WALES U20 21 – 37 ENGLAND U20
Friday February 10, Colwyn Bay
Newbridge was represented on the Parc Eirias pitch in Colwyn Bay on Friday February 10, as hooker Ellis Shipp turned out for Wales U20s.
Former Cross Keys and Penallta front-rower Shipp has been plying his trade for regional side Newport Gwent Dragons since 2015, and won his second cap for the national team during their 21-37 loss to England in the second round of the U20 Six Nations.
Shipp, 19, from Newbridge, played 65 minutes during a bruising encounter in freezing conditions in north Wales, where defeat signalled an end to the home side’s six-match winning streak.
Shipp won his first Wales U20 cap in the previous week’s 5-27 victory in Rome but last season’s Grand Slam winners were beaten by England after an incredible performance by Bath No8 Zach Mercer.
Man of the match Mercer was imperious around the pitch in his carrying and off-loading, and stormed 40-metres up the wing with eight minutes left to secure his side’s bonus-point win after Wales had re-established a grip on the game.
Wales took a 13-0 lead in the first quarter of the match through Ben Jones. The Cardiff Blues outside-half put his side on the front foot with an early penalty before latching onto a delicate chip over the English defence to cross in the corner.
Jones converted his own score and added a further penalty, but England hit back soon after, scoring three tries in 20 minutes.
Jacob Umaga – nephew of All Black great Tana – converted tries by Harry Randall, Max Wright and Will Butler to give England a 13-24 half time lead.
Wales’ replacement forward Christian Coleman scored from a five-metre lineout, and Jones added another penalty with the visitors down to 13 men to reduce the deficit to six points at 21-27 before Mercer’s moment of magic was capped by a conversion and penalty from the boot of James Grayson.