England v Ireland: U20s Championship final preview

After both recording disappointing U20 Six Nations performances earlier this year, England and Ireland will meet in the final of this year’s World Rugby U20 Championship.

Both teams have done remarkably well to turnaround their ailing seasons and have without doubt been the two standout teams at the competition.

England went undefeated in a group consisting of Australia, Scotland and Italy before seeing off South Africa in the playoffs, whilst Ireland did likewise in a group boasting New Zealand, Wales and Georgia and then proceeded to beat Argentina in the semi-finals.

Traditional southern hemisphere powerhouses New Zealand and South Africa were outclassed and outmuscled by Ireland and England respectively, and if both teams can maintain that level of performance then this has all the hallmarks of a great final.

Ireland’s scrum is resurgent, resting on the shoulders of props Andrew Porter and Ben Betts and should offer tantalising competition to England’s heavyweight tight five. Given how important that set-piece foundation at the scrum has been for these two teams so far in this competition, it makes the duel between the two units even more pivotal.

The lack of a potent scrum has often been Ireland’s Achilles’ heel at this level and though this group offer much reason for optimism for Irish fans, their English adversaries will be the best group they’ve faced thus far in the competition.

Ireland will need captain James Ryan to be his usual dynamic self. With Will Evans wreaking havoc at the breakdown, Ryan will have to be charged with hunting down and preventing Evans’ jackaling. The openside’s turnovers have created plenty of opportunities for England and Ireland’s ball security will need to be at its best to cope.

In the pivotal position of fly-half, it’s two very contrasting stories. England have potential 2016 World Rugby Junior Player of the Year-in-waiting Harry Mallinder in the 10 jersey whilst Ireland have lost their star fly-half, Bill Johnston. Johnny McPhillips did a fine job in Ireland’s semi-final win over Argentina and they will need him to maintain that level of performance in the final on Saturday.

It’s an area, however, where you would give England a significant advantage. Mallinder may be better-suited to the inside centre position at senior level but at U20 level he can pull all the strings required of a fly-half. His game management, distribution, carrying and defence are all excellent and if the English pack perform and give him a solid platform, he will be able to make Ireland pay.

Moving on to the back line, Jacob Stockdale vs Max Malins and Shane Daly vs Joe Marchant look to be two particularly fun competitions. Stockdale may have the edge over Malins, a fly-half by trade, as a runner, but the Saracen will give England an advantage with the boot at the back. The battle between tactical kicking and counter-attacking will be equally exciting to watch.

This will be the first all-northern hemisphere final since England beat Wales in 2013 and only the second in the tournament’s nine-year history.