England 57 Scotland 13
Kepu Tuipulotu stole the show with two of England’s nine tries in a demolition of Scotland at Kingston Park, keeping England’s Under-20 Six Nations title hopes firmly on track.
With three wins in the bank and games against Italy and Wales to come, a Grand Slam remains a possibility for Mark Mapletoft’s side, who were tested in the early stages of each half but simply had too much power and precision for Scotland.
Tuipulotu remains a highly impressive prospect. The Bath hooker’s carrying is so explosive, cantering free after one good pass from Ben Coen towards the end of the first half before putting in a grubber kick - yes, that’s right, a grubber kick - which sat up perfectly in the build-up to Tye Raymont’s try.
England’s pack contains a number of impressive players. Olamide Sodeke is a maul wrecker at 6ft 9in. The captain, Tom Burrow, carries with real physicality, finishing off one well-worked lineout move in the second half. Junior Kpoku returned from suspension with real energy while Kane James, player of the match in the win over Ireland, was excellent as a carrier and turnover winner.
Two of England’s back three were making their debuts and both scored tries, the 6ft 5in Exeter wing Campbell Ridl with the opener before George Pearson grabbed his score later on with a good sidestep. Three players went on to make their England debuts off the bench - Connor Treacey, Jonny Weimann and Tyler Offiah, son of the great Martin.
After Fergus Watson’s early try tied the game at 5-5, suggesting Scotland could threaten, England frankly looked unstoppable. Scotland had to wait an hour for another try scored by Oliver Duncan. There were some Scottish positives. Freddy Douglas, the only player on the field capped at senior level, looks some prospect and came up with three turnovers, while full-back Jack Brown has some boot.
But there was a clear, concerning gap in quality here, with England beating 43 defenders to Scotland’s 13. Scotland (only) conceded 11 penalties but it felt like far more.
Crossing the 50-point mark in the final minutes underlined England’s dominance. On this form they have a serious chance of winning a first Grand Slam since 2021.
09:07 PM GMT
FULL-TIME: ENGLAND 57-13 SCOTLAND
England still punching in big hits here late in the game, a chip over the top from Urwin to Van Wyk goes into touch, and that will be that.
A demolition, really. England firmly on track for another title and maybe a Grand Slam too.
09:06 PM GMT
80 mins - England 57-13 Scotland
Final moments now, Scotland looking for something to savour but Duncan is thumped by Lilley, who has quietly been very good.
Scotland pinned in their half and they hoof it high, which sums things up. England seeing if they can counter, but Bellamy’s pass for Offiah falls into Scottish hands.
09:03 PM GMT
TRY HALL! England 57-13 Scotland
Great break through the middle from Ridl, who has looked a constant threat. Runs very well off a late pass by Bellamy to cut through. The forwards get involved before the outside centre Hall finishes things off after a pass from Lilley. Slick stuff by England. Bellamy converts.
09:01 PM GMT
76 mins - England 50-13 Scotland
After an early drive from England and a reset, Scotland get a scrum penalty when they do it again. But their attack is ruined by a turnover penalty, which England celebrate as much as any of their tries.
Tuipulotu is your player of the match. Quite right too.
08:58 PM GMT
73 mins - England 50-13 Scotland
Tails up for Scotland, looking for another. Wolfenden, another replacement, makes ground but the pass was forward. Sums up most of Scotland’s attack really, trying to shift the ball but too inaccurate.
08:54 PM GMT
TRY DUNCAN! England 50-13 Scotland
England trying to get Offiah into space because he has plenty of pace, but England infringe. Another penalty coming as well after Scotland’s lineout. It’s been a long time since they troubled the scoreboard with that Brown penalty.
Urwin with a good wide ball to Douglas, who finds Brown, tackled by the last man. Five metres out, nice line by Duncan who goes over! Scotland get their second try.
Van Wyk impressing again. Hope Dougles is alright because he took a bit of a bang.
