England thrash SA A

In the first round of the series the yellow South Africans had had a 29-14 victory over Italy and it looked easily enough but in this match England outplayed them in every aspect of the game.

England outscrummed them winning two tightheads and two penalties. At the breakdown England were dominant winning the turnovers 14-3. England's first-time tackling was much superior and England managed many more and slicker passes than the disjoined South Africans who too often passed to high, too low, too long and badly directed.

England scored within the first minute of the match. They kicked off, South Africa got the ball and flyhalf Max Malins intercepted a laboured pass, directed more at him than a South African receiver and scored under the posts. He converted. 7-0 and the match was not a minute on the go.

A break and chip by Cornel Smit ended with an attacking line-out to South Africa on their right. They went left where they had a two-man overlap but wing Sam Aspland-Robinson tackled Riaan van Rensburg who was well over the line. In doing so Aspland-Robinson prevented the try. But the South Africans had a simple penalty which Eddie Fouché goaled. 7-3 after 6 minutes. England then scored 26 points before the South Africans scored again.

England's forwards, with short offloads, ploughed ahead towards the South African line. Scrumhalf Alex Mitchell darted and Aspland-Robinson was over the line but held up. South Africa coped with the five-metre scrum and ran out of trouble, but England, playing wit the wind, stayed attacking.

Zach Mercer tried and England bashed but again were held up.

The next try was scored when close in Gabriel Ibitoye stepped inside a defender and scored near the posts. 14-3 after 23 minutes./

England grabbed the ball from a rickety South African scrum  and Aspland-Robinson raced down the right before passing inside to Josh Bayliss, who scored. 19-3 after 26 minutes and England were threatening to run away with the match.

South Africa kicked, England countered and Mercer passed to Malins who scored at the posts. 26-3 after 34 minutes.

South Africa then actually attacked but England won a turnover and could well have scored at the other end of the field.

From a scoring point of view the second half was better for the South Africans as it ended a try apiece, but England were never in the remotest danger of losing as they continued to overwhelm the South Africans up front and to look by far the more alert of the two sides.

A penalty gave England an attacking line-out and that gave them a maul. They went left and substitute flyhalf Theo Brophy Clews cut over for a try at the posts which he converted. 33-3 after 47 minutes.

South Africa had two chances to score when Van Rensburg, by far their liveliest back, raced down the left chipped, gathered and was stopped at the line. England were penalised, substitute flyhalf Bader Pretorius tapped but Billy Keast held up the would-be try-scorer.

England were passing deep in their own territory when substitute  Abner van Reenen intercepted a pass and scored near the posts. 33-8 and just before the end Ryan Muller went for the left corner but a left foot grazed the line in Al.;ex Moon's tackle.

Both sides availed themselves of the liberal use of substiutes by the tournament's regulations.

It was a pity that there was an amount of poor manners in the match. At one stage the referee announced: "I referee, you play."

Scorers:

For England:

Tries: Malins 2, Ibitoye, Bayliss, Brophy Clews

Cons: Malins 3, Brophy Clews

For South Africa;

Try: Van Reenen

Pen: Fouché

Teams

England: 15 Ali Crossdale, 14 Sam Aspland-Robinson, 13 Dominic Morris, 12 Gabriel Ibitoye, 11 Johnny Williams, 10 Max Malins, 9 Alex Mitchell, 8 Zach Mercer, 7 Will Allman, 6 Josh Bayliss, 5 Nick Isiekwe, 4 Josh Caulfield,  3 Charlie Capps, 2 Curtis Langdon, 1 Jake Pope   

Replacements:16 Joe Mullis, 17 Billy Keast, 18 Billy Walker,  19 Alex Moon,   20 Callum Chick,   21 Archie White, 22 Jack Maunder, 23 Theo Brophy Clews, 24 Max Wright, 25 Roti Segun, 26 Darren Atkins

SA Schools A: 15 Riaan van Rensburg, 14 Tyreeq February, 13 Cyprian Nkomo, 12 Cornel Smit, 11 Ryan Muller, 10 Eddie Fouché, 9 Jason Olivier, 8 Phillip Krause, 7 Kamva Dilima, 6 Zain Davids, 5 Hendré Stassen (captain), 4 Reinhard Nothnagel, 3 Ignatius Prinsloo, 2 Marnus van der Merwe, 1 Abram Venter

Replacements: 16 André Lategan, 17 Christopher Klopper, 18 Mashao Mukhari, 19 Ruan Vermaak, 20 Kwanda Dimaza, 21 Khanya Ncusane, 22 Matthew Dahl, 23 Bader Pretorius, 24 Abner van Reenen, 25 Mujaahid van der Hoven, 26 Earll Douwrie

Referee: Luc Ramos (France)