The perfect time for London Irish to utilise their youth

Following relegation from the Premiership, London Irish supporters may have reason to feel glum. However, the summer has had its success stories too thanks to their academy prospects. With a season of Championship rugby ahead, utilising these younger players may provide the key to longer term survival.

Ben Loader is just one of the talented young players who
made his mark at the U20 Championship for England.

London Irish are a side well known for producing young talent, even if they haven't always stuck around the club. Jonathan Joseph, Marland Yarde, Anthony Watson & Jamie Gibson are just a handful of the players moulded in Sunbury. Many of the Irish graduates have moved on to challenge for the Premiership title at other clubs, international honours and appeared for the British & Irish Lions. 

The club prides itself on a well-coached academy with the benefit of training with the first team. This philosophy of integrating the academy into first team training gives the younger players vital insight into the life of a top-flight rugby player. Currently under the guidance of Patrick O'Grady, the production line continues to roll out talent.

Over the summer London Irish had five players with England at the U20 Championship in France, the joint most of any Premiership side. With 930 minutes and 6 tries between them over the two weeks, they contributed to a hugely successful tournament which saw them runners-up to the hosts France. 

While one of those five has already departed the club, the four remaining are part of a 16 strong academy, with six new inductees for the new season. With a season in the second tier of English rugby approaching, how London Irish make the most of their future talent is yet to be seen. However, the Championship has history as a proving ground for the best players in the country.

Despite its faults around funding and its ever-changing format, the Championship has provided strong competitive action for some of England's current stars in their younger years. In fact, 26 of the 31 players in the current England senior squad (excluding those raised on distant shores or playing in other codes) have had experience playing in divisions outside the Premiership at the start of their careers.

With 136 caps between them, both Chris Robshaw & Mike Brown began their Harlequins careers in the Championship during the 2005-06 season. Luke Cowan-Dickie & Henry Slade both spent time dual-registered with Plymouth Albion whilst at Exeter. Fly-half Owen Farrell spent time on loan at Goldington Road for Bedford in 2010-11 before going on to win the Premiership title with Saracens later that season. The Championship has proved to be a worthy testing ground for the best England has to offer over the past decade.

If London Irish seek to be competing at the right end of the top division in the future, this may be the perfect time to unleash some of their young talent into their starting squad this season. 

Tom Parton, Ben Loader & Rory Brand all proved they have the ability and the temperament to play in front of a passionate French crowd during the U20 Championship. Loader even got his first taste of Premiership action at the end of last season against Bath, capping off the appearance with a try of his own. 

Fly-half Jacob Atkins spent time on loan at London Scottish in the Championship last season, demonstrating his readiness to step up at such a pivotal position. Issac Curtis-Harris may face a battle with Irish seemingly well equipped in the back row, but he has impressed the coaching staff at Esher in the past season. These are hungry and talented young players ready to take the next step.

To leave this talent untapped in a season where the chance for younger players to develop is plentiful would be a massive opportunity missed for the Exiles. These players need consistent first team opportunities to see them flourish. While the experienced heads of Myler, Du Plessis & Ojo may be enough to see them promoted this year, they will need an injection of youth if London Irish are to survive the realities of the top flight once again.

France achieve first U20 Championship with win over England

France produced a stunning performance to seal a 33-25 victory over England and win their first ever U20 Championship. In front of 15,000 passionate supporters at the Stade de la Mediterranee, France’s top-flight experience showed in controlling the game. 23 points from the boot of fly-half Louis Carbonel kept England out of reach from the hosts despite the best efforts of the top seeds.

An electric atmosphere at the Stade de la Mediterranee 

       France set their stall out early with a couple of penalties off the back of powerful work by the French forwards led by man-mountain Demba Bamba, their set-piece clearly causing problems for England. While England put themselves on the board from the boot of fly-half Marcus Smith it was France who scored the opening try.

       With the forwards hammering on the try line, an outstanding offload from Maxine Marty out the back of a tackle found Cameron Woki who dotted down in the corner despite the best effort from Joel Kpoku to keep him out.

       England got a much needed try just before the half-time whistle, a beautifully floated pass from Tom Hardwick found club-mate Jordan Olowofela who crossed the line to reduce the half-time deficit to 14-8.

       The second half was a mixture of French precision and English frustration. A number of penalties for the home side gave their already dominant set-piece an opportunity to build their lead. Three penalties for Carbonel saw the lead grow to 23-8.

       England gave themselves a lifeline with 10 minutes left on the clock. With an injection of pace from livewire scrum half Rory Brand, England found themselves camped on the French line. Kpoku and Ted Hill continued their strong carrying, which had been so prominent throughout the game, however it was substitute prop Joe Heyes, who fought him was over the try line.

       France found themselves on the front foot again soon after, as England were desperate to make something happen. Man of the moment Carbonel put a perfectly weighed kick in behind the English defence for replacement Adrien Seguret to pounce on and secure the win for France.

       A late try for England closed the gap but there was too much to be done. Olowofela crossing for his second try of the day and fifth of the tournament. The final whistle saw delight for the rapturous home crowd and heartbreak for the English side who had produced some outstanding rugby throughout the tournament but were beaten by the better side on the day.

       England will be frustrated that the performance never reached the heights of those against Italy or South Africa, albeit against a much stronger French side. The French defence proving near impossible to breakdown, and another high penalty count was punished by Carbonel

.

       However, England should look back with great pride on an excellent tournament. The strength throughout the squad shone through and the colossal effort put it from all was evident to see. After a well-deserved rest, these players will be sure to be pushing for first team selection when they returned to their respective clubs with crucial international experience on their side.

England survive Junior Boks scare to seal a final spot

England hung on to a commanding first half lead which dramatically diminished in the second half against the Junior Boks in Narbonne. England had amassed a 22-7 lead at the break, only to see a spirited fightback from South Africa push the side all the way to the final whistle. The 32-31 semi-final victory will see them play France in the U20 Championship Final on Sunday.

England went into the semi-final as top seeds from the group stages of the U20 Championship having won all three of their pool stages games, racking up 117 points and scoring 18 tries in the process.

They faced South Africa who had only lost to the other final side, France. The two teams had met prior to the tournament in a warm-up game where South Africa were victors to an inexperienced England side.

The early territory and possession was in the hands of England. South Africa were reduced to 14 men early on, with backrow Muller Uys being yellow carded for a late hit on Marcus Smith.

England made the man advantage count as they raced into a 19-0 lead, with tries for Tom Parton, an excellent finish by Tom Hardwick and a thrilling 80m try from Ben White after an electric run from winger Gabriel Ibitoye.

South Africa were on the board before the break after a period of intense pressure on the England line, Sazi Sandi crossing the whitewash for the Junior Boks only score of the half.

South Africa came out firing in the second half however, continuing to pressure England’s fringe defence. The power game causing problems for England with two tries, one for Muller Uys and one for Ruan Nortje, narrowing the lead.

