U20 6 Nations

[FKAS]

32 tackles and 4 dominant inside the first 16 mins for England.

[FKAS]

Looks like England have managed to finally stem the bleeding at the scrum. We've been battered on the tighthead side so far.

Not helped by the English hooker thinking England are playing in red and Pater having a mare in the conditions at 15.

Only the one penalty in it so far though.

[FKAS]

England needlessly overplay in their own 22. Davidson drops it and Wales score. England just can't hold on to it.

[Which Tyler]

That didn't look good for Friday, but on replay, absolutely nothing else he could do.

For me, that's a rugby incident, not even a penalty. Ref disagrees

[FKAS]

That didn't look good for Friday, but on replay, absolutely nothing else he could do.

For me, that's a rugby incident, not even a penalty. Ref disagrees

In theory he can pull out but that's a lot easier said than done. Could easily have been play on.

Wales keep the scoreboard ticking over though. Friday looks either indecisive or likes he getting no instruction at 9. Davidson the kicks it dead when aiming for the corner on the 22. Complete hash of a kick, he's having a miserable evening. Welsh 10 is the best player on the pitch by contrast.

[fivepointer]

We've done exactly nothing. We look disjointed and poor options abound. A very disappointing half.

[FKAS]

We've done exactly nothing. We look disjointed and poor options abound. A very disappointing half.

We do look a distant second. Scoreboard flatters if anything. Really disappointing with the amount of talent at our disposal.

[FKAS]

We've done exactly nothing. We look disjointed and poor options abound. A very disappointing half.

We do look a distant second. Scoreboard flatters if anything. Really disappointing with the amount of talent at our disposal.

[Which Tyler]

Wales very good
England very bad

Somehow, only 16 points down though

[Buggaluggs]

Are Wales that good? Or have they had the luck of the bounce? Meters made + territory & possession all look to be well in our favour.

[Oakboy]

I think Wales are playing with more bite. That has given them confidence to try things. They have earned the luck which has favoured them in the bounce of the ball and a few marginal decisions. England are not organised and lack grit.

[FKAS]

Well this half is a complete change around. England are going to the power game. Going to compete far more from the box kick. Getting lots of joy. 12 points on the board and it's all England.

Wales captain getting a bollocking about discipline, I think too many Welsh players chirping.

[Buggaluggs]

Game of two halves. Funny old game.

[fivepointer]

Not pretty but England found a way to get back in the game and come out on top. They did well to close the game out after being reduced to 14.

Friday very properly given MotM. He is a special talent.

[FKAS]

Friday changing the length of his kicking and using Calouri down that right flank changed the game.

[Puja]

That didn't look good for Friday, but on replay, absolutely nothing else he could do.

For me, that's a rugby incident, not even a penalty. Ref disagrees

In theory he can pull out but that's a lot easier said than done. Could easily have been play on.

I think he played sensibly - if he tries to pull out of that situation, then he likely ends up shoulder-checking the player jumping into him and leaves the risk of the Welshman tipping onto his head or a slow-motion over analysis declaring he's "always illegal". At least by completing a tackle he could halfway control the player's return to ground.

Looks like England have managed to finally stem the bleeding at the scrum. We've been battered on the tighthead side so far.

My first time seeing Tonga'uiha play and my gods is his scrummaging technique ugly! Massive lump, but he couldn't seem to get low and his back was bent like Quasimodo on those scrums in the first half. Significantly improved in the second half though.

Not pretty but England found a way to get back in the game and come out on top. They did well to close the game out after being reduced to 14.

Friday very properly given MotM. He is a special talent.

I really like what I've seen of Friday so far and his calmness and leadership under pressure today only added to how impressed I am. Seized control of the game in the second half.

Agreed with the commentator who mentioned the Welsh 10 in dispatches when talking about PotM. He was an absolute menace - really talented player who's going to be a massive problem for us when he starts playing for Wales proper in a few years time.

Puja

[Epaminondas Pules]

That didn't look good for Friday, but on replay, absolutely nothing else he could do.

For me, that's a rugby incident, not even a penalty. Ref disagrees

In theory he can pull out but that's a lot easier said than done. Could easily have been play on.

I think he played sensibly - if he tries to pull out of that situation, then he likely ends up shoulder-checking the player jumping into him and leaves the risk of the Welshman tipping onto his head or a slow-motion over analysis declaring he's "always illegal". At least by completing a tackle he could halfway control the player's return to ground.

Looks like England have managed to finally stem the bleeding at the scrum. We've been battered on the tighthead side so far.

My first time seeing Tonga'uiha play and my gods is his scrummaging technique ugly! Massive lump, but he couldn't seem to get low and his back was bent like Quasimodo on those scrums in the first half. Significantly improved in the second half though.

