England U20s off to winning start at JWC

England U20 have made the best possible start to their Junior World Championship with a 30-6 win over France in La Roche sur Yon.
Nick Walshe’s men trusted their physicality to wear the hosts down and score a try in each half through Luke Cowan-Dickie and Jack Clifford to ensure their were off to a winning start before they face the reigning champions South Africa on Sunday.
The Six Nations champions went into the game confident after beating the French 40-10 in Worcester back in February in the Six Nations and they power seemed too much for the French to handle.
They enjoyed most of the possession and controlled the breakdown and set-piece well to keep the French and their elusive running at bay.
Despite an early domination, Henry Slade missed two missed penalties but the Exeter youngster was successful with his third attempt to take a 3-0 lead.
France missed a penalty to level the score soon after and five minutes later, England’s power shone through as Cowan-Dickie went over from a well-worked catch and drive.
The hosts got on the board as scrum-half Baptiste Serin was on target with his second shot at goal but Slade reinstated the ten-point lead three minutes later.
France managed to make their way into England’s five metres and looked dangerous but Biarritz flanker Alban Placine was sent to the bin for using his boot in the ruck and Slade could clear the lines from the resulting penalty.
Back from the dressing room, Serin reduced the gap straight away with a penalty and seemed to have found another gear but England struck again through captain Clifford.
Bath-bound flyer Antony Watson broke the defensive line from a clever inside pass and two offloads later the Harlequins No.8 was under the posts to bring the score to 20-6 just before the hour mark.
Pushed by the crowd, the French went back on the attack desperately trying to cross the line but they were unable to do so as Clifford rounded up a strong personal display with his second try of the game.
For England U20s
Tries: Cowan-Dickie, Clifford 2
Conversions: Slade 3
Penalties: Slade 3
For France U20s
Penalties: Serin 2
Sin bin: Placine
England U20s: Ollie Devoto (Bath Rugby); Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby), Harry Sloane (Harlequins), Sam Hill (Exeter Chiefs), Ben Howard (Worcester Warriors); Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Callum Braley (Bristol Rugby); Alec Hepburn (London Wasps), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs), Scott Wilson (Newcastle Falcons); Elliott Stooke (Gloucester Rugby), Dominic Barrow (Leeds Carnegie); David Sisi (Bath Rugby), Matt Hankin (Saracens), Jack Clifford (Harlequins, Capt.).
Replacements: Nathan Morris (London Wasps), Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi (Northampton Saints), Tom Smallbone (London Irish), Tom Price (Leicester Tigers), Ross Moriarty (Gloucester Rugby), Alex Day (Northampton Saints), Henry Purdy (Leicester Tigers), Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs).
France U20s: Thomas; Lacroix, Vialelle, Regard, Parez; Selponi, Serin;  Baille, Tolofua, Vartanov; Jedrasiak (Capt.), Singer; Camara, Babillot, Placines.
Replacements: Valette, Ruffenach, Ishcheno, Bastien, Cros, Duhalde, Mallet, Dussartre.
Referee: Stuart Berry
NICK VERDIER