England managed to stem the fightback with some stellar work from their star players. Captain Ben Curry and lock Joel Kpoku winning a crucial turnover with South Africa only a metre away from scoring to take the lead. With the ball cleared a monstrous tackle from Fraser Dingwall dislodged the ball, only for it to fall for Jordan Olowofela who scored his third try of the tournament.

However, South Africa continued to dominate with England’s ill-discipline giving the Junior Boks opportunity to attack. South Africa favouring the direct route as, despite England’s best efforts, they scored two further tries to move within one point of England.

Despite England losing a player to the sin-bin, they did enough in the dying moments to hold on to possession as see out the victory and move on to the final of the U20 Championship for a record 6^th year in succession.

England will be delighted to have come through their most challenging fixture in the tournament so far with a victory, although it has highlighted a number of areas that will need to be worked on before Sunday’s final.

While the English backline, as throughout the tournament, looked dangerous with ball in hand, the concerns about the lack of consistency at the set piece will cause worry in the England camp. Another high penalty count will also be a cause of concern, as it handed the Junior Boks a number of chances.

Despite the areas highlighted, England have shown throughout the tournament that they have the power and precision to punish sides with ball in hand, and with the ferocious tackling on display in this fixture, there won’t be any easy yards to make against this side.

The other semi-final saw a controlled victory from U20 Six Nation’s Champions France, who have looked very impressive all tournament, against early Championship favourites New Zealand.

The England-France final will be a repeat of the heated U20’s Six Nations fixture which also took place in Beziers back in March. With England beating the home side 22-6 on that occasion, they will be hoping to repeat those heroics on Sunday to become U20’s Champions for a fourth time.

England seal top seeding with revenge over Scotland

England were convincing 35-10 winners over Scotland in Beziers, as they earned the top seeding spot heading into the U20 Championship semi-finals. With 10 changes made to the starting fifteen that beat Italy at the weekend, England demonstrated their strength in depth, as the competition for starting places heats up. The performance shows the squad are well prepared for when they meet South Africa in their semi-final next week.

England will hope to be returning to the Stade de la Mediterranee
in just over a week to compete in the U20 Championship Final

England’s changes meant there were six players who started the disappointing loss to Scotland in this seasons U20’s Six Nations. The round three loss at Myerside cost the England side both the Six Nations Championship and the Grand Slam. However, England made the most of their opportunities to right the wrongs of that fixture in Beziers.

Despite Scotland controlling territory for large swathes of the opening of the match, the English defence was both impressive in its speed and physicality. England showed they were also clinical with ball in hand, scoring with their first opportunity of the match. First phase ball being shifted wide to Gabriel Ibitoye whose pace and power saw him beat one defender before riding a tackle and dotting the ball down.

Despite giving away a number of early penalties, it was England who crossed the whitewash again. This time the work of a powerful driving maul from the lineout gave hooker Beck Cutting the chance to power over and score.

Ibitoye created England’s next score shortly afterwards. An excellent run down the touchline gave England an excellent attacking platform. With quick ball and swift handling, James Scott found himself with the opportunity to dot down in the corner to extend England’s lead.

Scotland worked themselves back into the game just before half-time. Finding themselves with a man advantage after a yellow card for England full-back James Grayson, Scotland get their opening try of the game. A well weighted kick into the in-goal area is pounced on by Rowe, the conversion bringing the half-time score to 17-10.

England dominated the majority of the second half. After an opening period of pressure, it fell to Ibitoye to pick up his second try of the match. This time his power shone through, after bumping off the first tackler, he carried two Scottish defenders over the try-line for an excellent finish by the corner flag.

There were still points on offer to England, as they picked up two more scores before the final whistle. The first from Joel Kpoku as he used his powerful carrying to finish an England maul which was stopped just short. The final score coming from injury call-up Matt Williams. Some excellent offloading work in the midfield giving Williams a chance out wide to borrow through the Scotland defence to score.

England put together an impressive performance on both sides of the ball. Despite a worryingly high penalty count against England, their defence on the whole was very effective. A quick defensive line and dominating the collisions forced Scottish errors, backrow Ted Hill leading the charge on a number of occasions.

The English coaches will also be pleased with England’s clinical nature will ball in hand. Crossing the whitewash six times, England showed they don’t need much possession to create points, scoring with the first two significant attacking opportunities of the game.

Outside centre Jordan Olowofela stood out yet again this tournament, his ability to make defenders miss and supporting running lines is going to create selections headaches going into the knockout rounds. However, it was Harlequins winger Gabriel Ibitoye who stole the limelight. With two tries of his own, and creating countless opportunities for others, he can create space and opportunity from nothing with his power and pace.

With three victories from three and bonus points in all their matches, it sealed England’s spot at top seeds from the group stages of the U20 Championship. They will face 4^th seed South Africa in their semi-final in Narbonne on Tuesday evening.

England faced South Africa in a warm-up game in Worcester before the squad left for the Championship. While the result may not have gone England’s way, losing 26-12, it will be a much-changed squad that will take to the field in Narbonne. However, it will have give the squad an understanding of the fast and physical game they can expect from the Junior Boks. Expect an exciting contest and both teams will be vying for a place in U20 Championship Final.

England run rampant against Italy to take control of group

England produced some champagne rugby in their 43-5 victory over Italy. With a number of outstanding individual performances, Marcus Smith orchestrated a masterful performance at fly-half, scoring two tries himself, as well as setting up countless opportunities. The performance puts England within a point of sealing a place in the semi-finals in two weeks.

                England opened the scoring within 10 minutes as Tom Willis gave an excellent offload in a tackle to find Smith for the first of his tries of the day. England continued to put pressure on Italy and yet again, further impressive handling from Willis, created another opportunity. With the England backline linking up, it eventually fell into the hands of Tom Parton to get England’s second try.

                 England were back on the scoresheet shortly afterwards. Marcus Smith showed his quality as his quick feet put himself through the Italian defence. An inch perfect pass from the fly-half found Butler out on the wing, before sending winger Ben Loader over for a try.

                As England continued to attack from deep, Italy found themselves on the scoreboard as a handling error proved costly. However, England sealed the bonus point immediately afterwards with Ben Curry winning the ball back from the kick-off. After being spread wide, Ben Loader got his second try of the day.

Despite a slower, more disjointed start to the second half Smith, once again, created the spark England needed. His footwork put himself through a gap in the Italian line and, after spreading the ball wide, Ibitoye got his first try of the tournament.

                With Italy still unable to really threaten it handed Smith his second try. A misplaced pass was gladly scooped up by the fly-half who darted away to score. England’s defensive work continued to fire on all cylinders, keeping Italy pinned back. This time impressive scrum half Rory Brand got himself a try. With a dominant England scrum, Brand wheeled off to the left and dives over in the corner.

