Seven try England U20 beat Wales

A first half try through winger Amy Williams wasn’t enough for Wales as the young Red Roses ran in seven tries. Wing Katie Shillaker helped herself to a hat-trick with further tries coming from Jorja Battishill, Lucy Calladine, Millie David and Sophie Malton.

England started with early possession but the Welsh defence held out in the opening stages after a 50/22 from fullback Lia Green.

The opening try came in the 18^th minute as the hosts continued to apply pressure inside the Welsh 22. English captain Steph Else provided the platform as she spotted a gap on the fringes of the Welsh breakdown, before second row Battishill powered over from short range with Green converting.

There was a period of possession and territory for Wales through Eleanor Hing after she beat two defenders, but it was England who extended their lead as hooker Calladine crossed from short range to score at the posts for another try improved by Green.

Wales did get their first points three minutes later after a break from captain Jenna De Vera following a quick tap penalty from scrum half Seren Singleton. She moved the ball out to the left with forwards and backs combining to put Williams over in the corner.

But England picked up their third try in the first-half’s final act as Shillaker ended up scoring in the corner following several phases inside the Welsh 22. That meant Wales trailed 19-5 at the interval.

Try scorer Williams showed her defensive game in the 53^rd minute with a tackle on her own line preventing a fourth English try. But Shilliaker crossed for her second despite the Welsh defence’s best efforts and patience, with the conversion from Green hitting the cross bar before dropping over to increase the lead.

England scored their fifth try in the 58^th minute after second row Lola Whitley broke through the Welsh defence and offloaded to wing Millie David, who finished superbly to enable Green to notch her fourth conversion of the afternoon.

Shillaker picked up her hat-trick in the final five minutes as she ran in unopposed in the corner. There was still time for a seventh try for England as replacement Lucy Molton pounced on a loose ball to score from short range, with fly-half Amelia Macdougall adding the final points of the match.

Scorers: England U20: Tries: Katie Shillaker 3, J Battishill, L Calladine, M David, S Malton; Cons: L Green 4, A Macdougall. Wales U20: Scorers: Try: A Williams

England U20 Women: Lia Green (Loughborough Lightning/Loughborough Uni); Millie David (Bristol Bears/Uni of West England), Millie Hyett (Gloucester-Hartpury/Hartpury College), Carmela Morrall (Loughborough Lightning/Loughborough Uni), Katie Shillaker (Harlequins); Amelia MacDougall (Saracens/Oaklands College), Alex Wilkinson (Henley Hawks/Oxford Uni); Amelia Williams (Loughborough Lightning/Loughborough Uni), Lucy Calladine (Loughborough Lightning/Worcester Uni), Jessie Spurrier (Harlequins), Lola Whitley (Gloucester-Hartpury/Hartpury College), Jorja Battishill (Gloucester-Hartpury/Hartpury Uni),  Joia Bennett (Saracens/Lorreto College), Ellie Roberts (Loughborough Lightning/Loughborough Uni), Steph Else (Gloucester-Hartpury/Hartpury Uni, captain)

Reps: Amelia Hyndman (Sale Sharks/Bede Sixth Form College), Chloe Flanagan (Saracens), Niamh Williams (Sale Sharks/Worcester Uni), Josie Plant (Exeter Chiefs), Tyla Shirley (Harlequins/Cardinal Newman Sixth Form), Sophie Molton (Trailfinders Women/Brunel Uni), Sophie Langford (Exeter Chiefs/Exeter Uni), Evelyn Clarke (Loughborough Lightning/Birmingham Uni)

Wales U20 Women: Eleanor Hing (Brython Thunder/Cardiff Uni); Kim Thurlow (Gwalia Lightning/Bath Uni), Savannah Picton-Powell (Brython Thunder/Cardiff Met), Jenna De Vera (Gwalia Lightning/Bristol Bears, captain), Amy Williams (Brython Thunder/Cardiff Met); Freya Bell (Harlequins), Seren Singleton (Brython Thunder/Cardiff Met); Chloe Thomas-Bradley (Brython Thunder), Rosie Carr (Brython Thunder/Cardiff Met), Lowri  Williams (Gwalia Lightning/USW), Milly Summer (Brython Thunder/Cardiff Met), Erin Jones (Gwalia Lightning/Cardiff Met), Lily Terry (Cheltenham Tigers), Lucy  Isaac (Gwalia Lightning/Cardiff Met), Jess Rogers (Cardiff Met)

Reps: Mollie Crabb (Gwalia Lightning/Cardiff Met), Maisie Davies (Gwalia Lightning/Cardiff Met), Madi Johns (Brython Thunder/Pontyclun), Robyn Davies (Hartpury College), Catrin Stewart (Cardiff Met), Katie Bevans (Brython Thunder/Cardiff Met), Molly Anderson-Thomas (Gwalia Lightning/Loughborough Uni), Gabby Healan (Cardiff Met)