England kept a clean sheet in their second round Student Four Nations clash against Ireland at Halton Farnworth Hornets on Saturday.
In changing weather conditions, England slowly ground out an impressive win against a dogged and determined Ireland team who, despite the one-sided scoreline, performed far better than their round one outing against Wales.
Brogan Turner was the first to score as England built pressure from a penalty early in the game with just three minutes on the clock, with Ben Grindley-Roberts on target with the boot. But both sides traded sets consistently for the next quarter of an hour before Turner bagged his second, an almost carbon copy of the first, with Grindley-Roberts adding the extras.
Oli Paterson followed up shortly afterwards, taking Grindley-Roberts offload superbly to score to the right of the sticks, though the conversion was short in the wind. Paterson was in again three minutes later, also scoring on the same mark, but this time Grindley-Roberts made the distance with the kick.
Ireland dug in again with some solid defence, pushing England back, but failing to gain any advantage on the scoreboard.
Second row Henry Lenthall left the chasing pack for dust as he powered away from inside his own half just after the half hour mark, giving Grindley-Roberts another easy shot on goal, England’s final score before the break.
Will Lintin pounced on a loose ball in the in-goal area to earn England’s first points of the second-half, Grindley-Roberts improving. Linten’s Northumbria team mate James Leach bust his way through at the line ten minutes later, with Grindley-Roberts again adding the conversion.
Captain Harry Lowery hit, spun and burrowed his way to the tryline three minutes later, with Grindley-Roberts adding another.
Ireland’s pack put in a ten minute shift to remember, working their way steadily downfield and putting England under pressure, but soon it was ten minutes to forget for Tom Ashurst who lay on too long in the tackle and was dispatched to the sin bin.
Moments later Grindley-Roberts notched up a try of his own, skipping through the space, before converting.
Ireland were restored to 13 players before England found the try line once more as Hayden Todd took two players with him as he powered through, though the conversion bounced off the upright.
Lenthall shrugged off the defence to add his second with four minutes remaining, before Noah Tyson burrowed his way through from dummy-half to complete the rout, Grindley-Roberts kicking both conversions.
England now travel to Wales on Saturday 20th June, 6pm kick off at The Gnoll, Neath, where they likely meet their sternest test of the competition in a likely winner takes all match.
England Universities:
Alex Edun, Ben Bell-Thorn, Brogan Turner, Leon Stewart, Deusjes Nzage, Finn Dagnall, Ben Grindley-Roberts, Harry Lowery, Will Lintin, James Leach, Oli Paterson, Henry Lenthall, Hayden Todd.
Interchanges: Noah Tyson, Fin Hay, Max Nissinen-Le, Tega Rume-Tabiowo, George Moffitt, James Boyles
Tries: Brogan Turner (3, 17), Oli Paterson (21, 24), Henry Lenthall (32, 76), Will Lintin (42), James Leach (50), Harry Lowery (53), Ben Grindley-Roberts (63), Hayden Todd (74), Noah Tyson (78)
Goals: Ben Grindley-Roberts 10/12
Ireland Universities:
Gareth McGinty, Matt Cahill, Matt McClure, Ethan Whyte, Connor Welsh, Sean Murray, Tom Ashurst, Euan Haynes, Reece Boyd, Fred Taylor, Leo Talbot, Ellis Keppel, Isaac Baynham.
Interchanges: Theo Pollard, Dan Ridpath, Jack Brown.
Sin Bin: Tom Ashurst (63) – Professional Foul
Half-time: 28-0
Full-time: 68-0
Referee: Jake Berry (England)
