UNDER-18 FIVE NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP:THIS IS the sort of physical mismatch David relished at the foot of the mountain that was Goliath. England have laid waste to four opponents this season for the gain of 270 points in pre-tournament wins over Scotland (63-0), Japan (71-7) and in-competition success at the expense of Italy (61-3) and Scotland (75-0) here in Italy.
England have a deep squad of semi-professional players immersed in the Guinness Premiership club academies from Leicester Tigers to Bristol. It is the latter club that has produced replacement flanker Billy Vunipola, a 130kg, or 20½ stones, blindside and his brother, Mako, a similarly sized loosehead prop, starting in a formidable frontrow.
There will be a concession in weight, muscle and conditioning that is difficult to comprehend until face-to-face with these massive men masquerading as boys. Ireland do not yet have the conditioning to go in high on the English players to prevent a proliferation of their offloading game. Scotland tried to little avail in Viadana on Wednesday. But, the English do not commit numbers to the ruck. They are content to ask two or three players to blow opposition away at the breakdown.
Ireland prevented Wales from getting into their patterns by slowing down their ruck ball, sometimes turning it over by frustrating their need for a quick service. Without the requisite fast-ball, the Welsh looked short on ideas.
Whether Ireland can do the same to England is debatable. What they will do is play with a level of skill that bodes well. The backline is brimful of pace, invention and slick finishers. They will require front-foot ball, delivered at speed. It will be a test of character. It will reveal lessons for the players greater than the result.
IRELAND: A Conway (Blackrock); T O’Halloran (Cistercian, Roscrea), B Macken (Blackrock), A Kelly (St Michael’s), S Coghlan-Murray (Newbridge); G Quinn-McDonagh (Crescent), P du Toit (King’s Hospital); J Tracy (Newbridge), N Annett (Methodist, capt), M Moore (Castleknock), D O’Mahony (PBC, Cork), A Spring (Sligo Grammar), P Marks (RBAI), D Doyle (Gonzaga), J Murphy (Blackrock).
ENGLAND UNDER-18: J Wallace; M Watson, J Joseph, O Farrell; C Wade; G Ford, R Glynn; M Vunipola, H Allen, R Bower, S Twomey, C Matthews, S Jones, M Everard, A Gray (capt).
Referee: C Williams, Wales.