                The performance from England was only marred slightly by a late red card for Sam Lewis, as he caught an Italian player with an elbow to the head while defending. As the game broke up further towards the end of the game, England saw out a 43-5 victory.

                As well as Marcus Smith’s commanding performance, Willis & Curry demonstrated the quality England have in the backrow. Willis offered excellent ball handling skills, creating two tries himself. Curry continued his form from the Argentina game, as he led well and continued to cause problems at the breakdown.

                Despite a much improved set-piece against a ferocious Italian pack, it was the English backline which lit up the game. Brand & Smith proved an excellent combination to provide quick ball, with Loader finishing his opportunities well.

                England will be delighted with such an empathic victory as they take control of the group. While they are likely to face far stiffer competition in this tournament, they showed how dangerous they can be with ball in hand. They may need to show a more disciplined approach in the future, as the early stages of the second half could have given Italy a way back into the game. They will now face Scotland next week as they seek to put right the loss in this year’s Six Nations which cost them the title.

England on top in bruising opening encounter

England emerged as 39-18 victors in their opening game of the U20 Championship in Narbonne. With the bonus point secured just after half-time, England will be delighted with their impressive performance against a competitive Argentina side. They will now hope to build on this performance as they prepare to face Italy at the weekend.

A warm afternoon in Narbonne as England begin
their U20 Championship campaign

               In a slightly nervous opening, England’s misfiring set-piece and handling errors looked reminiscent of a disappointing performance against the Junior Boks three weeks ago. After falling behind, England regained their composure and took control of the match. Their opening score came from Leicester winger Jordan Olowofela, dotting the ball down after some hard yards from the forwards.

                England, now growing into the game, had their second score shortly after. Hooker Henry Walker, finding his man at the lineout 5m out before joining the back of a driving maul and finishing off the try. Argentina retook the lead with some strong carrying despite valiant English defence.

It was England, however, who ended the half in the lead with a try epitomising the style of play England require. Captain Ben Curry, demonstrated his excellent skill at the breakdown, as well as his physical defensive effort, to earn England a penalty. With the forwards creating quick ball it gave England opportunity to unleash their backline, this time Fraser Dingwall linked up well with Jordan Olowofela, who crossed for his second try of the day.

England came firing out of the blocks in the second half. An excellent running line from Josh Basham, who carried well throughout, earned England a long-range penalty, which Tom Hardwick converted.

England further extended their lead shortly afterwards with their bonus point try. With Argentina pinned deep inside their territory, a well-executed lineout gave England excellent field position. This time Ben Curry showed his deft touch, as a neat ball to Henry Walker, running a good supporting line, found him through a hole and under the posts; the Gloucester hooker picking up his second score of the day.

The pace of the game began to slow down as replacements were made and the physical nature of the contest began to take its toll on the sides. An exchange of penalties kept England well in front, with Argentina unable to threaten a well drilled England side.

The final score of the game came a few minutes from time. This time the English backline keen to show its prowess. A quick lineout just inside the England half found the star man Olowofela once again, as he danced past would-be tacklers. The excellent run stopped just inside the Argentine 22m, but an offload found replacement fly-half Marcus Smith on his shoulder, who crossed for his first try for England.

A convincing victory for England will delight Steve Bates and the coaching staff. Despite Argentina’s physical game, and some early jitters, England controlled the vast majority of the game. A professional and composed performance will put to rest any doubt following a slightly disappointing Six Nations campaign.

The England side looked like a well drilled unit, with forwards looking both strong defensively and adept with ball in hand, Ben Curry & Josh Basham the pick of the crop. The backline looks like it could well live up to the high expectations it has been set. Despite losing Ali Crossdale early, Jordan Olowofela is likely to create a selection headache with his excellent performance as he competes with Gabriel Ibitoye and Ben Loader.

England will now begin preparations for Sunday’s fixture against Italy in Perpignan. The Italian side will prove no pushovers, as they beat Scotland in their opening game with a last-minute try. England will need to continue the form they found in their opening fixture and will be hoping to set their sights on a high seeding for the semi-finals in two weeks’ time.

England U20: Ones to Watch

England have named a strong squad for this seasons U20 Championship in France, with talent and experience, they will be one of the favourites going into the tournament. While the squad rotation rules will ensure that everyone tastes competitive action, England will hope several key names will propel them into the final once again. Here are five names to watch out for;

Ben Curry, flanker (Sale Sharks)

                The flanker has been in and out of the England set-up, last appearing in the 2017 U20 Six Nations. However, he has excelled at Sale, laying claim to no less than 24 starting appearances over this season alone, crossing the whitewash eight times. While he offers outstanding defensive work and ball carrying, it is his breakdown work which sees him stand out. In a time when loose forwards have been unable to make the same impact as in years gone by, Ben has found a way. With his ability and experience he is likely to be a key leader for this England squad.

Gabriel Ibitoye, winger (Harlequins)

                While he may not have exploded onto the club scene in the same way, Ibitoye is well versed in the England shirt. He started all five games in the previous U20 Championship, and is one of only six players in the squad that took part in last year’s final. With explosive pace and power to match, Ibitoye has proven himself a handful for opposition defences. If England can utilise their backline, he will undoubtably create opportunities, as well as having the ability to finish them.

Joel Kpoku, lock (Saracens)

                As a late addition to the fold, Kpoku made his England age group debut just a few weeks ago against the Junior Boks. With Dino Lamb ruled out of the tournament through injury, Kpoku is a more than adequate replacement. He has had an outstanding season playing for Saracens Storm and caught the eye of head coach Steve Bates and is the next lock on the outstanding production line that crafted Maro Itoje & now Nick Isiekwe. Kpoku is following a similar mould to the locks before him, with an abrasive and clinical play style, expect to hear him leading from the frontline.

Ben Loader, winger (London Irish)

                Ben Loader has ended the season in great form and may be peaking at just the right moment for the U20 Championship. The winger scored a try as he made his Premiership debut against Bath on the final day of the season. He then crossed the whitewash again against the Junior Boks for England, showing his powerful running as he bumped off the would-be tacklers. Loader may have been flying under the radar until now, but his recent performances are likely to mark him out as a dangerous talent. Linking him up with the experienced campaigners like Will Butler & clubmate Tom Parton, is just what he needs to finish off his exciting season.

Marcus Smith, fly-half (Harlequins)

                It is hard to imagine anyone predicting the season this 19-year-old has had. 29 appearances for Harlequins amassing over 1,900 minutes played and 208 points, the Premiership Young Player of the Season award, and time as an England senior squad apprentice player. Marcus Smith has exploded into English rugby and now has the chance to shine at age-group rugby. Despite his age, he has shown composure, maturity, excellent game management, precise distribution and quality kicking. If England can get as much out of him as his club side have, he is more than capable of being England’s star man, unlocking their dangerous backline, controlling matches and winning games.  

