England Under 18s opened their international season with an impressive 25-15 win over Wales at Worcester Warriors Sixways Stadium on Sunday.  The young guns, who’s next international game is in the Six Nations Festival in Cork later this month, ran in three tries to edge out a gutsy and determined Welsh outfit.

England Coach Alex Sanderson said: “This was a really exciting game of rugby. I am really happy for the boys who showed great composure in a tough atmosphere and who are clearly improving all the time. Wales showed a lot of tenacity today, but the boys overcame everything they threw at us and now we can’t wait for the Six Nations Festival in Cork.”

England captain Joe Marler added: “After our defeat to Wales in the Six Nations Festival a year ago, this result has really made up for it. Those boys who were involved in that game a year ago said we wouldn’t let it happen again and it hasn’t. I am delighted and it has been a real honour to lead England out today.”
 
It was in fact Wales who drew first blood as they took their chances early on and put England under immediate pressure. They could have taken a 3-0 lead with a penalty after as many minutes, but fly-half Matthew Jarvis was not lucky with his shot at goal. Wales though soon had another chance and took it, to lead 5-0 after 14 minutes. The visitors had been camped in England’s 22 for five minutes, but the hosts held out after several attacks on the try line until Wales recycled the ball out to the right wing and centre Ashley Beck set-up wing Liam Powell to score.

Wales missed the conversion and soon found themselves on the back foot as England clawed their way back into the game. Just six minutes later and England had drawn level when fly-half Freddie Burns charged down a clearance kick and then ran in from 30 metres out to score. The Bath number 10 converted his own try.

England continued to mount the pressure on Wales and again came close to scoring. Wales paid the price for their errors too, when prop Dan Watchurst was sin-binned on the 33rd minute. England’s Burns converted the penalty to hand the host side a 10-5 lead at the break.

Wales bounced back straight after the restart with an impressive try by James Loxton. After an accurate high Welsh kick the full back took the ball cleanly despite opposition from England’s Sam Smith.

Jarvis missed the conversion again and with Burns adding a 40th minute penalty England remained 13-10 in charge.

On 49 minutes England stretched their lead to 18-10 when prop Jamie Gibson drove over from a well worked line-out, catch and drive. Burns missed the conversion and Wales kept the pressure on the home side when Loxton again scored on the left wing. Fortunately for England the conversion also went astray and England remained in control with a three point cushion

London Wasps wing Christian Wade then had the final word for England which handed them the decisive victory. With just minutes remaining on the clock and the pressure on England as Wales camped in their 22 the pacey wing intercepted a crucial pass just metres out from England’s try line to charge 90 metres up-field and score under the posts. Tigers centre Andy Forsyth converted to hand England the 25-15 victory.

England Under 18s

1 Joe Marler (Richmond College & Harlequins) (c), 2 Jamie George (Haileybury & Saracens), 3 Mako Vunipola (Millfield & Bristol Rugby), 4 Jamie Gibson (Marlborough College & London Irish), 5 James Gaskell (Sandbach & Sale Sharks), 6 Joe Trayfoot (Epsom College & Harlequins), 7 Jacob Rowan ( Bradford GS & Leeds Carnegie), 8 Rob Milligan (Rugby School & Northampton Saints), 9 Jordi Pasqualin (The King’s School Gloucs & Gloucester Rugby), 10 Freddie Burns (Bath College & Bath Rugby), 11 Christian Wade (RGS High Wycombe & LondonWasps), 12 Tom Homer (Milton Abbey & London Irish), 13 Andy Forsyth (Leicester Tigers & QEGS Wakefield) 14 Sam Smith (Cranleigh & Harlequins), 15 Andrew Forsyth (Jack Wallace (RGS High Wycombe & London Wasps). Replacements: 16 Lee Imiolek (Myerscough College & Sale Sharks), 17 Olly Hayes (Bath Rugby), 18 James Currie (Millfield & Bath Rugby), 19 Tom Holmes (Sandbach & Sale Sharks), 20 Joe Barker (QEGS Wakefield & Leeds Carnegie), 21 Sam Harrison (John Cleveland College & Leicester Tigers), 22 Will Hurrell (Wyggeston & QE1 Coll & Leicester Tigers), 23 Oli Grove (Worcester Warriors & Rugby School)

Tries: Burns, Gibson, Wade
Penalties: Burns (2)
Conversions: Burns, Forsyth
Substitutions: Currie for Vuniploa (HT), Imiolek for Marler (51), Barker for Trayfoot (51), Harrison for Pasqualin (60), Holmes for Gibson (60), Hurrell for Burns (65), Grove for Forsyth.