England run riot over WP invitational team in the Mother City
CAPE TOWN.– The England U18 team scored a total of 12 tries to secure a resounding 78-15 victory in their second match of the u18 International series against a Western Province Invitational side at Stellenberg High School in Durbanville on Tuesday.
The win also sees the visitors keep their unbeaten record intact after they brushed off France (41-0) in their opening match at Boland Landbou last Friday.
High in confidence, the visitors made wholesome changes to their starting fifteen for the Province encounter resting crucial players with the clash against South Africa on Saturday in mind.
That, however, didn’t affect the English as they put Western Province under immense pressure when they opened the scoring as early as the second minute through winger Finlay Wiseman who was set free by a pass from his flyhalf, Louie Platt.
That score, converted by Platt sparked England to life as they took the ascendency to the home side, dominating the scrums, lineouts and exposing the cracks in Province’s defensive line.
The visitors soon doubled their lead when Platt ran from his own half and managed to collect a kick that bounced off a Province player to score his first try of the match.
It was all England from there on, as three more tries scored by scrumhalf, Dom Hanson, tighthead prop, Sam Graham, and a second for Hanson saw the side open up a convincing lead ahead of the interval.
Province did manage to get onto the scoreboard late in the half with two tries from HB Odendaal, and Frank Hitimane alongside Marno Pretorius’s penalty kick to see the home side trail 33-15 at the halfway point.
The second stanza was just a masterclass in play from the England side. From their five tries scored in the first half, the visitors ranked up the changes and added 43 more points to their tally.
One substitute that stood out was utility back Jack Bracken who bossed proceedings, capitalizing on Province’s poor defence to score a hattrick in spectacular fashion.
Bracken, alongside centre Toby Baker, Charlie West, Angus Hall, and Finn Newton, who all got onto the scoreboard in the second half. Province made it look easy for the visitors and were spectators for most part of the second stanza.
That allowed the English to secure the emphatic 78-15 victory for England.
The visitors will face South Africa in their final match of the U18 International series on Saturday at Paarl Boys High at 15:00.
Scorers:
England 78 (33) – Tries: Jack Bracken (3), Dom Hanson (2), Finlay Wiseman, Louie Platt, Sam Graham, Toby Baker, Charlie West, Angus Hall, Finn Newton. Conversions: Louie Platt (7), Ollie Davies (2). Western Province Invitational 15 (15) – Tries: HB Odendaal, Frank Hitimane. Conversion: Marno Pretorius. Penalty: Pretorius.