                With the quality available in England’s squad, is it hard to see them not progressing to the latter stages of this years U20 Championship. This group will have been frustrated to have let a Grand Slam slip through their fingers against Scotland in this years Six Nations, and there are a number of players that will remember the agony of such a heavy defeat to New Zealand in last year’s final. But, as is clear from the squad announced, England will be aiming for nothing short of a fourth U20 Championship title come the final day in Beziers.

England U20 announce exciting 28-man squad for Rugby Championship

England have announced a talented 28-man squad for this years U20 Rugby Championship in France next week. Several experienced players have been drafted in to support a number of exciting young talents, most notably Premiership Young Player of the Year, Marcus Smith. England will be hoping to continue their run of five consecutive final appearances, but with such a strong squad they will hope to go one better than last year, when they lost to New Zealand in the final.

Harlequins fly-half Marcus Smith has had a breakthrough year and has laid claim to the starting fly-half shirt at the Stoop. The 19-year-old is likely make his first start for England U20 at the tournament, linking up with the squad for the first time since last years U20 Six Nations. He will be a key playmaker in unlocking a dangerous England backline, with the likes of Harlequins teammate Gabriel Ibitoye and London Irish winger Ben Loader.

The squad will be buoyed by the return of experienced campaigners Ben Curry & Ciaran Knight. Loosehead prop Ciaran Knight is one of six players that took part in the final loss in Georgia last year that are in the squad for this year. His experience will be key in supporting players who will be making their first appearances at a Rugby Championship. England will be delighted to have back-row Ben Curry joining the squad after his success, alongside twin brother Tom Curry, at Sale Sharks. His tenacious tackling and breakdown work will create a real threat for England, even without the ball.

                England have made a number of call-ups since the disappointing loss at the hands of the Junior Springboks at the start of May at Sixways. One player who has kept his spot is Saracens lock Joel Kpoku. Having flown under the radar in the England set-up for some time, Kpoku has impressed for Saracens Storm this season and now has the chance to shine for England. His abrasive nature, similar to his club counterpart Maro Itoje, will help England’s physicality, something which was lacking against the Junior Boks.

                England will open their campaign on Wednesday 30^th May, where they’ll play Argentina in Narbonne. They will then face familiar opponents in the final two pool games against Italy (3^rd June) and Scotland (7^th June), before moving into the semi-finals and finals. With such a talented squad and real strength in depth available England will be hoping to add a fourth Championship to their collection.

England U20 Squad

Backs

Rory Brand, Will Butler, Ali Crossdale, Fraser Dingwall, James Grayson, Tom Hardwick, Gabriel Ibitoye, Ben Loader, Jordan Olowofela, Tom Parton, Marcus Smith, Ben White

Forwards

Josh Basham, Ben Curry, Beck Cutting, Joe Heyes, Ted Hill, Aaron Hinkley, Ciaran Knight, Joel Kpoku, Sam Lewis, Gabriel Oghre, Ehren Painter, James Scott, Alex Seville, Toby Trinder, Henry Walker, Tom Willis

Junior Boks outclass a misfiring England

The Junior Springboks finished their UK tour with an impressive third victory, this time over England at Sixways. The England side, playing their first game together, were shown they have work to do as they begin to prepare for the U20 RWC in June. England open their campaign against Argentina in Narbonne in less than three weeks’ time.

The England side, which were runners-up in this years U20 Six Nations, found themselves without a number of star names. Ben Earl, Tom Curry, Marcus Smith & Cameron Redpath all missing with the senior England camp next week. They were also without Gabriel Ibitoye, Dino Lamb, Tom Hardwick, Will Butler & Marcus Street who were all unselected.

England looked unprepared when compared against a Springbok side which has already had two convincing wins on their tour. They were 41-3 victors against Scotland in Edinburgh and 41-5 winners over Wales. They will provide stiff competition in France, as they’ll hope to improve on their third-place finish last year in Georgia.

South Africa opened the scoring early, excellent handling saw the visitors score in the corner. England spent time camped on the South African try line but some aggressive defence saw England unable to convert the position into points. However, England eventually got on the board with excellent work from London Irish duo Tom Parton & Ben Loader. A turn of speed and precision pass from Parton found Loader. With three men to beat, Loader stayed strong in the tackle, and broke free to finish in the corner.

South Africa came out faster after the 20-minute water break, in preparation for the hot weather expected in France.  After the forwards putting pressure on England, it left scrum-half Rewan Kruger with half a gap which he darted over to score. England had opportunities to put pressure on the Springboks before half time but a number of set piece errors, particularly at the lineout, cost the home side dearly.

England made a number of changes at half-time, ensuring the whole squad got game time before the squad for France is announced. England looked brighter at the start of the second half, but South Africa continued to show poise as they kept England pinned back deep inside their half. England, attempting to attack from deep gave good position to the Junior Boks, who didn’t need a second invitation. This time another powerful driving maul saw South Africa extend their lead to 19-7.

England eventually found themselves in good position inside the opposition 22m. England showed their own power in their forwards as a driving maul made 10m from a lineout and was finished by replacement hooker Henry Walker. England were looking for a score to take the lead for the first time in the game with 5 minutes left on the clock. However, South African inside centre Rikus Pretorius capped off his impressive performance with an interception in the midfield which saw him race away 50 metres to score under the posts.

The final whistle saw South Africa 26-12 victors in a game they controlled and dominated throughout. England will undoubtably improve before the start of the tournament in France, but the performance highlighted a number of areas they will be keen to work on. A number of issues at the set piece will be a key focus to ensure England don’t waste opportunities to score. They will also need to improve their physicality up front as they are likely to face a similarly ferocious side in Argentina in their opening game.

There is also work to do in the backline as, despite the talented individuals, they failed to link-up to great effect. Much like the set pieces, this is likely to improve as the squad spend more time together. However, England may be helped by greater consistency in selection during the World Cup, as this team was the sixth different fly half & centre pairing in as many games.

There were several positives performances for England to take moving forward. There was a very impressive debut for Saracens lock Joel Kpoku, his physical presence and abrasive game something England seemingly lacked in parts. Ollie Lawrence also continued to impress at outside centre, as he was two years younger than some of his fellow compatriots. England will also be delighted to have Tom Parton back from injury as he looked a steadying influence at full-back, as well as showing his pace and precision for England’s opening try.

England will need to be up to speed quickly before their opening game of the U20 Rugby World Cup in Narbonne on Wednesday 30th May against Argentina. They will then play Italy on Sunday 3rd June in Perpignan, before hoping to put right their mistakes against Scotland in the Sex Nations, as they play their final pool game on Thursday 7th June in Beziers.

English errors prove costly in defeat to Italy U18

England fell to a second defeat in the U18 Six Nations Festival at the hands of an impressive Italy side. A slow start found England trailing 14-0 before the half. Despite a spirited second half, they were on the wrong end of the 32-30 score line, to the visible delight of the Italian side.

