Under-20 World Championship semi-final: Final result, England 31, Ireland 20
In a riveting first half, spectators watched as Jack Murphy of Clontarf scored a penalty for Ireland with mere seconds remaining, leading many to ponder what dramatic events awaited in the heated battle that had been on display between Ireland and England for the past couple of seasons.
However, the most significant surprise emerged quite plainly when all was said and done. After their initial energetic performance, the Irish team didn’t manage to score any further, allowing their long-time rivals to advance to the final. This was largely due to an utterly powerful performance from England’s centre, Sean Kerr, who expertly manoeuvred his kicks.
After a slight stumble with his initial kick, Kerr was nearly flawless for the remainder of the match. Still, this does not fully recount the eventful match that took place under Cape Town’s sky.
The match was ultimately decided by the overwhelming ferocity of England’s forwards. English hooker, Craig Wright, known for his distinct handlebar moustache, delivered a devastating tackle against his opponent Danny Sheahan. This heroic interruption came as Sheahan, a forward from Cork Constitution, was rushing towards the left corner, aiming to amplify Ireland’s early lead.
The Irish squad, coached by Willie Falloon, couldn’t have asked for a better outset. Just two minutes into the match, Ireland managed to nestle under the posts thanks to Oliver Coffey following a swift pass from Hugh Gavin. Murphy successfully added the conversion, however the English forwards retaliated, causing problems for the Irish scrum, leading to two turnovers.
Nevertheless, with increased determination and after withstanding a prolonged episode of relentless English attack, Ireland launched their second offensive. They were inches away from a second try when Wright landed his impactful tackle on Sheahan.
Despite a minor injury, Wright persevered, and while Kerr missed an easy kick halfway through the first half, Wright managed to finally pull England back into the match at the half-hour mark. Positioned right off Ben Redshaw’s flank, Wright made a central cross from the right, providing Kerr with an easy conversion.
In this thrilling encounter, the excitement soared as the teams exchanged points after Murphy’s penalty. A converted try by Ollie Allan was quickly negated by Oliver Coffey’s scored try, with Murphy also adding the conversion.
Around this time, the Irish team found their groove, showcased by an impressive individual display from Ben O’Connor, the fullback. His performance was soon followed by an excellent block by Brian Gleeson, the Irish captain and number eight. Gleeson’s tackling technique was particularly noticeable during the match, with the whole Irish pack putting up a commendable fight.
Thanks to their united effort, Brynn Ward managed to sneak below the posts following a progression of phases on the English line, just as the break was drawing near.
The conversion by Murphy and the penalty by Kerr equated the score at 17 each, but another penalty by Murphy gave Ireland their final mark on the scoreboard.
An unfortunate moment came with a try conceded right when the extra time kicked off, where a missed pass allowed Kerr to score in the corner. His failure to convert his own score didn’t matter much since it put England ahead by two points when half-time was called, 22-20.
Post-break, Ireland couldn’t regain their previous momentum for some reason, with England keeping a keen eye on Ben Treacy, the wing and principal attacking threat from Ireland.
England’s control of the game was further strengthened with three additional Kerr penalties. The game might not have had the same intensity as their preceding encounters, but it still added another memorable face-off to their enduring rivalry.
The game progressed as follows: 2 mins – Coffey try, Murphy con 7-0; 26 mins – Wright try, Kerr con 7-7; 30 mins – Murphy pen 10-7; 32 mins – Allen try, Kerr con 14-10; 36 mins – Ward try, Murphy con 17-14; 38 mins – Kerr pen, 17-17; 39 mins – Murphy pen 20-17; 40 (+2) Kerr try, 20-22; half-time – 20-22; 52 mins – Kerr pen 20-25; 58 mins – Kerr pen, 20-28; 80 mins – Kerr pen, 20-31; full time.
The teams from Ireland and England have the following line-ups. The Irish team consists of players such as Ben O’Connor from UCC, Finn Treacy and Hugh Gavin from Galwegians, Wilhelm de Klerk from UCD, Hugo McLaughlin from Lansdowne, Jack Murphy from Clontarf, and their captain Brian Gleeson from Garryowen. Their replacements were Patreece Bell from the Sale Sharks, Stephen Smith from Old Wesley, Luke Murphy and Emmet Calvey from Shannon, Sean Naughon from Galway Corinthians, and Sean Bernan from Terenure College.
The England’s side was composed of Ioan Jones from Gloucester Rugby, Ben Redshaw from Newcastle Falcons, Ben Waghorn and Sean Kerr from Harlequins, Alex Wills and Asher Opoku-Fordjour from Sale Sharks, Ben Coen from Exeter Chiefs, and their Captain Finn Carnduff from the Leicester Tigers. The substitutes included Olamide Sodeke from Saracens, Lucas Friday and Josh Bellamy from Harlequins, and James Halliwell from the Bristol Bears.
The referee for the match was Morné Ferreira from South Africa. The changes in the team happened periodically, at the 45th, 55th, 61st, and 76th minutes during the game.