England U20s cruise past Scotland in World Championships

England U20 elite player Jack Singleton. Picture: ANDY TAYLOR/ATSPORTPHOTO (Image: © Andy Taylor 2015)

Harpenden’s Jack Singleton and Old Albanian’s Max Malins both scored as England ran in five tries to clinch a bonus point.

Skipper Jack Walker, Will Evans and John Williams grabbed the other tries.

It was as comfortable a win as it sounds with England dominant in all departments

Australia’s win over Italy early in the day though means they are not home and dry yet with the two sides set to play each other on Wednesday.

Singleton and Malins both had to be content with a place on the replacements bench, as coach Martin Haag made five changes to the side that started against Italy.

Ex-Oaklands College student Billy Walker, however, retained his position in the fornt row.

The oppening 10 minutes were notable for English indiscipline giving Blair Kinghorn two shots at goal.

Fortunately for those in white he sent both kicks wide right of the posts.

And within a minute of the last one, he was made to regret them as Harry Mallinder slotted his first.

He too though was not exempt from a faulty radar, missing his next one, but he made no mistake on 18 minutes.

Four minutes later he stepped up again, this time for a conversion.

That was after Jack Walker had benefitted from a well-worked line-out, the catch and drive bringing the first try.

That it was it for the scoring in the first half but it always looked as if England would be the ones to break out.

Twice they got the ball through the hands, making plenty of yards in the process. But both times the Scottish defence scrambled back to snuff out the threat.

And the hosts carried on where they left off.

Harry Randall had come on at half-time replacing Max Green at scrum-half and instantly starting running at the Scots.

It did appear as if England would have all the flair but without the cutting edge required. That was until an explosive few minutes 14 minutes in.

First Evans slid in at the corner after Darren Atkins had found a gap down the right wing, although he had to wait an age for the TMO to come up with the decision.

Then two minutes later England found another hole down the same wing, this time Sam Aspland-Robinson off-loading to Williams who side-stepped past the last defender.

That killed the game as a contest with Scotland rarely getting out of their half.

Singleton and Malins both came on inside the last 20 minutes to try and push England to that potentially important bonus point.

And they did not disappoint.

With four minutes remaining Singleton emulated his captain, getting on the end of a catch and drive.

Malins converted that, then added a penalty.

And he supplied the cherry on the cake with the last play, scorching through a gap in a by-now ragged Scottish defence.

The conversion was immaterial but he added it anyway.

England: West, J.Walker, B.Walker, South, Taylor, Nott, Evans, Chick, Green, Mallinder, Gallagher, Williams, Marchant, Aspland-Robinson, Atkins

Replacements: Singleton, Boyce, Stuart, Kitchener, Mercer, Randall, Malins, Thorley

Tries: J.Walker 22, Evans 54, Williams 56, Singleton 76, Malins 80

Conversions: Mallinder 22, 54, 56, Malins 76, 80

Penalties: Mallinder 11, 18, Malins 79

Drop Goals:

Scotland: Ekington, Kerr, Sheldon, Hunter-Hill, Cummings, Burnside, Ritchie, Miller, Fraser, Kinghorn, Gray, Galbraith, G.Taylor, Nairn, Robbins

Replacements: Anderson, Thornton, McCallum, Davidson, Smith, Shiel, McPhillips, Norville

Tries:

Conversions:

Penalties:

Drop Goals:

Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)