Harry Sloan of England scores a try during the 2014 Junior World Championship Semi Final match between England and Ireland at North Harbour Stadium in Albany, Auckland. Photo / Getty Images
England were, mostly, at their clinical best in dispatching Ireland in the first Junior World Championship semifinal in Albany.
The defending champions, winners of Pool A, burst out of the blocks with serious intent but again took the foot off the pedal in the second stanza, allowing Ireland to "win"
that period.
Some high-paced multi-phase play led to the first try to second-five Harry Sloan. This was not the flat England on display against Argentina, but the sharp England who played with style for about half the pool match against Australia.
Ireland, winners of Pool B, looked impotent in the face of some powerful, skilful rugby. Even loosehead prop Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi, who scored a bowling-ball try, was breaking out effective 30m grubber kicks and lock, and captain Maro Itoje was on 35m gallops. The skipper also pulled down a heap of lineout possession and was clean at the kickoffs.
The Irish were not without heart, just wherewithal, in their first JWC semifinal. The likes of lock and lineout ace Ross Molony and flanker Frank Taggart gave plenty to the cause, but the task, and deficit, was too great.
