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2019 Superb Six-Try Salvo Sees Ireland Under-

5th,
June 20s Over The Line In Santa Fe

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EXAMINER Cefforts of his Ireland
aptain Charlie Ryan
praised the collective

IRISH Under-20 side as they
repeated their Six Nations
heroics with a brilliant 42-
26 bonus point win over
England on the opening
day of the World Rugby U-
20 Championship in Santa
Fe.
The Grand Slam champi-
ons capitalized on England’s
indiscipline - Aaron Hinkley
and Manu Vunipola were sin-
binned in both halves and
replacement hooker Alfie
Barbeary saw red with a reck-
less 67th-minute challenge on
John Hodnett - as they closed
out an impressive perform-
ance with clinching tries from
Ben Healy, who starred off
the bench, and Hodnett.
Noel McNamara’s young-
sters scored six tries in all,
their first two from Jake
Flannery and debutant
Stewart Moore giving them a
14-13 half-time lead. England
led 10-0 and 21-14 at different
stages, with winger Ollie meetings with England came losing the luckless Allison to threats. only turns 19 on Thursday
Sleightholme touching down in a 5th-8th place play-off in injury, the Irish forwards con- Once more it was pre- week, squeezed over against
twice, but David McCann’s Cape Town in 2012. tinued to show a strong phys- match favorites England who just a few phases later. Credit
brace in the third quarter, Playing with a stiff breeze ical edge with Ryan Baird and quickly got up to speed on the to Baird, Hodnett, Josh
coupled with a 13-point haul at their backs, England burst hooker Dylan Tierney-Martin resumption. Unbeaten in the Wycherley and Watters for
from out-half Healy, steered out of the blocks with num- to the fore. pool stages since 2015, they making the equally hard
Ireland home. ber 10 Vunipola landing an Following a Vunipola gained serious momentum yards in the build-up.
Second row Ryan said initial long-range penalty and penalty for a 13-7 lead, a leap- with a Vunipola penalty and Healy’s conversion put
afterwards: “We’re delighted converting Sleightholme’s ing Tierney-Martin brilliantly Sleightholme’s second try Ireland back in front and they
with the win. We’re going to well-worked ninth-minute won the restart and Ireland from skipper Fraser never looked back, Barbeary’s
enjoy today, review it and try. The English backs creat- had England scrambling back Dingwall’s cross-field kick. It red for dumping Hodnett
look forward to Australia on ed some space wide on the to their try-line via a nicely- was centers Dingwall and onto his shoulders at a ruck
Saturday. Four more games left before the ball was judged kick from Moore. Cameron Redpath who had allowing Healy to attack the
to go. It was a super game to moved back to the right Indeed, it was the Ulster made the initial incision in short side of a scrum and dive
play in, privileged to be a part where Tom Seabrook’s long Academy center who cleverly the Irish defense. over in the corner past Ollie
of it and really happy with the pass put his fellow winger dived in from an onside posi- Back came Ireland in swift Fox’s despairing tackle. The
performance from the boys. over. tion to touch the ball down at fashion, Vunipola’s yellow for Garryowen and Munster star-
“Really proud of everyone However, Ryan inspired the back of an English ruck. a high shot on Iwan Hughes let’s terrific touchline kick
out on the pitch. They put in Ireland’s response with a With TMO confirmation of handing them a gilt-edged ensured some vital breathing
a huge shift but we have plen- charge-down and a follow-up the try, Flannery’s superb opportunity, which they took space at 35-26.
ty of things to improve on. lineout steal, the latter lead- conversion nudged his side in when a strong maul effort led In an end-to-end climax to
We’ll analyze Australia, who ing to eight phases of the for- front. to flanker McCann expertly this Pool B opener, replace-
had a good (36-12) win them- wards punching it up close to However, Ireland were twisting and burrowing his ment Sean French did really
selves against Italy, and just the try-line. It was Craig held scoreless during way over. Healy’s conversion well to deny big lock Joel
keep the heads on and keep Casey’s crisp pass which sent Hinkley’s 34th-minute sin- leveled it at 21 points apiece - Kpoku a certain try before
working hard.” his half-back partner Flannery binning for a dangerous tack- only for deft handling from combining slickly in attack
It was Ireland’s second win over for a converted score le on Angus Kernohan. Dingwall, Hinkley and Tom with Casey deep in England’s
of the season over England at just to the right of the posts. Replacement Ronan Watters de Glanville to put Seabrook 22. The Irish forwards duly
this grade, following up on Openside Hodnett’s break- lifted his team-mates with a over for five points in the left piled through - replacements
their four-try 35-27 triumph down skills saw him win a strong carry and a turnover- corner. Michael Milne and Watters
in Cork on the opening night penalty and a subsequent winning tackle, while some The resilience Ireland had were both stopped short - and
of the Six Nations. Looking turnover, but a knock-on lovely interplay between shown earlier in the season it was workhorse flanker
back at recent clashes, from debutant number 8 Flannery, Moore and Liam was evident again, as Healy Hodnett who deservedly
Ireland’s only previous U-20 Azur Allison foiled some Turner showed a glimpse of booted a scrum penalty to the sealed it with just over five
Championship victory in six promising phases. Despite what the Irish back-line’s corner and McCann, who minutes remaining. C