U20

Six Nations Under-20s permutations: How can England win the Championship in Round 4?

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The penultimate round of the Six Nations Under-20s takes place on Wednesday and there is plenty at stake.

The penultimate round of the Six Nations Under-20s takes place on Wednesday and there is plenty at stake.

England could seal their first Championship title since 2017 if they beat Wales and other results go their way – and with the Red Rose’s clash being the final one of the day, they will know exactly how the land lies by the time they kick off.

Ireland will have plenty to say about the situation, however, and go into the Round 4 opener against Italy looking to ensure the title race is still alive going into the final set of fixtures.

Here’s a run-down of the Round 4 permutations…

ENGLAND

With three bonus-point wins under their belt from as many games so far, England have been the standout side in the competition.

A fourth would put them on the brink of the title – and could yet be enough to wrap it up on Wednesday.

If England beat Wales with a bonus point, they would move to 20 points. Anything less than a bonus-point win for Ireland over Italy would therefore make England champions with a game to spare.

An England win without a bonus-point would see them start Round 5 with a minimum advantage of four points – but a defeat for Alan Dickens’ side would leave the door ajar for the chasing pack.

IRELAND

Realistically, Ireland need to beat Italy in the 2pm kick-off to keep their hopes alive – ideally with a bonus point.

Should Ireland complete a bonus-point victory and England slip up against Wales without a match point, the two front-runners would be level on points ahead of what would be a titanic Round 5.

An Irish victory without a bonus point would not be enough should England claim the full five points on Wednesday evening but would keep them in the race if the current leaders also win without a bonus point.

To add a further layer of intrigue, both Ireland and England have exactly the same points difference (+50) going into Round 4, so the winning margins – should both be successful – could yet be crucial in the final standings.

FRANCE

Sitting just one point behind Ireland, France are not completely out the equation going into Round 4.

If Ireland lose out against Italy, Les Bleuets can keep the English champagne on ice with a bonus-point win over Scotland – which would take France to 14 points and leave England needing the full five against Wales to mathematically secure the title with a game to spare.

Two bonus-point victories for France, meanwhile, would see them end on 19 points – but that total is only likely to be enough should England lose both their final two matches, unless France make up a significant points difference deficit.