08:47 PM GMT
64 mins - England 50-8 Scotland
Pearson, who has been sharp, somehow keeps the ball infield to continue an attack after Bellamy’s grubber, but Scotland snatch it back and then win a penalty, leading to a lineout on halfway.
08:45 PM GMT
62 mins - England 50-8 Scotland
That will be Bracken’s last act and he’s been replaced by another name you may know - Tyler Offiah, son of Martin.
08:44 PM GMT
Pearson’s debut try
08:43 PM GMT
TRY BRACKEN! England 50-8 Scotland
Very good again from the combination of Lilley and Bellamy, holding the defence before passing with width to find Bracken on the wing for an easy run in. That’s the half century.
08:42 PM GMT
58 mins - England 45-8 Scotland
There won’t be a hat-trick for Tuipulotu as he’s come off. Two tries and a reminder of his wide range of skills too.
Cowan is offside at the scrum so it’s another England penalty.
08:38 PM GMT
TRY PEARSON! England 45-8 Scotland
That’s really nice. Sharp hands in the midfield from Lilley and then Bellamy, before Pearson steps inside powerfully through a tackle and has the speed to score. A debut try for the Leicester full-back. Bellamy converts.
08:37 PM GMT
55 mins - England 38-8 Scotland
Bellamy so dynamic off the bench here, lots of threatening runs. Kpoku held up over the line after another good attack so we come back for a penalty. Scotland have only conceded eight so far but it feels like more.
Bellamy finds touch in the corner.
08:35 PM GMT
52 mins - England 38-8 Scotland
England ringing the changes now and Bellamy makes a threatening dart into the Scottish 22, with England threatening until Sela knocks on. Cowan clears but it’s relentless from the hosts.
Timmins had a good run down the blindside in the build-up. After the clearance, Scotland knock on trying to poach England’s lineout so it will be a scrum.
08:31 PM GMT
50 mins - England 38-8 Scotland
Logan makes good ground off the scrum but then Cowan is charged down by Burrow! Douglas does well to mop up there but now Timmins wins a turnover and England can attack from just outside Scotland’s 22. Lilley with a burst but he can’t find his centre partner Hall with the ball back inside.
08:28 PM GMT
47 mins - England 38-8 Scotland
James driven back in the tackle by Van Wyk, who has made an impact off the bench, and they hold him up to force a Scotland scrum.
The attack not clicking for Scotland, with a handling error before that putting them under pressure.
08:25 PM GMT
TRY BURROW! England 38-8 Scotland
A smart lineout move there by England, shaping to maul before Burrow peels down the blindside. It’s a mismatch with the big lock against a wing and scrum-half which England exploit for their sixth try. Very good conversion from the touchline by Coen.
08:24 PM GMT
44 mins - England 31-8 Scotland
It’s the soft penalties which have killed Scotland. They just don’t get back onside following a kick and that gives England a penalty deep in Scotland’s half which they send into touch in the 22.
08:22 PM GMT
44 mins - England 31-8 Scotland
Now Scotland knock on short of the line! Duncan unlucky but it came after another great break from Van Wyk, on at half-time, down the touchline. England have been warned.
08:20 PM GMT
42 mins - England 31-8 Scotland
Well, the start of that half ends with a goalline dropout but a good start by Scotland, Logan with a big run from the No 8 until the visitors are held up over the line. Better.
08:19 PM GMT
We have two teams, and a referee
So it must be time for the second half. England already with the try bonus point and Scotland with a big job on their hands.
Scotland missed 26 tackles in that first half, which is a big yikes.
08:02 PM GMT
HALF-TIME: England 31-8 Scotland
Can Scotland end with a flourish. They have a penalty in England’s half for offside, which Urwin will put into touch inside the 22.
He goes for the corner and misses touch! England’s turn to see if they can produce something, running from deep. And they get a penalty against Logan for playing it on the ground... and marched back another 10 metres for throwing the ball away! Unravelling a bit.