Italy 32-30 England at Cardiff Arms Park

There were 11 changes to the England side narrowly beaten by Scotland on Saturday. This meant all 26 squad members had the opportunity for much needed game time, including Gloucester fly-half, George Barton, returning for the first time after his nasty injury at the U18 Finals Day. Impressive back-row JJ Tonks and Northampton winger Ollie Sleightholme were two of the four players who retained their places from the weekend.

England would have hoped for another quick start but the initial stages looked fragmented with handling errors gifting Italy territory and possession. Italy made the most of their territorial advantage and gave themselves a 9-0 lead through the boot of fly-half Paolo Garbisi.

The only try of the half came through a mistake at the lineout from England. With Italy breaking through the England defence a strong tackle from Sleightholme held the Italians 5m out, but Matteo Drudi burrowed over shortly after to score. England put themselves on the board just before the end of the half with a penalty, trailing 14-3.

England began to establish themselves in the contest at the start of the second half, trading early penalties. The replacements for England made an instant impact as Bevan Rodd made an electric break up field, side stepping several Italian defenders. Quick ball gave Sleightholme the space to dash in the corner to score England’s first try.

As England continued to work themselves back into the game, handling errors proved costly as a ball spilt inside the 22m was collected by Italian centre Moscardi who cantered under the posts unopposed, restoring the lead to 24-11. However, England hit back immediately putting the Italians under pressure from the kick-off. A clever lineout 5m out created space to send replacement prop Alfie Barbeary down the touchline to narrow the scores again.

With England in the ascendancy, dominating territory and looking threatening with ball in hand, they narrowed the score line once again. A quick tap penalty from scrum half Boyland had the Italian defenders scrambling. Recycling the ball quickly gave Barbeary his second try in quick succession.

England continued to look to attack from deep, looking for a try to take the lead for the first time in the contest. However, another handling error inside their 22m proved costly as winger Batista collected a loose ball for Italy and had the pace to score, re-establishing the lead to 32-23.

The momentum stayed with England as the players dug deep to continue to push Italy and cause problems with ball in hand. This time the set-piece was firing on all cylinders as a driving maul from 10m was dragged down illegally by Italy and England were awarded a penalty try. Despite England’s efforts to steal the victory the Italians held on to seal a 32-30 victory, cueing raucous celebrations from the touchline.

England will be frustrated with their slow start in the first half and costly errors, however showed great endeavour to dominant vast periods of the second half. The replacements provided a real injection of precision and power which aided England in their fightback. Alfie Barbeary impressed with two tries, and Bevan Rodd made a real impact, causing problems for the Italy defence. Number 8, Rus Tuima, used his physicality well, continually breaking the gain line. The standout performance was from Gloucester back rower, JJ Tonks. His defensive and breakdown work was outstanding, as well as support running going forward.

England will face France in their final fixture, returning to the Cardiff Arms Park on Sunday. They will be looking to avenge their 27-5 loss to France earlier in March as well as ensure they finish the Six Nations festival with a win. They will hope to combine the dominant first half performance against Scotland with the spirted second half performance against Italy. France will provide the ultimate test for this U18 side. They are putting together an impressive year so far, with just one loss to Scotland today, and will be keen to make amends on Sunday.

Harlequins 2nd half comeback sees them claim 5th spot at U18 Finals Day

Harlequins produced an outstanding second half comeback to beat Sale Sharks 34-29 and claim 5th place overall in the Aviva Premiership Academy Finals Day. After a clinical first half performance from Sale, Harlequins staged a comeback after half time, and secured the victory with a score with just three minutes left on the clock at Allianz Park.

Harlequins U18's are victorious over Sale Sharks at Allianz Park

            This fixture was a repeat of the grand final from last year, in which Harlequins were crowned champions. The previous year was also notable for the inclusion of Harlequins newest star and England Apprentice, Marcus Smith. Neither side has fared quite as well this season, both finishing third in their respective conferences, only losing to the two sides above them, Gloucester & Saracens for Harlequins and Leicester & Wasps for Sale. 

            Harlequins opened the scoring after an interception in midfield from George Hammond, setting up a promising position, before a short lineout gave Sam Riley the opening score. Sale responded immediately, working through a dominant forward pack, with their own hooker, Ewan Ashman crossing the whitewash. 

            There were plenty of turnovers in the first half as neither team was really able to lay claim to the match. A second interception from Harlequins lock Hammond and a well placed chip ahead put winger Femi Sofolarin in the corner. A penalty kick from Tom Curtis levelled the score at 10-10, before Sale edged ahead just before half-time after a yellow card to Harlequins interception king George Hammond. The resulting penalty from the yellow card gave the Sale forwards another opportunity to show their dominance as a driving maul is finished by prop Bevan Rodd.

           Sale pressed on with their man advantage in the second half and quickly raced to a 29-10 lead. A well executed wrap around from fly-half Kieran Wilkinson created space for Tom Roebuck to finish the score. And a good pick-up and offload from Ciaran Booth created a score for Nathan Pope. Harlequins had, up until this point, failed to make the most of a number of opportunities inside the Sale half. However, George Hammond made amends for his yellow card, finishing off a try for Harlequins in the corner, narrowing the gap to 29-17.

           A yellow card for Sale spurred Harlequins on further, and much like their own yellow card before the half, they scored from the resulting penalty, Hugh Tizard spinning off from the driving maul to score the try. Further indiscipline from Sale was punished as Caolan Englefield put a kick to touch within 10m from the Sale line. The maul was valiantly defended by Sale but they were unable to stop Jon Benz-Salomon levelling the score at 29-29.

          With the game in the balance with only minutes remaining it was an open game with both sides having opportunities to seal the victory. However, Harlequins found themselves inside the Sale 22 again and a bullet pass from scrum-half Englefield created enough space for Jack Kenningham to get the decisive score in the corner.

           Sale should take solace in their clinical display when presented with opportunities but in the end succumbed to the pressure from Harlequins. Ciaran Booth in the backrow put together an impressive performance with hard work at the breakdown as well as excellent handling skills in attack. Tom Curtis will be proud of his performance from the tee, nailing a number of difficult and crucial kicks, with England U18 Kieran Wilkinson capping off another impressive performance with excellent distribution and game management. With a number of excellent team members in the squad, Sale will hope to continue to build next season in fighting to return to the final fixture.

          Harlequins will be delighted with the resolve and spirit in coming back from a 19 point deficit to score 24 unanswered points in the second half. Despite having chances in the first half, they finally began to make the pressure tell in the second half and mount an impressive fightback. Back-rower Jack Glover impressed with his defensive work, centre Lennox Anyanwu looked dangerous with ball in hand and replacement fly-half Luc Smith, brother of Marcus, controlled the game in the second half and oversaw the Harlequins comeback. However, the standout performance was from lock George Hammond who offered a ferocious workrate in both defence and attack and was responsible for creating two tries as well as crossing the whitewash himself. Harlequins always produce high quality talent from their academy and this group is no different, they will provide stiff competition next season in the southern conference.

