England claimed a first under-20 world title since 2016 with a victory over France founded on their ruthlessly dominant scrum and a power-packed performance that will have Steve Borthwick licking his lips. Tries from the forwards Joe Bailey and Arthur Green sealed victory in Cape Town with England’s muscle up front proving too much for the defending champions.
England were unstoppable at scrum time, winning penalties at will less than a week after Borthwick had bemoaned the senior side’s set-piece problems. The props Asher Opoku-Fordjour and Afolabi Fasogbon may soon find themselves fast-tracked, such was their superiority in a pack that was missing its first-choice tighthead in Billy Sela. Others to burnish their reputations were the second-row Junior Kpoku and the flanker Henry Pollock in a performance that bodes well as Borthwick plots a course towards the 2027 World Cup.
The key will be whether these young charges are given game time by their clubs – as France’s recent graduates have been so successfully – but in the meantime Mark Mapletoft can bask in guiding England to a fourth world under-20 title. England were far from flawless in the final, but such forward power always felt likely to prove decisive.
France might have been under strength – some of their charges are touring Argentina with a callow senior squad instead – but just as was the case in the Six Nations, when England won in Pau to seal this year’s title, Les Bleus were well beaten. “The group is super special, I genuinely see these guys as brothers for life and to win two trophies together, I genuinely can’t believe it,” said the captain and Leicester flanker, Finn Carnduff.
England’s vaunted scrum power was evident as early as the third minute, Mapletoft’s side flexing their muscles for an opening penalty but it was an error-strewn opening from the Six Nations champions nonetheless. Chances were not taken while the ball hit the deck too often for their liking – all the more so with France looking dangerous on the counter.
France opened the scoring with a close-range penalty from the accomplished fly-half and captain, Hugo Reus, and they thought they had scored a stunning opening try down the left through Mathis Ferté, only to be denied by a knock-on in the buildup. But for a dart up the middle by Pollock, England were reliant on their set-piece might. France, on the other hand, were determined to play and their breakdown prowess afforded them the opportunity.
Another two scrums, another two penalties for England, but Sean Kerr struck the upright with a shot at goal from the second and he had another rank attempt a couple of minutes later. France’s efforts had taken their toll, indiscipline was creeping in, England’s forwards found it that much easier to get over the gain line and after a powerful maul, Bailey scored the opening try from close range. A second Reus penalty on the stroke of half-time took France into the interval just a point behind, however.
The second half began in similar fashion – England won another scrum penalty but knocked on when well-placed before France were dealt a blow when the impressive No 8, Mathis Castro-Ferreira, was sent to the sin-bin for a high tackle on Pollock. Kerr soon extended England’s lead with a penalty and when they were awarded a scrum near the France line, the try from the replacement Green had an air of inevitability to it. Kerr missed the conversion but added another two penalties – the second once more from a scrum – to turn the screw. Ferté’s stunning last-gasp try was just reward for his individual performance but mere consolation for France.