Coen puts it in touch and that wraps up a half where Scotland started well until England’s power game forced the visitors into giving away a ton of penalties and suffering under the pressure from England’s pack.
Five tries for England already, second half coming up.
08:01 PM GMT
This was outrageous by Tuipulotu
07:59 PM GMT
TRY TUIPULOTU! England 31-8 Scotland
England wonder if they might be again through Tuipulotu in the corner after the maul, but they can’t see on the field about the grounding so the TMO is having a look.
Long old check but it looks as though Tuipulotu just about made contact with the try line, and he has a second. England rampant now.
07:57 PM GMT
36 mins - England 26-8 Scotland
England coming again. Urwin is back on from the bin but a lot of damage has been done since he went off. Douglas getting a stern word from the referee about the infringements so that’s a warning after Scotland fail to release. England go to the corner.
07:54 PM GMT
TRY RAYMONT! England 26-8 Scotland
The maul is a big weapon for Scotland but England have handled it well as the first half has gone on, Sodeke getting in there to disrupt. Scotland therefore go to the backs but James comes up with a great steal near halfway.
Coen nice delayed pass puts Tuipulotu into space, great run and then the hooker... puts in a grubber?! It comes off, finding Ridl before England recycle and Raymont crashes over. Bonus-point try for the hosts.
07:51 PM GMT
TRY JAMES! England 19-8 Scotland
Kpoku putting big pressure on Cowan who just about gets a box-kick clearance away into touch.
Better lineout from England until Kpoku crashes up. Pearson slips through a tackle, brought down but he offloads to Wiemann.
One metre out and England have an advantage, Tuipulotu stopped short but James gets over! Player of the match against Ireland earlier in the tournament and Scotland can’t keep them out. Coen converts.
07:48 PM GMT
27 mins - England 12-8 Scotland
Scotland just pinning England back a bit more over the last few minutes but after an earlier knock-on it’s an England scrum and the monster through Scotland there. Playing with an advantage it’s good hands from the backs with Ridl coming across again, until Wiemann knocks on. Another bright England attack which they can’t quite convert.
07:46 PM GMT
PENALTY BROWN! England 12-8 Scotland
The full-back has a big boot and he’s nailed that, cutting the gap to four points (and killing some time on Urwin’s yellow card).
07:45 PM GMT
24 mins - England 12-5 Scotland
England’s turn for a blip at the lineout, with Tuipulotu’s throw not straight. Scottish scrum. They have so far made 29 tackles and missed 12, which is a worrying ratio.
On the move now though in attack and they have a penalty coming, with Lilley going offside. Scotland will take a shot.
07:42 PM GMT
YELLOW CARD SCOTLAND!
Scotland clear well with a box kick by Cowan. A good exit there all round.
Bracken has threatened for England but they’re not quite clicking yet. Time off though to check for a deliberate knock-on by Scotland. Italian referee Filippo Russo asking the TMO Adam Jones from Wales (not that one) if it should be a yellow card. They agree yes, so it’s a yellow card for Urwin given he stopped a line break. Scotland down to 14.
Kpoku comes back after passing his HIA.
07:37 PM GMT
20 mins - England 12-5 Scotland
Pearson with a dribbling grubber kick down the touchline which Scotland handle.
Back come England though, a break from Bracken who finds Friday inside Scotland’s 22, but he loses his footing and the ball. Looks like a bad injury for Friday who is down clutching his knee. This might be a long stoppage.
He’s up and back no his feet, but limping off as Wiemann comes on.
07:35 PM GMT
Campbell Ridl’s opening try
07:35 PM GMT
18 mins - England 12-5 Scotland
Solid scrum by England and they clear to touch, roughly 30 metres or so from their line. Another messy Scotland lineout though, this time not straight. England’s scrum.