Leicester crowned Premiership U18 Academy League champions with an outstanding display

Leicester Tigers were 43-21 victors over Gloucester at Allianz Park claiming the Aviva Premiership U18 Academy League championship for the 2017-18 season. The Tigers produced a complete performance that saw them worthy champions as they overawed Gloucester, led by a fantastic display from fly-half Sam Costelow. 

Leicester Tigers and Gloucester Rugby U18's played in the
showpiece in the Academy League season at Allianz Park

             Both Leicester and Gloucester dominated their respective conferences during the regular season, and set up a scintillating contest on Finals Day. Leicester had big results in the regular season with the highlight being a 52-5 victory over conference runners-up, Wasps. The only blip on their journey was a thrilling 31-31 opening day draw to Northampton back in December. Gloucester completed six wins from six in an incredibly competitive southern conference. The Cherry & Whites set their stall out early beating Saracens 34-31 on the opening day at Allianz and then defeating the defending Champions, Harlequins, by the same scoreline.

             Both sides thoroughly deserved their place in the showpiece of the Academy League competition. However, it was Leicester who came storming out the blocks to race to a 15-0 lead in the early stages. Tries from the giant full-back Freddie Steward and the captain Cameron Jordan and well as a huge 45 metre penalty kick from fly-half Sam Costelow.

             Gloucester got themselves into the game with a score from Jack Reeves after a lengthy injury delay. However, Leicester continued to play with pace and intensity and built on their score. A moment of individual brilliance from Freddie Steward, collecting his own chip ahead, scoring his second of the day, and neat footwork from Ronnie Du Randt gave Leicester a 29-7 lead at the break.

             Leicester's impressive display continued at the start of the second half. The impressive backline working the Tigers inside the 22, before a dominant scrum gave Henri Lavin a chance to carry through the tackle to score. Costelow continued to pull the strings at fly-half, keeping Gloucester pinned deep inside their own territory. Before turning hand to attack and sliding a pass to lock George Martin who finished under the posts.

             With the scoreline at 43-7 with 15 minutes remaining the winner seemed decided. However, Gloucester finished the game on top as they managed to unlock their pacey backline. Winger Jacob Morris showed his speed with a counter attack from a deep kick, as he set replacement Louis Rees-Zammit in for Gloucester's second try. The final try came from a break down the wing from Jack Curtis, a penalty and driving maul was finished by Alex Hunt in the corner to make the final score 43-21.

             While Gloucester may feel disappointed in their performance, they should take pride in the way they continued to compete and finished the game stronger of the sides. Finishing unbeaten in the southern conference, they played some thrilling rugby throughout the contest, looking most dangerous when their backline combined with their pace and footwork. The entire back three of Gloucester, Dunn, Stanton & Morris, continually threatened throughout the game, and will be bright prospects for the future to fit into the squad already littered with talented backs.

             Leicester produced an outstanding display straight from the kick-off. The entire squad deserve a huge deal of credit for the intensity in which they played. They continually dominated the tackle area and breakdown, as well as proving clinical in attack. It was a very complete performance from an age-group side, one that senior sides would be proud of. The performance was littered with outstanding individual performances, but honourable mention goes to full-back Freddie Steward, who continued to cause problems for the Gloucester defence with his power, pace and running lines. The standout performance, however, came from fly-half Sam Costelow, who controlled proceedings with his pinpoint accurate kicking from hand, excellent goal-kicking, mature decision making and outstanding distribution. Leicester will be thrilled with the style in which they secured this victory and will hope to nail down some of the key figures for senior academy contracts.

London Irish pipped by undefeated Gloucester in difficult conditions

London Irish fell to a 20-19 defeat against Gloucester in the Aviva Premiership U18 league. Conditions were less than ideal as the entire game was played on a slippery surface in the driving rain. Despite the scoreline London Irish will be proud of the way in which they controlled the majority of the game. The result leaves Gloucester unbeaten at the top of the Southern Conference.

        Irish were still looking for their opening win of the U18 league season, but have put together some impressive attacking performances so far. London Irish have given a number of young players opportunity this season with half of the starting side including U17 players, featuring in the squad a year earlier than most. Those younger players include Will Sinfield and Sam Clough who were part of the England U16 squad last season.

Conditions made for a tough game at Dean Close School, Cheltenham

        Gloucester raced to an early 10-0 lead with a penalty kick and try from a charged down kick. Irish pinned Gloucester back however, as backrow Gwilym Bradley broke through a gap in the defence before putting in a neat chip through that winger Oscar Blanchard finished in the corner. Gloucester finished the half with a score as another charge down deep in Gloucester territory allowed the Cherry and Whites to race away to give themselves a 15-5 lead at the break.

        Despite Irish continuing the second half with the majority of possession and territory it was Gloucester who scored first. A driving maul from a penalty was defended well and stopped just short but quick handling from the backs saw a try in the corner. Irish hit back soon after with a deserved score and reward for the dominant forward pack. The 20 metre drive from a maul resulted in an Irish penalty, kicked to the corner and another powerful maul was stopped illegally by Gloucester and saw the referee under the posts for a penalty try.

        Despite the horrendous conditions both sides still endeavoured to shift the ball and put pressure on their opponent. Irish showed some solid defence on their own 5m line with Gloucester looking to restore their lead. Irish moved to within one point of Gloucester with the next score. The maul was used to great effect again, before replacement scrum-half Gruffydd Williams saw a gap and darted through the Gloucester defence to score. A difficult conversion slotted by Will Sinfield  made the score 20-19.

        Irish again went back to some solid defence work deep inside their own half before turning the ball over and attempting to attack from deep in the final play. Irish were finally put to bed as a tackle into touch saw the game end and Gloucester hold on to a 20-19 victory in difficult conditions.

        Irish should be proud of a well disciplined and dominant performance, with the majority of territory and possession, but just lacking the composure to finish off some opportunities in the pouring rain. The forwards produced a stunning performance up front, with prop Brandon Baker and backrow star Ben Donnell leading the line. Sam Clough, at scrum half, also stood out with good distribution despite the conditions.

        Irish will be pleased to have provided such resistant opposition to the best side in the conference, especially their defensive effort with the game on the line. They will look to build on the performance as they face Saracens at Hazelwood on Saturday 3^rd February.

Why VAR won’t work and how it could

Football has finally embraced video technology into the sport after years of waiting. Having been trickled in since 2016, starting in the MLS, it has been embraced as a useful tool that people have been crying out for since Lampard cannoned a ball off the cross bar and over the line in 2010.

Eight years later VAR has reached these green and pleasant lands. Kelechi Iheanacho becoming the answer to pub quiz questions across the country, having his goal given after VAR intervention earlier this week. However, the complexities of the system reared its ugly head as many saw a clear penalty not reviewed in Chelsea’s FA Cup win over Norwich.

