Sport

England secure Grand Slam

UNDER-20 REPORT/England 43 Ireland 14: ENGLAND SECURED the Under-20 Grand Slam at Kingsholm last night with a comprehensive …

Sat Mar 15 2008 - 00:00

UNDER-20 REPORT/England 43 Ireland 14:ENGLAND SECURED the Under-20 Grand Slam at Kingsholm last night with a comprehensive seven-try victory over Ireland.

Saracens fullback Noah Cato was the stand-out performer with one try and a hand in every other positive plays but it was English number eight Hugo Ellis who received the man-of-the-match award despite going off injured at half-time.

Eric Elwood's team finish an unsuccessful Six Nations with victories over just Scotland and Italy ahead of the summer Under-20 World Cup in Wales.

Ireland got off to a perfect start when David Kearney was put clear for a try thanks to clever build-up play by Eoin O'Malley after three minutes. England responded almost immediately through right wing Seb Stegmann after Ellis was held up short. Centre Alex Goode put England in front with the conversion.

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Three first-half penalties from Ian Madigan kept Ireland in touch but Ellis and Luke Eves tries put England 19-14 clear at the break.

The hosts put further daylight between the sides four minutes into the second half with a fourth try from Matt Cox. Elwood replaced Blackrock half back pairing of Dave Moore and Ian Madigan with Ian Porter and Martin Dufficy soon after but it made little difference as the English pack dominated possession.

They added three more touchdowns through Cato, a fine individual effort, prop Nathan Catt and winger Mark Odejobi.

SCORING SEQUENCE - 3 mins: D Kearney try, 0-5; 7: S Stegmann try, 5-5; A Goode conv, 7-5; 14: I Madigan pen, 7-8; 26: H Ellis try, 12-8; A Goode conv, 14-8; 29: I Madigan pen, 14-11; 34: L Eves try, 19-11; 38: I Madigan pen, 19-14. half-time. 44: M Cox try, 24-14; A Goode conv, 26-14; 61: N Cato try, 31-14; 65: N Catt try, 36-14; A Goode conv, 38-14; 74: M Odejobi try, 43-14.

ENGLAND: N Cato (Saracens); S Stegmann (Harlequins), L Eves (Bristol Rugby), A Goode (Saracens), M Odejobi (Wasps); A Greendale (Leeds Carnegie), J Simpson (Wasps); N Catt (Bath), M Gray (Northampton), A Corbisiero (London Irish); G Kitchener (Worcester), S Hobson (Cornish Pirates); J Fisher (London Irish), M Cox (Worcester), H Ellis (Wasps).

IRELAND: D Kearney (Leinster); S Scanlon (Munster), E O'Malley (Leinster), C Cleary (Leinster), C Cochrane (Ulster); I Madigan (Leinster), D Moore (Leinster); P Karayiannis (Ulster), J Harris-Wright (Leinster), B Barclay (Leinster); D Nolan (Connacht), E Sheriff (Leinster); K Essex (Munster), P Ryan (Leinster, capt), P Mallon (Leinster).