07:32 PM GMT
16 mins - England 12-5 Scotland
They have an advantage but will want more. Another cross-field kick which Pearson does well to read with Watson lurking, so we come back for the penalty. Urwin puts it in the corner.
Scotland knock-on! Goes through Duncan’s hands and England get the scrum backed up near their line.
07:32 PM GMT
14 mins - England 12-5 Scotland
Burrow spills the restart which will give Scotland a scrum just outside England’s 22. England are then pinged at the breakdown so a penalty, and Scotland find touch...
07:29 PM GMT
TRY TUIPULOTU! England 12-5 Scotland
Kpoku hits Burrow and England maul, the centres joining in. Scotland hold well initially but it creeps forward inch by inch until Tuipulotu finishes it off. Converted by Coen.
07:28 PM GMT
11 mins - England 5-5 Scotland
Promising start from both sides. England now on the ball inside Scotland’s half until Burrow loses possession... but Watson is then penalised for holding on. Coen will put this into touch right in the corner.
Kpoku is heading off for an HIA, so on comes Treacey for his debut.
07:25 PM GMT
TRY WATSON! England 5-5 Scotland
Well that was very impressive. Scotland’s maul goes hard and sucks in England’s defence, before Urwin’s cross-field kick gives Watson loads of time and space to dot down. Great score.
No conversion - should add that it’s very windy so that won’t be easy tonight.
07:25 PM GMT
8 mins - England 5-0 Scotland
Good response from Scotland full-back Brown who unleashes a brilliant 50:22. Scotland will have the lineout and can attack...
07:23 PM GMT
TRY RIDL! England 5-0 Scotland
A score on debut for Ridl! The Exeter wing drifts across the defence and his pace catches him out as he arcs around the outside. You can’t miss him really at 6ft 5in but Scotland switched off there.
07:21 PM GMT
5 mins - England 0-0 Scotland
Scrum penalty England, an early win for Raymont as Shearer loses his balance. England find touch in Scotland’s 22 and attack well, but it’s another Douglas turnover. The only senior capped player in the match starting well.
Scotland go through a couple of phases and then knock on, threatening position for England to attack from.
07:19 PM GMT
3 mins - England 0-0 Scotland
Promising attack from England until an error, giving Scotland a scrum deep in their half. Cowan clears with a box kick and after Ridl knocks on, it’s a Scotland scrum around halfway.
07:18 PM GMT
Kickoff!
Coen gets the game started and it’s spilled by Scotland, inviting England onto the attack. Good run from Tuipulotu but captain Douglas, back from that injury, gets over the ball for a turnover penalty.
07:17 PM GMT
Adjusted Scotland side
Scotland U20: J Brown, N Moncreiff, C Waugh, K Yule, F Watson; M Urwin, N Cowan; J Shearer, S Stephen, O Blyth-Lafferty, B Godsell, D Halkon, O Duncan, F Douglas (c), R Logan
Replacements: J Roberts, O McKenna, J Stewart, C Moss, B Allen, H MacArthur, R Wolfenden, C van Wyk
07:17 PM GMT
Late (big) change for Scotland
Campbell Waugh comes in at outside centre to replace captain Johnny Ventisei. Freddy Douglas takes over the captaincy and Cameron van Wyk is on the bench.
07:11 PM GMT
Out come the teams
Definitely a good crowd in, and nice to see England hosting this up in the north east as well. Can Scotland pick up a first win over England in the U20 Six Nations for the first time since 2018?