Iheanacho has his goal reviewed by VAR after being initially given offside.

Video technology is not new in sport of course. Rugby, cricket, tennis and American football all have used video technology in some form to varying degrees of success. Overall it would seem that is has reduced the number of officiating errors across all sports. However, it may not fit into football as well as people may have hoped.

In some areas of sport VAR is perfect, quick and simple. If there is a need to monitor binary and factual decisions, video technology is a must-have. Whether it be a run out in cricket, whether a try is scored in rugby or whether Iheanacho was in front of, or behind the last defender.

In other areas things are not so clear cut. One of the beauties of sport, and the reasons for phone-ins and school ground arguments, are the more grey opinion-based decisions that crop up week in week out. Was it a dangerous tackle? Was it a foul? Was it a penalty? Should it be a red card?

VAR did not overturn the decision to book Willian for diving, when
most pundits believe a penalty should have been give.

Here is where the system falls down, and where football hasn’t learnt from the other sports. In the NFL reviewable decisions are limited to those that are more binary; you cannot challenge or review a pass interference decision. In rugby the laws are becoming far more defined, for good or worse; you cannot make contact with a players head if you want to stay on the field. Football is seeking to have its cake and eat it too.

The most popular sport in the world doesn’t want to sacrifice the tempo of the game, something that stands it out from its nearest rivals in rugby. Nor does it want to take away the autonomy of the referee and weaken his authority of a game with multiple officials. Yet, it does want to make sure it gets right all the controversial decisions in the game and protect officials from making mistakes.

If we want video technology in football, football will have to change in one of two ways. Either we have a slower game, a more fragmented game, but where there is time for the referee to check dubious and difficult decisions, not just clear and obvious mistakes. Or we limit the use to those clear cut decisions, like offside or mistaken identity and continue to let Gary Lineker and co continue to debate penalties on Match of the Day.

Ultimately it will come down to the fans reaction. If the powers at be seeing people being turned off the beautiful game because it becomes slower and less exciting then don’t expect to see technology around for long. We all love a bit of controversy anyway.

A fight for survival: London Irish

As the tickertape fell at the Madjeski Stadium on 24^th May 2017, London Irish had completed their mission of returning to the top flight of English rugby. In what was a largely untroubled season, Irish lost just one league game and stood out as a clear step above the vast majority of the Championship competition. They looked in good stead to return to the Aviva Premiership.

London Irish are based at world-class training
facilities at the Hazelwood Centre 

                 Fast forward eight months and the club are in serious trouble. They sit grounded to the foot of the Premiership table, nine points off Worcester and just one solitary win against Harlequins on the opening day of the season. For the most part, London Irish have lacked a competitive edge. They have not looked like the Premiership outfit that last season made them out to be, and if they are to have any hope of staying up things need to change.

                                London Irish’s season in the Championship may have provided false promises on three fronts. Firstly, the Championship is an underfunded and poorly performing league. While many top quality players have spent time in the Championship, and it has undoubtedly aided their development, it does not provide the quality of competition needed to prepare a side for the Premiership. With low attendance figures and clubs struggling to stay afloat, it is no wonder clubs aren’t able to develop to their full potential. Any Premiership club that drops is able to outperform opponents without too much effort.

                The second false promise is the growing strength of the Aviva Premiership. In complete contrast to the Championship, the Premiership is seeing growing funding from expanded TV deals from domestic and European rugby. While it is clear to see the quality in teams like Saracens, Exeter & Wasps, where the real improvement has come is further down the table. The perfect example coming this season is Newcastle. A side that has, for years, struggled toward the bottom of the table have found a new strength and confidence led by Dean Richards. It is this growth in the bottom half of the Premiership, making for an overall more competitive and exciting league, that is causing London Irish problems.

                The final false promise is the style of play London Irish have adopted. Brendan Venter is a masterful coach, an inspirational speaker and rugby genius. He, alongside Mark McCall, is responsible for large swathes of success that we have seen at Saracens over recent season. Venter has attempted to instil what he created at Saracens, in London Irish. A tight, direct, powerful and precise game, focusing on doing the simple things perfectly, Venterball. And while it may seem simple, and easy to replicate, London Irish are proving that is it not. In order to be successful as Saracens, the defensive effort needs to be outstanding and the attack has to be clinical, London Irish have so far failed on both these counts. While it may have been good enough in the Championship, this style of rugby not done perfectly will no longer cut it in the top flight.

                With 9 games left in the Premiership season, and a total of 45 points available, the nine point gap between London Irish and Worcester is by no means insurmountable. However, London Irish cannot go quietly into the night, they will need to change and change quickly. And there are signs of life from Irish. A competitive performance at Welford Road as well as the signing of a ball carrying back row Arno Botha and scrum-half Piet Van Zyl could kick start the fight. But the changes must go further than that.

                Irish need to move away from Venterball. They do not have the power or the precision to execute the style successfully. They are, however, stacked with creative and exciting backs. Alex Lewington and Joe Cokanasiga, when they have had the ball, have looked dangerous, but those times are few and far between. London Irish cannot be afraid to spread the ball wide, to attack off first phase ball. There are dynamic ball carriers in Max Northcote-Green, Blair Cowan & Franco van der Merwe. Rather than carrying ball into contact, allow them to look to keep the ball alive, keep the tempo high and unleash the backline. Let loose. There is nothing to lose here.

Irish need to relax. Easier said than done, considering the position they are in. But Irish have looked most dangerous this year when the game is lost. Irish seemingly set out not to lose games from kick-off, rather than win them. This creates immense pressure on players to complete every tackle and take every opportunity, and so far has failed. You cannot hide the league table from the squad, but survival cannot be the focus. The bigger picture will always look bleak, but boiled down it can ease the pressure. As New England head coach, Bill Belichick, puts it ‘do your job’. With Venter spending more time at Hazelwood, it will be hoped he can get the players doing just that. Not asking them save the club, but asking them simply to do their job.

The position London Irish are in is not irreversible. However, with three huge games coming up in February at home to Sale, against a poor Northampton side and hosting relegation rivals Worcester, time is of the essence. A four game period before the Aviva Premiership starts again could be exactly what Irish need. They have all the ingredients to survive. There are Premiership quality players, Venter is a world class coach, but can they get the recipe right in time?

Aviva Premiership Round-up - Round 13

Sinoti Sinoti scored the try of the round with an individual
solo burst as Newcastle stunned champions Exeter

The Aviva Premiership started 2018 with a bang as round thirteen saw a number of thrilling encounters and important results up and down the country. The results leave just seven points between Wasps in 3rd and Harlequins in 9th as teams break from domestic action for European fixtures.

