UNDER-18 FIVE NATIONSCOULD IT be true that England backed out of their Under-18 Five Nations showdown with Ireland because they were not quite sure their semi-professionals could beat the Irish schoolboys? It didn't sit quite right on Friday when England raised objections over the safety of their players on what was in essence a perfectly reasonable pitch at Colorno, north of Parma. On Saturday, a nosy journalist did overhear three independent officials describe England's decision to withdraw as "a disgrace".

It came as a big surprise to Wales – “The boys were shocked,” said one of their coaches Dale McIntosh – when they were outplayed 22-15 by Ireland last Sunday week. The boys in green were transformed from the form they showed in last year’s competition. Back then, they were physically blown out of the water.

The Welsh and English brought players to the tournament who have been worked over three years in the bosom of the professional game. It did not go down too well with the Welsh management when their players were exposed by the Irish on day one.

England had blasted aside Scotland (63-0), Japan (71-7), Italy (61-3) and Scotland (75-0) again for the gain of 280 points and the concession of 10. They brought an awesome squad of players, physically primed to do damage.

There may have been some suggestion of the brittle English mindset in the pre-match words of their coach, John Fletcher: “This is going to be a tough test. Ireland . . . play a good brand of rugby. They like to move the ball around like us and they have very good players. This has been a tough week with three games in six days and we have a few walking wounded, but I know if we play to our best on Saturday we can win this game.”

The Irish were distraught when they heard at midday on Saturday that the English had pulled the plug. “This is very disappointing,” said John Davies, the Six Nations director of operations. “It may have repercussions at Six Nations level where it will be discussed at council meeting in May.”