South Africa U18 edge England U18 Men in classic series finale
England U18 Men finished the 2023 U18 International Series with a 2-1 record after losing 33-19 to South Africa
Chasing their first win against South Africa U18 in the Rainbow Nation since 2017, the England U18 side played with pressure and intensity that belied their age in a tit-for-tat first half.
The long arm of Exeter Chiefs Academy lock Junior Kpoku opened the scoring in the 11th minute. However, playing with a flair few expected in the build up to the match, South Africa responded almost immediately with a try under the posts to vice-captain and full-back JC Mars to level the score.
Capping off a frenetic five-minute passage, Nick Lilley’s impressive line running allowed England to reclaim a 14-7 lead in the 15th minute.
But it was South Africa’s contender for try of the tournament that left fans breathless, with a Mars counterattack sparking an 80-metre five-pointer before another try out wide saw the hosts claim a 21-14 lead shortly after.
Captain Kepueli Tuipulotu earned a crucial penalty in the lead up to inside centre Toby Baker’s try when he crashed over to close the gap to two points in the final minutes of the first half.
South Africa took the lead into the break, despite being denied a try on the stroke of half time after the officials ruled a double movement in the process of scoring.
After returning from the sheds, it was one way traffic as the visitors were kept scoreless in the second half with South African outside centre Gino Cupido inflicting the most damage.
England men’s U18 head coach Jonathan Pendlebury said through the week that the hosts would play with passion in front of a vocal home crowd, and so it proved, with SA U18 claiming a 33-19 win to close out the series.
Speaking post-match, Tuipulotu said his side would learn from the experience and had developed throughout their ten-day tour of South Africa.
“It was tough outing today, but I think the fellas stuck at it. I said after the France game that you win some and you lose some, it’s how you adapt and how you level up from this loss. That’s been a key fact throughout our camps, to get better and better every single game.
“[But] you take your medicine and you learn from your experience. It’s good to have this kind of experience to build on… It was a great test for us in the white jersey and the boys in the green, so it did feel like a test match out there.”
England return home having won its first two matches of the series, recording a 41-0 victory over France before a 76-15 win against Western Province XV at Stellenberg High School on Tuesday.
England U18 beat Western Province U18 XV in second International Series fixture
Tries from Finlay Wiseman, Louie Platt, Sam Graham, Toby Baker, Charlie West, Angus Hall, Finn Newton a brace from Dom Hanson and a hat trick from Charlie Bracken were met with first half tries from HB Odendaal and Frank Hitimane and a penalty from Marno Pretorius.
It took just two minutes for England to get on the scoreboard, Wiseman capitalising early on for his side’s first try before Platt followed up with a second soon after.
Wiseman looked set for his second after a chip and chase down the left flank but was denied just short of the line. England’s slick handling soon paid off once again though as scrum half Hanson finished off a fantastic team try that started in England’s 22.
Eager to get on the scoreboard, Western Province opted to take the three points through fly half Pretorius after an England infringement in their own half.
Sam Graham was next to find the line for England. The tighthead prop crashed over the line from short range before Hanson scored his brace with a sprint from the halfway line.
Odendall scored Western Province’s opening try of the game from a trick play from a short-range line out before Hitimane crashed over with the clock in the red to close the gap at the break.
England started the second half in similar fashion to the first, Baker crossing for his try after just five minutes back on the field. Bracken introduced himself to the game with a first score of his own, using his pace on the outside to score England’s seventh before West followed up soon after.
With fresh legs on the field the tries kept coming for the visiting Englishmen. Quick thinking from Bracken opened the opportunity for his second try after stealing the ball in Western Province’s 22 before capitalising from a chip and chase for a hat trick of scores.
The final ten minutes of the game was all one-way traffic in favour of England as Hall and Newton both finished their try-scoring opportunities, bringing the game to a close.
England U18 Men beat France in opening International Series fixture
Jonathan Pendlebury’s side ran in seven tries against France, with elected captain Kepueli Tuipulotu scoring his fourth try in as many appearances for the age grade side with nine minutes gone, opening the scoring on the afternoon off the back of a rolling maul.
Ollie Davis added the extras from the tee and Pendlebury’s men wasted no time in capitalising, wing Angus Hall crossing over ten minutes later after smart hands from a quick tap-and-go penalty saw Lucas Friday set-up Hall in the latter phases.
After Quentin Valentino’s spill on the line for France, Charlie Griffin would get in on the act just before half hour gone for the first of his two scores and punish the opponents.
A special score involving a high ball take from Jack Bracken, a cross-field punt via Toby Baker and a clever assist courtesy of Nick Lilley saw Griffin on his way in a 50-metre dash to the whitewash.
France’s woes were compounded with the temporary dismissal of full-back Thomas Alary soon after as England headed into the sheds 19-0 to the good, Billy Sela then extending the lead after an initial strong opening to the half for Cédric Laborde’s team.
Griffin completed his brace with a trademark chip-and-chase finish in the foal area before fellow South Central London Academy teammate and replacement Finlay Wiseman touched down on the right edge.
Hall added his second for the final score of the afternoon as England secured a whitewash in an entertaining clash just outside of Paarl.