07:08 PM GMT
No word of any changes so a reminder of the teams
England U20: G Pearson; J Bracken, A Hall, N Lilley, C Ridl; B Coen, L Friday; R McEachran, K Tuipulotu, T Raymont, O Sodeke, T Burrow (c), J Kpoku, G Timmins, K James
Replacements: L Gulley, O Scola, B Sela, A Ainsworth-Cave, C Treacey, J Weimann, J Bellamy, T Offiah
Scotland U20: J Brown, N Moncreiff, J Ventisei (c), K Yule, F Watson; M Urwin, N Cowan; J Shearer, S Stephen, O Blyth-Lafferty, B Godsell, D Halkon, O Duncan, F Douglas, R Logan
Replacements: J Roberts, O McKenna, J Stewart, C Moss, B Allen, H MacArthur, C Waugh, R Wolfenden
Referee: F Russo (ITA)
07:01 PM GMT
Final preparations
06:56 PM GMT
Just checked the forecast
A balmy 12 degrees! Practically sun cream weather that. More importantly it looks dry, so both sides should be lively.
06:53 PM GMT
Interview with England hooker Kepu Tuipulotu
Charlie Morgan spoke to the Bath hooker about choosing to play for England over Wales.
I’d try to be a menace, causing havoc and taking people out at the knees to turn touch rugby into something else… but then I’d be the one crying. I was quite naughty, starting off nicely and then slowly picking up the intensity, trying to put shots on. Then I’d be the one on my bum having been sat down by one of the cousins. Being all together was great fun.
06:42 PM GMT
Kingston Park the venue this evening
Told by officials there that a crowd of about 8,000 is expected, which is very good to hear.
06:38 PM GMT
Scotland settling in
06:30 PM GMT
The teams
England U20: G Pearson; J Bracken, A Hall, N Lilley, C Ridl; B Coen, L Friday; R McEachran, K Tuipulotu, T Raymont, O Sodeke, T Burrow (c), J Kpoku, G Timmins, K James
Replacements: L Gulley, O Scola, B Sela, A Ainsworth-Cave, C Treacey, J Weimann, J Bellamy, T Offiah
Scotland U20: J Brown, N Moncreiff, J Ventisei (c), K Yule, F Watson; M Urwin, N Cowan; J Shearer, S Stephen, O Blyth-Lafferty, B Godsell, D Halkon, O Duncan, F Douglas, R Logan
Replacements: J Roberts, O McKenna, J Stewart, C Moss, B Allen, H MacArthur, C Waugh, R Wolfenden
Referee: F Russo (ITA)
06:15 PM GMT
Welcome
Evening everybody and welcome along to our live coverage of the England Under-20s and Scotland Under-20s battling it out at Kingston Park. It’s been a bright start for England, winning two out of two against Ireland and France, the two sides they defeated last summer in the semi-finals and final of the U20 World Championship in South Africa.
They will however be without Henry Pollock, the excellent Northampton back-row who played in the first two games but has been training with the England senior squad over the past couple of weeks. A senior debut this summer, or perhaps at the back end of the Six Nations, feels likely for Pollock.
There are debuts in England’s side for Leicester full-back George Pearson and Exeter wing Campbell Ridl, with three more uncapped players on the bench in Bath back-row Connor Treacey, Northampton scrum-half Jonny Weimann and Bath back Tyler Offiah. That’s right, the son of Martin Offiah, with the 18-year-old having made two appearances for Bath so far in the Premiership Rugby Cup this season.
Scotland coach Kenny Murray meanwhile has made radical changes to his pack, with five alterations including a return for Freddy Douglas, the flanker who won a senior cap against Portugal in the autumn. Reuben Logan, son of former Scotland international Kenny, continues at No 8.
“It’s excellent to welcome back Freddy Douglas and I’m sure the experience that he brings from playing for his club and country at senior level will be really valuable for the rest of the squad,” Murray said.
Scotland have not won in this fixture since 2018, when the now senior co-captain Rory Darge was on the bench and Ben White, now Scotland’s senior scrum-half, played for England. Other future senior internationals who played in that game for England were Ted Hill, Cadan Murley, Ollie Lawrence, Joe Heyes and Fraser Dingwall, while future Scotland players included Robbie Smith, Ewan Johnson, Ross Thompson, Kyle Rowe, Stafford McDowall, Nathan McBeth and Marshall Sykes.
Build-up on the way for you over the next hour.
