England 41 Fiji 17

Miles Benjamin demonstrated the finishing power that saw him star in the Guinness Premiership this season as England opened their Junior World Championship campaign in style against Fiji.

The Worcester Warriors wing scored two of England’s sublime six first-half tries with Noah Cato and Alex Goode (both Saracens), and Seb Stegmann (both Harlequins) also touching down.

Goode finished with 18 points from his try, penalty and four conversions but England went off the boil in the second half, conceding three tries in the final quarter as Fiji threw caution to the wind.

Peni Rokodiva, Waqabaqa Kotobalavu and William Saukuru all touched down and Alex Rokobaro converted.

There were five changes to the England side that completed a Grand Slam of RBS Six Nations victories in March with Leeds Carnegie flanker Calum Clark the only new cap.

He was joined by Miles Benjamin, Jordan Turner-Hall, Ben Thomas and Scott Freer as England kicked off wearing their blue change strip to avoid a colour clash with their opponents.

England had a few problems of their own making, particularly in the early lineouts, protecting their kickers and with a few over-ambitious passes.

But any minor niggles were overshadowed by some sensational attacking movement that created six first half tries.

Benjamin and Cato – just as they did in the Six Nations – set the ball rolling with two tries in the first 15 minutes, the first created by Clark and Simpson’s work down the blindside, the second by Ellis and Fisher.

Goode added a conversion and penalty, then supplied the extra points to his own try after Simpson spotted an undefended area before tapping and going.

Benjamin’s second try on the half-hour was a powerful finish after Stegmann opened up Fiji with his break down the right and the Harlequins winger then finished the best score of the game, an 80 metre effort started by Cato’s cruising run with prop Nathan Catt up to supply the final pass.

Turner-Hall picked the perfect line to cut through an overworked defence just before the interval with Goode converting to put England 41 points clear.

England dominated the third quarter without reproducing their early incisive attacks before Fiji enjoyed their best spell of the game, running from deep and scoring twice in five minutes.

Replacement scrum half Rokodiva struck after Jack Lalai’s drive down the left and substitute flanker Kotobalavu twisted over after a lineout drive.

Saukuru added Fiji’s third after replacement Alex Tait was left with too many attackers to deal with three minutes from time with hooker Joe Gray off the field in the sin-bin.

The second half was aptly summed up in the time remaining as England kept up the pressure without being able to unpick their opponents’ defence again.

England U20: Noah Cato (Saracens); Seb Stegmann (Harlequins), Mark Odejobi (London Wasps), Jordan Turner-Hall (Harlequins), Miles Benjamin (Worcester Warriors); Alex Goode (Saracens), Joe Simpson (London Wasps); Nathan Catt (Bath Rugby), Scott Freer (Leeds Carnegie), Alex Corbisiero (London Irish), Scott Hobson (Cornish Pirates), Ben Thomas (Saracens), Jon Fisher (London Irish), Calum Clark (Leeds Carnegie), Hugo Ellis (London Wasps, captain).
Replacements: Joe Gray (Northampton Saints) for Freer 60, Billy Moss (Bath Rugby) for Corbisiero 60, Matthew Cox (Worcester Warriors) for Clark 41, Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers) for Simpson 67, Rob Miller (Newcastle Falcons) for Odejobi 54, Alex Tait (Newcastle Falcons) for Cato 41, Freer for Ellis 77.
Scorers: Tries: Benjamin 2, Cato, Goode, Stegmann, Turner-Hall. Conversions: Goode 4. Penalty: Goode.
Yellow card: Gray 76.

Fiji: Alex Rokobaro; William Saukuru, Isikeli Vuruna, Eroni Tara, Wiliame Umu; Anare Vakawaletabua, Vuga Tagicakibau; Seru Qaranivalu, Saula Qalomai, Jack Lalai, Temo Vakaloloma, Tevita Tuiloa, Ratu Levula, Jese Ciriksuva, Samuela Vunisa.
Replacements: Waqabaca Kotobalavu for Tuiloa, Uraia Verenadavui for Levula 54, Peni Rokodiva for Tagicakibau 54, Pate Kocoturaga for Umu 46.
Scorers: Tries: Rokodiva, Kotobalavu, Sakuru. Conversion: Rokobaro.
Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland).

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