Not pretty but England found a way to get back in the game and come out on top. They did well to close the game out after being reduced to 14.

Friday very properly given MotM. He is a special talent.

I really like what I've seen of Friday so far and his calmness and leadership under pressure today only added to how impressed I am. Seized control of the game in the second half.

Agreed with the commentator who mentioned the Welsh 10 in dispatches when talking about PotM. He was an absolute menace - really talented player who's going to be a massive problem for us when he starts playing for Wales proper in a few years time.

Puja

We were behind the posts in the Barwell, and you could see how destabilised we were, especially first half with Sonny’s position. Our scrum was massively unbalanced left to right (face on).

[Epaminondas Pules]

Odd game. Conditions were shit. It was proper wet! Only one side at the races in the first half. Long Streeter so early was a blow. Second half tightened up and got some time with the ball. Kicking first half was absolutely awful at times as well as decision making. Same at times in the second half. I thought Friday was a mixed bag watching live. Got his kicks a lot better second half. Davidson’s red will force the to pick one of the tens they should have picked in the first place.

Motm should really have been a forward.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Oh, and the held up call on 58 minutes was monumental bollocks!

[Epaminondas Pules]

In other results Scotland beat Italy 10 v 36. France and Ireland play tonight.

[Captainhaircut]

Was really looking forward to seeing that backline but it was just terrible. Not sure we can solely blame it on the conditions. Later in particular was very poor.

They are going to have to be much better next week if they get another run with Linegar, Lumley, Keylock, Offiah, Cotgreave and maybe Davies. Worsnip and Winters on the bench this week too.

One player I’m always confused by is Lilley. He was absolutely raved about in the juniors but he really seems to be lacking any stand out quality. Maybe it’s just me.

[Puja]

Was really looking forward to seeing that backline but it was just terrible. Not sure we can solely blame it on the conditions. Later in particular was very poor.

They are going to have to be much better next week if they get another run with Linegar, Lumley, Keylock, Offiah, Cotgreave and maybe Davies. Worsnip and Winters on the bench this week too.

One player I’m always confused by is Lilley. He was absolutely raved about in the juniors but he really seems to be lacking any stand out quality. Maybe it’s just me.

I thought Lilley was outstanding last night tbh. Responsible for the two turnovers that created our matchwinning try, solid in defence even when stretched, made good decisions. Didn't show anything with ball in hand, but wasn't exactly the night for that.

Puja

[Epaminondas Pules]

The backline was a stuttering mess. Conditions were shite, but the looked like they’d not met each other. They picked the wrong ten for sure, which doesn’t help.

Lilley is quality, I just can’t think of a game where we’ve actually given him any decent ball.

I’m not a fan of the coaching setup at all. From previous with Tofty and now. They don’t seem to know how to run a backline. The backline last night was stacked top to bottom with talent (10 aside), and yet they offered nothing. For me, it is predominantly a coaching issue.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Was really looking forward to seeing that backline but it was just terrible. Not sure we can solely blame it on the conditions. Later in particular was very poor.

They are going to have to be much better next week if they get another run with Linegar, Lumley, Keylock, Offiah, Cotgreave and maybe Davies. Worsnip and Winters on the bench this week too.

One player I’m always confused by is Lilley. He was absolutely raved about in the juniors but he really seems to be lacking any stand out quality. Maybe it’s just me.

I thought Lilley was outstanding last night tbh. Responsible for the two turnovers that created our matchwinning try, solid in defence even when stretched, made good decisions. Didn't show anything with ball in hand, but wasn't exactly the night for that.

Puja

His standout for me was the tracking of the fullback on his arc. Real 13 defensive play. But he basically did what was needed without seeing any ball to show the other side of his game.

[FKAS]

The backline was a stuttering mess. Conditions were shite, but the looked like they’d not met each other. They picked the wrong ten for sure, which doesn’t help.

Lilley is quality, I just can’t think of a game where we’ve actually given him any decent ball.

I’m not a fan of the coaching setup at all. From previous with Tofty and now. They don’t seem to know how to run a backline. The backline last night was stacked top to bottom with talent (10 aside), and yet they offered nothing. For me, it is predominantly a coaching issue.

Which is worrying. Kevin Sorrell is fresh in from Sarries and he's built his career on a pragmatic backline attack. I was hoping we'd see a change from last season's headless chicken routine in the backs. To be fair the weather conditions were dire and the flyhalf somewhat out of his depth, though being a Sarrie I wonder if Sorrell went with what he knew. Trying to run the ball out of your own 22 from that close to your own goal line was asking for trouble.

Hopefully some drier conditions next and a better 10 means that we'll see some more backline player. Having such quality wingers barely touch the ball last night was disappointing. I think Pearson got one run and beat two defenders, Calouri only really got to touch it when competing in the air.