U19 EUROPEAN CUP: POOL B - ROUND 3

England secured their place at the top of their group after a convincing victory over a combative Serbian side.

The favourites scored first through Daniel Chrimes’ unconverted try but Serbia surprisingly took the lead when Dalibor Vukanović added the extras to his touchdown in the tenth minute. It was not long before England’s reply through Knowles, Harrison and Haynes to take the lead back, while Vukanović’s excellent kicking kept his side in the game, scoring two field goal to make the score 18-8 at the break, in an open contest.

But the favourites’ superior fitness and skills allowed them to run away with the game in the second half, to take a well deserved victory. Vukanović’s two penalty kicks for the Serbs concluded a very credible performance for the latest entrants on the European Stage at Junior level.

England will face France in Port Barcares on Wednesday 12th July to dispute the first European U19s title, while Serbia face Scotland for the 5th place play off match.

SERBIA
Ivan Šušnjara, Branko Vojvodić, Milan Radojević, Darko Nerandžić, Ivan Mitić, Dalibor Vukanović, Mate Granić (capt.), Boris Martić, Filip Brkić, Marko Dulović, Vukašin Popović, Goran Porobić, Soni Radovanović. Subs: Marko Milosavljević, Zlatko Pešić, Nikša Unković, Milan Šušnjara

ENGLAND
Darren Fletcher, James Haynes, Daniel Chrimes, Sam Gee (capt.), Vinny Finnegan, Chris Tuson, Alex Raymond, Matt Barber, Tom Harrison, Gregg Mannion, Adam Rudd, David Cookson, Kristian Hodson. Subs: David Rolt, Scott Low, Daniel Whitmore, Gareth Knowles