Worcester Warriors 25-46 Bath Rugby

                Bath began the new year by ending their slide in form in emphatic fashion with a six try victory over Worcester Warriors. Bath were in clinical form as they continued to trouble the Worcester defence throughout the game. A Fotuali'i double put the game beyond doubt before Worcester fought back but fell just short of stealing a losing bonus point. The result sees Bath end their three game losing streak and compel themselves back into contention for the top four.

Leicester Tigers 19-15 London Irish         
                Leicester earned a hard fought victory over a battling London Irish side, thanks to an electric perform for Johnny May and a try for Manu Tulagi on his 100th appearance. Johnny May put any concerns about his ability at full back to bed with a confident performance that saw Tigers win their first league game in five attempts. A losing bonus point for Irish could prove invaluable but they are still seeking their first away victory in the Premiership since Feb 2015.

Northampton Saints 22-19 Gloucester Rugby    
                A last minute penalty try gave Northampton a much needed win over Gloucester at Franklin's Gardens. While it looked like Gloucester had consigned Saints to 8th successive defeat, referee Ian Tempest, after initially deciding the ball was grounded short, spotted Andy Symons pulling down the maul and awarded the penalty try. The win will give great delight to interim head coach Alan Gaffney, while the Cherry & Whites will rue the chance to cement their place in the playoff places.

 Sale Sharks 30-29 Harlequins   
                Joe Marler was sent off after 60 minutes, as Sale came from behind to pip Harlequins 30-29. Marler saw red for a dangerous clear out, making contact with the head of TJ Ioane. Harlequins were leading 22-17 at the time of the card but Sale came back and a Faf De Klerk penalty 5 minutes from time was enough to give Sale the win. The victory sees Sale leapfrog Harlequins in the table and move up to 7th.

 Newcastle Falcons 28-20 Exeter Chiefs
                Newcastle stunned league leaders Exeter with a sintilating first half display and sealed a 28-20 victory. Falcons continued to demonstrate their dangerous backline, with the pick of the tries a 60m solo dash from Sinoti Sinoti. The win, their sixth consecutive victory in all competitions, kept them in the top half of the table. Exeter battled back in the second half but had given themselves a mountain to climb, falling to their first league loss since September.

 Wasps 15-38 Saracens 
                Saracens, rejuvenated by the return from injury of Itoje & Vunipola, put together an impressive 38-15 victory over Wasps at the Ricoh arena. Eddie Jones will be pleased to see Vunipola back in fine form in time for the Six Nations, only outdone by an outstanding display from Alex Goode, bagging himself two tries. Saracens raced to a 18-3 lead before Wasps pinned them back to 18-15 at half time, but Saracens power and precision was too much for the Wasps defence. The bonus point win sees them apply pressure on Exeter at the top of the table.

The Aviva Premiership takes an extended break, as clubs continue their European competitions and Anglo-Welsh fixtures. With the Six Nations looming large on the horizon, clubs with fewer internationals will be keen to capitalise on opportunities for points when the Premiership returns in February.

NFL - Astounding 2nd half comeback sees Tennessee into divisional game

The Tennessee Titans produced a second half fightback and shocked the Kansas City Chiefs in the opening 2018 play-off game. The AFC South runners-up were 21-3 down at the half, before scoring 19 unanswered points in the second half to upset the Chiefs fans at Arrowhead Stadium. Marcus Mariota passed for over 200 yards, including a touchdown pass to himself, while Running Back Derrick Henry had a career high 156 rushing yards.

Magic Marcus Mariota continued to cause problems for the Kansas City defence.

Kansas City had regained their early season form toward the end of the regular season coming into the post season on the back of four straight victories. They began the game in the same form they finished the season, racing to a 14-0 lead before the end of the first quarter. The first touchdown, a one yard run for Kareem Hunt after big plays from tight-end Travis Kelce and wide receiver Tyreek Hill.  Following a quick three and out, the Chiefs went straight back at it with a 13 yard pass to Travis Kelce.

The Titans had only secured their playoff place as runners up in the AFC South with victory over the Jaguars last weekend, having spluttered toward the end of the regular season. Marcus Mariota finally got his opportunity to get the Titan offence going forward in the second quarter; but Kansas corner Marcus Peters intercepted a pass intended for Delanie Walker inside the Kansas City red zone. 

The Titans were soon back driving forward before a huge sack on 3^rd and 4 just before the two minute warning forced Tennessee to take three. However, the Chiefs continued to work the sideline with Aaron Smith and put together a scoring drive with just 3 seconds left on the clock in the half - Demarcus Robinson finishing a 14 yard pass with neat footwork to get in for the touchdown. The drive was not without its problems for the Chiefs as they lost influential tight end Kelce to a nasty collision resulting in a concussion. However, they led at the half 21-3.

Tennessee needed to score early in the second half, and they duly did. The elusive quarter back, Mariota, rushing for a vital first down on the drive, before receiving his own catch for an 8 yard touchdown to open the half. As Mariota scrambles left and aims a pass towards Corey Davis in the end zone, the ball is deflected back from the Chiefs defence and collected by Mariota himself who dives for the pylon, one of the most fortunate plays you are likely to see.

Shortly afterwards it looked like Tennessee had shot themselves in the foot as a fumbled punt return handed the Chiefs short field. But, unable to keep Hunt or Hill firing like the first half, they were forced to kick a field goal which bounced off the left upright and away. As the fourth quarter began Derrick Henry scored a touchdown with an electric 35 yard run through the middle of the Kansas defence. Tennessee elected for the two point conversion to get the score within three, but an unorganised attempt left them 21-16 down with 14 minutes still to play.

With Kansas receivers falling to convert for Aaron Smith it gave Tennessee the opportunity to drive for the lead for the first time in the game. Once again, Marcus Mariota starred in the game winning drive, scrambling as the pocket collapsed for a 25 yard rush, before threading a 22 yard pass into the end zone for Eric Decker to give the Titans a 22-21 lead. Again, an unorganised 2 point conversion failed, giving Kansas the chance to drive to regain the lead.

The Kansas drive led to a 4^th and 9 attempt but was broken up by a rejuvenated Titan defence with just 2 minutes left on the clock. The Chiefs thought they had earned themselves a reprieve as a fumble was returned to the house, but was brought back as the runner was clearly down by contact before the ball was stripped. It created a 3^rd and 10 for Tennessee where a conversion would see them enter victory formation. The two Titan stars combined as Derrick Henry rushed left for 20 yards aided by a crucial block by none other than, quarter-back Marcus Mariota.

The result stunned the passionate fans at Arrowhead stadium as the Chiefs gave up a 21-3 lead at the half. The Titans owe a huge amount to their defensive players who continuously stopped Kansas in the second half, as well as the elusive and dynamic running of Derrick Henry and the, at times, uncontainable Marcus Mariota. Many will have written off the Titans at the half, but the fightback will give pause for thought for either New England or Pittsburgh in the Divisional round next weekend. The Titans, led by the magic of Marcus Mariota are not to be underestimated.