then both Ireland’s matches were at home, both England’s away from home.
Ireland are the reigning champions which could add to their determination to keep their title but it would also add to England’s determination to take it away.
Log after Round 2
1. Ireland – 10 points
2. England – 9 points
3. France – 6 points
4. Italy – 4 point
5. Scotland – 2 point
6. Wales – 0 points
Round 1 Results
Ireland vs Scotland, 38-26 in Cork
Italy vs Wales, 17-7 in Colwyn Bay
England vs France, 29-24 in Grenoble
Round 2 Results
England vs Scotland, 21-17 in Edinburgh
Ireland vs Wales, 36-22 in Cork
France vs Italy, 31-19 in Aix-en-Provence
Round 3 Details
England vs Ireland at Franklin’s Gardens, Nottingham, on Friday 21 February 2020. Kick-off: 19.45.
Teams
England have made two changes, one to the backs and one to the forwards, from the team that beat Scotland. Ireland made four changes, two in the backs and two in the forwards from their team that beat Wales. Two of Ireland’s changes are coming back from illness – Ethan McIlroy and Hayden Hyde but they have lost loose forward Mark Hernan to injury.
Teams
England: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Gabriel Hamer-Webb, 13 Connor Doherty, 12 Charlie Watson, 11 Tom Roebuck, 10 George Barton, 9 Sam Maunder (captain), 8 Rusiate Tuima, 7 Josh Gray, 6 Richard Capstick, 5 Ben Donnell, 4 George Hammond, 3 Hugh Tizard, 2 Theo Dan, 1 Sam Crean
Replacements: 16 Ben Atkins, 17 Emmanuel Iyogun, 18 Harvey Beaton, 19 Chunya Munga, 20 Rob Farrar, 21 Blake Boyland, 22 Will Haydon-Wood, 23 Max Ojomoh
Ireland: 15 Oran McNulty, 14 Ethan McIlroy, 13 Dan Kelly, 12 Hayden Hyde, 11 Andrew Smith, 10 Jack Crowley, 9 Lewis Finlay, 8 David McCann (captain), 7 Sean O’Brien, 6 Alex Soroka, 5 Brian Deeny, 4 Thomas Ahern, 3 Thomas Clarkson, 2 John McKee, 1 Marcus Hanan
Replacements: 16 Tom Stewart, 17 Harry Noonan, 18 Charlie Ward, 19 Joe McCarthy, 20 Cian Prendergast, 21 Ben Murphy, 22 Tim Corkery, 23 Max O’Reilly
Referee: Ben Blain (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Finlay Brown (Scotland), Ross Mabon (Scotland)
Television match official: Nick Edwards (England)
Timekeeper: Neil Paterson (Scotland)
Assessor: Jérôme Garcès (France)
Wales vs France at Parc Eirias, Colwyn Bay, on Friday, 21 February 2020. Kick-off: 19.35
Teams
Wales are battling at the bottom of the log with no points so far this season and France to play. Coach Gareth Williams has made five changes to the backline and two to the forwards from the team Ireland beat.
France has made changes in accord with the policy of their coach, Philippe Boher, who apparently is preparing a team for the next World Rugby Under-20 Championship in Italy in June-July 2020. One of those who has dropped out of the starting XV is Jordan Joseph who captained France in the first two rounds.
Wales: 15 Jacob Beetham, 14 Frankie Jones, 13 Bradley Roderick, 12 Aneurin Owen, 11 Mason Grady, 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Ellis Bevan, 8 Morgan Strong, 7 Jac Morgan (captain), 6 Ioan Davies, 5 Ben Carter, 4 James Fender, 3 Ben Warren, 2 Dom Booth, 1 Theo Bevacqua
Replacements: 16 Will Griffiths, 17 Callum Williams, 18 Archie Griffin, 19 Rhys Thomas, 20 Gwilym Bradley, 21 Dafydd Buckland, 22 Joe Hawkins, 23 Josh Thomas
France: 15 Cheikh Tiberghien, 14 Nathanaël Hulleu, 13 Théo Costossèque, 12 Tani Vili, 11 Erwan Dridi, 10 Thibault Debaes, 9 Kévin Viallard, 8 Yann Peysson, 7 Matthias Haddad-Victor, 6 Guillard, 5 Fabien Witz, 4 Joshua Brennan (captain), 3 Aselo Ikahehegi, 2 Loris Zarantonello, 1 Sacha Lotrian
Replacements: 16 Théo Lachaud, 17 Andy Bordelai, 18 Paul Mallez, 19 Adrien Warion, 20 Jordan Joseph, 21 Nolann Le Garrec, 22 Edgar Retière, 23 Romain Fusier
Referee: Adam Leal (England)
Assistant referees: Craig Maxwell-Keys (England), Phil Watters (England)
Television match official: Stuart Terheege (England)
Timekeeper: Paul Hughes (Wales)
Assessor: Joël Jutge (France)
Citing commissioner: Dave Guyan (England)
Italy vs Scotland at Stadio Mirabello, Reggio Emillia. Kick-off: 19.00.
Italy has changed three of its team that started against France – right wing, scrumhalf and No.6 flank.
After a competitive home performance against England in Round 2, Scotland have changed just three to their starting team for this away match against Italy who well certainly not be pushovers, not with the pack of forwards they have. Wing Rufus McLean, scrumhalf Kyle McGhie and flank Gregor Brown come into the starting XV.
Teams
Italy: 15 Jacopo Trulla, 14 Cristian Lai, 13 Federico Mori, 12 Giulio Bertaccini, 11 Michel Mba, 10 Paolo Garbisi (captain), 9 Stephen Varney, 8 Lorenzo Cannone, 7 Manuel Zuliani, 6 Angelo Maurizi, 5 Andrea Zambonin, 4 Riccardo Favretto, 3 Ion Neculai, 2 Gianmarco Lucchesi, 1 Matteo Drudi
Replacements: 16 Matteo Baldelli, 17 Lorenzo Michelini, 18 Muhamed Hasa, 19 Nathanel Panozzo, 20 Luca Andreani, 21 Manfredi Albanes, 22 Mattia Ferrarin, 23 Luca Borin
Scotland: 15 Ollie Smith, 14 Rufus McLean, 13 Matthew Currie, 12 Robbie McCallum, 11 Jacob Henry, 10 Nathan Chamberlain, 9 Kyle McGhie, 8 Rory Darge (captain), 7 Connor Boyle, 6 Gregor Brown, 5 Cameron Henderson, 4 Kieran Watt, 3 Mak Wilson, 2 Ewan Ashman, 1 Thomas Lambert
Replacements: 16 Rory Jackson, 17 Alex Maxwell, 18 George Breese, 19 Jamie Campbell, 20 Jack Hill, 21 Roan Frostwick, 22 Cameron Scott, 23 Harry Paterson
Referee: Adam Jones (Wales)
Assistant referees: Dewi Phillips (Wales), Wayne Davies (Wales)
Assessor: Tony Spreadbury (England)
