A dominant team performance saw England U-20 defeat France 21-13 to win their fourth U-20 Rugby World Cup. The event, which was hosted by South Africa, was England's first win since 2016— a sign of a promising future for English rugby.
Set Piece and Scrum Power
The U-20 Rugby World Cup final matchup didn't have a record crowd but it was a showcase of England's set piece superiority and scrum power with forwards Joe Bailey and Arthur Green crossing the try line to secure victory for the young Englishmen.
England's superior scrum power was evident from the get-go, overcoming a brief period of errors and resilient counter-attacking play from France before going on to consistently win penalties with ease. Coincidentally, this was less than a week after Steve Borthwick complained about the senior rugby team set-piece problems.
French Lead and English Redemption
France took the lead in the U-20 Rugby World Cup final when fly-half Hugo Reus penalty and Mathis Ferté almost followed that with a stunning opening try down the left only to be denied by a knock on. Save for a darting run through the middle by Henry Pollock, England were obviously relying on their set-piece prowess to win the game. France, on the other hand, were superb at breakdowns and it helped their tactical decision to try and play their way through.
England U-20 eventually turned the corner and took charge of the game with Bailey scoring a try from close range. France tried to find a way back into the game with Reus converting another penalty just before halftime, but England held and went into the break in front.
England scrum dominance was again on show as the second half began. Green scored a try near the French line to extend the lead. Again, France rallied back with a late try through Mathis Ferté but it was too little, too late to change the results.
High Praises for the Team
England’s coach Mark Mapletoft was full of praise for the team’s performance and the forward pack’s power. Team captain Finn Carnduff remarked, “The group is super special. To win two trophies together is incredible.”
It was a very impressive result from the young Englishmen, one Steve Borthwick would have been proud of. Despite fielding a team missing first choice tighthead Billy Sela, his replacements Afolabi Fasogbon and Asher Opoku-Fordjour stepped in and never looked out of place. Important players like Pollock and Junior Kpoku also dropped five star performances, which could provide a positive selection headache for the senior team. If the match had been played in Saudi Arabia, then perhaps they would have gotten an Arab Cloak.
Now that the U-20 Rugby World Cup has been won, the conversation has understandably shifted to whether these young England charges will be afforded playing time by their clubs. This will be crucial for their development as coach Borthwick ramps up preparation for the 2027 World Cup.
As for France, most pundits believe it would have been a massive upset had they won. A number of the France U-20 squad were away with the senior rugby team on their tour of Argentina, which would have played a part. It was the second time England were defeating France in a final this year, after the Six Nations win in March.