Rugby Football Union - England Rugby - Defiant Under-19s go down fighting at Ravenhill

Defiant Under-19s go down fighting at Ravenhill

by Simon Mills


	Under-19s scrum-half Joe Simpson photo by Getty Images

April 13, 2007

England U-19 13
New Zealand U-19 34

England chances of claiming a first-ever IRB Under-19 World Championship crown are over despite their dogged defensive display against New Zealand at Ravenhill.

The Baby Blacks were frustrated for long spells and under pressure early in the second-half when Hugo Ellis’s side put together some impressive attacking passages.

But they were eventually punished out wide by two tries from wing Kade Poki, and one apiece from Ryan Crotty, Wayne Ngaluafe and Zach Guildford. Fly-half Daniel Kirkpatrick added a penalty and two conversions, and full-back Israel Dagg a conversion.

Scrum-half Joe Simpson scored England’s second-half try with full-back Alex Goode calmly stroking over two penalties and a conversion but the result means England are now playing for fifth place overall in their final two play-off games.

England made six changes to the side that had beaten Argentina 17-15 and included two survivors from last year’s 24-11 defeat against the Baby Blacks in Dubai in captain Hugo Ellis and lock Ben Thomas.

They were smart and competitive in the opening quarter, particularly in shutting down the New Zealand midfield, and restricting Kirkpatrick to one shot at goal from long range that missed the target.

They were caught short of numbers out wide, though, following a 22nd minute clearance kick which allowed centre Ryan Crotty to step inside the last defender to score with Kirkpatrick converting.

Straight from the restart England worked themselves into another good position for Goode to reply with a penalty, only for Fitzpatrick to strike back right at the end of the half to establish a 10-3 interval lead.

England opened the second half with their best spell so far, Noah Cato stretching New Zealand down the left and the forwards following up to win a penalty which Goode calmly stroked over from 30 metres out.

But four tries in 15 minutes ended the game as a contest after Poki had squeezed over in the corner despite Simpson’s covering tackle appearing to have nudged him into touch.

Ngaluafe got over on the left from the base of a ruck, Poki was bundled over for his second after England tried to run the ball out of defence, and Guildford cruised past defenders on the right before celebrating wildly.

There was some defiance from England in the last 10 minutes, though, Alex Tait carrying the ball up and Joe Simpson darting away from the breakdown to score under the posts to make Goode’s conversion a formality.

England Under-19: Alex Goode (Saracens); Noah Cato (Saracens), Greg King (Worcester Warriors; Tom Bedford, Exeter Chiefs 45), Alex Tait (Newcastle Falcons), Miles Benjamin (Worcester Warriors; David Smith (Northampton Saints 57); Gareth Griffiths (Bristol Rugby), Joe Simpson (London Wasps); Nathan Catt (Bath Rugby; Jack Steadman, Bristol Rugby 60), Scott Freer (Leeds Tykes; Joe Williams, Cinderford 50), Alex Corbisiero (London Irish; Billy Moss, Bath Rugby 61), Ben Thomas (Saracens), Scott Hobson (Cornish Pirates; Gregor Gillanders, Leicester Tigers 21), Matt Cox (Worcester Warriors), Andy Saull (Saracens), Hugo Ellis (captain, London Wasps; Jonathan Fisher, London Irish & Wellington College 62).

Replacements (not used): Danny Pointon (Northampton Saints), Richard Bolt (Exeter Chiefs), Adam Greendale (Leeds Tykes & Hymers College), Garth Dew (Sale Sharks).

New Zealand Under-19: Israel Dagg; Zach Guildford, Robert Fruean, Ryan Crotty, Kade Poki; Daniel Kirkpatrick, Wayne Ngaluafe; Rodney Ah You, Quentin MacDonald, Ben Afeaki, Chris Smith (captain), Samuel Whitelock, Peter Saili, Luke Braid, Liukanasi Manu.

Replacements: Ash Dixon, Paea Fa’anunu, Nicholas Barrett, Thomas Crowley, Josh Townsend, John Hardie, Matthew Cameron, Trent Renata, Winston Stanley, Jackson Willison, Sean Maitland.

Referee: Neil Paterson (SRU).

ends