Ireland will play France to determine fifth and sixth places in the Under 20 World Junior Championship following a brilliant 27-12 victory over England in Cape Town today.
The sides had met in the pool stages and England had overcome a 15-3 deceit to win 20-15 and earlier in the season had denied Ireland a Grand Slam in the Six Nations, inflicting the only loss of the campaign on Mike Ruddock’s charges.
Ireland were no to be denied on their third occasion that they sides have met this season and put in a superb 80 minutes to comprehensively outplay their opponents. Tries from former Gonzaga schoolboy wing Barry Daly, secondrow Iain Henderson and flanker Jordan Coghlan along with 12 points from the boot of Munster’s JJ Hanrahan gave them a deserved success.
Ireland’s previous best result in this particular age grade tournament is to finish seventh. They will definitely eclipse that as they take on a France team – winners against Australia – whom they beat by a single point on French soil. That game, for fifth and sixth place, is on next Friday.
