France claimed their second European U19s title, comprehensively defeating holders England 48-12 in the deciding game at the CREPS high performance facility, Font Romeu in the Pyrenees, to end the tournament unbeaten.

England scored within nine seconds through prop Jake Lerigo, but the hosts led 26-12 at the break and were excellent in the second period keeping their rivals scoreless and posting tries from stand off Tom Zitter, with a brace, Ilan Boualem and Charly Martinez.

“For us it is amazing,” said France head coach Remi Casty. “We have waited a long time for this, we lost the last two finals and tried hard to put that right. England was tough in the first half but we stuck to our plan, won the collisions and got into positions to score.

“We have a really good group and they deserve to be European Champions. The event has been incredible for all the teams, so well organized, wonderful facilities, quality food, everything was good and we showed France can stage a wonderful tournament.”

England led 12-6 after 20 minutes, but with Zitter impressive France centre Giodarno Descalzi’s first half hat trick gave his side the edge and they dominated thereafter.

“It wasn’t to be, we worked hard but France had some really strong, physical athletes across the park,” said England head coach Gary Hewer. “They wore us down coming in wave after wave, and it was one of those days when we were hanging in at times. We made them work hard for their win, the lads represented us well, so I’m proud.”

In the other round three matches, Wales finished third when they defeated Scotland 58-28, scoring ten tries all from different players. Rhys Hughes, Jacob Morris, Joshua Gabrielson, Jacob Jones, Oscar Jones and Ethan Williams all went over in the first half to establish a winning 34-8 lead.

Scotland battled bravely to the end despite the sin binning of Max Erasmus around the hour mark.

In the relegation encounter, an astonishing seven tries from hooker Cruz Death saw Ukraine overcome Serbia 54-36, for whom Kai Saric claimed a hat trick. Ukraine’s Zac Gedz finished with 22 points from two tries and seven goals.

France 48
Leny Stacul, Stevy Richmond, Thibault Guttierez, Giordano Ganthier Descalzi, Tom Zitter, Ilan Boualem, Mathis Dumont, Leo Ricard, Charly Martinez, Adrian De la Rose, Luka Clottes, Steven Jocelyn, Joris Martignoles
Interchanges: Mahault Beauvilliers, Lork Lejeune, Sione Lamelangi, Yanis Ballet

Tries: Descalzi (10, 21, 39), Richmond (32), Ballet (36), Zitter (43, 61), Boualem (54), Martinez (76)
Goals: Guttierez 6/9

England 12
Eligh Wilkinson, Ellis Holliday, Rhomen Alick, Rio Walker, Kieran Horner, Jaiden Tallentire, Billy-Joe Walker, Jack Barker, Bailey Worthington, Jake Lerigo, Kier Starkie, Zac Bennet, Connor Hall
Interchanges: Josh Smith, Dylan Morris, Louey Pinkerton, Rylan Templeton
18th man (used) – Austen Coates

Tries: Lerigo (1), Wilkinson (20)
Goals: Wilkinson 2/2

Referee: Lucas Seal (England)

Half Time: 26-12

Scotland 28
Connor McGuinness, Callum Duncan, Shaun Callan, Harry Woodard, Ben Milnes, Oscar Ellicott-McCulloch, Finley Cannon, Jacob Walker, Isaac Maclean, Cullin Stoddart-Shannly, Charlie Jackson, Rueben Morrison, Ethan Frary
Interchanges: Jarrod Jones, Max Erasmus, Lucas Anderson Moore, Arran Jamieson

Tries: Ellicott-McCulloch (9), Woodard (32), Walker (51), Cannon (54), Jackson (70)
Goals: Callan 2/5

Sin Bin: Max Erasmus (62 - professional foul) 

Wales 58
Ioan Herbert, Harley Smith, Evan Williams, Ethan Williams, Jacob Jones, Joshua Gabrielsen, Charlie Newton, Jacob Morris, Oliver Rees, Rhys Hughes, Josh Harding, Oscar Jones, Finlay Walker
Interchanges: Kyson Rees, Oliver Bellavia-Walker, James Tucker, Will Mathers

Tries: Hughes (3), Morris (11), Gabrielson (14), J. Jones (17), O. Jones (21), Williams (35), Rees (45), Smith (57), Harding (66), Mathers (73)
Goals: Newton 9/10

Referee: Calvin Galandrin (France) 

Half Time: 8-34

Serbia 36
Kai Saric, Filip Punos, Archie Wheeler, Aleksa Radojkovic, Strahinja Milankovic, Danilo Gavrilovic, Tyson Walker, Branko Nedeljkovic, Danilo Todorovic, Mateja Stojkovic, Uros Polic, Jakov Dojcinovic, Zaric Saban
Interchanges: Jovan Miljkovic, Milan Milovanovic, Vukasin Savic, Nikola Savic

Tries: Punos (7, 34), Saric (44, 50, 57), Polic (75)
Goals: Walker 6/6

Ukraine 54
Zac Gedz, Ruslan Lipisii, Daniel Olshansky, Kostiantyn Prydatko, Pavlo Pistoliuk, David Winter, Dmytro Shevchuk, Nikita Naurynskyi, Cruz Death, Nikita Korolchuk, Oleksii Harkusha, Liam Gallagher, Vladyslav Biletskyi
Interchanges: Anton Lukaschuck, Roman Lomonos, Hryhorii Ahulov, Ruslan Stasiuk

Tries: Cruz Death (12, 18, 21, 59, 62, 67, 72), Lipisii (38), Gedz (52, 78)
Goals: Gedz 7/10

Referee: Andrew Pilkington (Spain)

Half Time: 12-22