Sam Riley scored one try and assisted another as England made it two wins from two in the 2021 Six Nations Under-20s with a 31-12 victory over Scotland in a physical encounter at Cardiff Arms Park.
Jack van Poortvliet got England off to a flying start when he dotted down after two minutes before tries from Fin Smith and Deago Bailey made it 19-5 at the break – Gregor Townsend’s son Christian responding for Scotland.
The impressive Riley wrapped up the bonus point shortly after half-time and the Red Rose frustrated their opponents for large swathes of the second half with a resilient defensive performance, despite being reduced to 13 men at one stage when Riley was sin-binned and Lucas Brooke sent off.
The Scots did eventually get a second try through Ollie Leatherbarrow but Arthur Relton immediately crossed again for England to seal victory.
After beating France in Round 1, Alan Dickens’ men now have ten points from ten and will be dreaming of a potential Grand Slam.
ENGLAND OFF TO A FLYER
After being named Player of the Match in England’s Round 1 comeback triumph, Van Poortvliet took less than two minutes to make his mark on this game.
The forwards rumbled towards the line from an attacking lineout, the scrum-half sniped off the back of the maul, dummied his man and darted through a gap to dive over.
Yet Scotland hit back almost immediately in a very similar fashion as their pack marched forward, hooker Patrick Harrison made a snipe and offloaded, where Townsend picked the ball off the ground and pinballed across the line.
Both sides had chances with ball in hand but it was England who forged ahead on 12 minutes as, again, the pack delivered forward momentum allowing them to go wide to Riley, who brilliantly flicked inside for Smith to catch and go over.
Smith added his second conversion before playing his part as the Red Rose moved into a 19-5 lead, orchestrating play to shift the ball to the right wing where Bailey turned on the jets to scoot outside his man and surge over the whitewash.
Scotland had plenty of possession in the England 22 and showed more attacking intent than in the Round 1 defeat to Ireland but bullish defence and timely turnovers from Dickens’ troops denied them further first-half points.
DEFENCES BARE THEIR TEETH
England continued to control territory and possession after the break, with Riley routinely bouncing defenders off him on powerful carries, but Scotland’s defence in their own 22 remained firm, Drummond and Ollie Leatherbarrow proving constant nuisances at the breakdown.
If England’s youngsters were frustrated at not turning possession into points, they didn’t show it and their patience was eventually rewarded on 51 minutes as hooker Riley showed the acceleration of a back to burst between two defenders with a hitch-kick and surge over the line.
With the bonus point secured, England’s defence then showed their teeth as Cameron Scott’s initial break took Scotland into the 22, only for them fail to get over the line for the following ten minutes.
In that time, Riley was sent to the sin-bin for being offside and the Red Rose were then reduced to 13 men as Lucas Brooke saw red for making head to head contact with Ollie Melville in the tackle.
Still Scotland struggled to convert but finally, on 68 minutes, the dam broke as Leatherbarrow spun over the line from close-range with Scott’s conversion narrowing the deficit to 24-12.
Riley’s return from the sin-bin reduced England’s personnel disadvantage to just one and almost immediately, they put the result beyond doubt as Relton leapt highest to claim Smith’s cross-field kick on the right wing and sprint over the whitewash.
Scott thought he had scored a consolation try with the final play but his foot was in touch and England could reflect on a job well done.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH
Sam Riley put in a brilliant all-round display for England as he picked up Player of the Match honours.
The hooker was almost unstoppable with ball in hand as he bounced defenders off him with regularity, also showing quick hands to assist Fin Smith’s try and great acceleration to score one of his own.
The only blot on his copybook was the second-half yellow card he picked up but even that couldn’t dampen his day too much.
