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England U20 backs and skills coach Will Parkin has challenged speedsters Noah Caluori and Tyler Offiah to be match winners in the must-win clash with Australia in Verona on Wednesday.
England know that anything other than a bonus-point win will almost certainly mean failing to qualify for the semi-finals following their defeat against South Africa last Friday.
To give themselves the best possible chance of progressing, they have rung the changes to the backline for the game, which will be streamed live and for free on RugbyPass TV in the UK and Ireland.
Saracens’ Caluori earns his first start at U20 level after making his debut against the Junior Springboks and will be partnered by Bath’s Offiah, the son of league legend Martin, as England look to go on the all-out attack.
“We have made a few changes and were always going to have to with the short turnaround and the demands that this level brings. Tyler and Noah coming onto the wings will be very exciting to see.
Fixture
World Rugby U20 Championship
England U20
Australia U20
“Both are extremely dangerous in space. Their high-ball work is some of the best I’ve seen over the seven or eight years of working in this age group. Tyler only turned 19 a week ago, and it’s a great opportunity for him.
“Hopefully, with the way the lads have been moving the ball, we can build on that and feed Noah and Tyler with some ball in space, and they will be able to show you what they have shown us over the course of the last three years.
“Get your hands on the ball and go and make the most of it. They could easily stand on the wing and get through 80 minutes and be safe. I’d much rather them go and work off their wing.
“Even if they get 20 touches of the ball and make ten errors, go and do something with it the other ten times. The big thing I’m pushing is them just going and getting their hands on the ball,” he said.
Parkin says that if England rediscover their scoring touch, they will be very difficult to beat and are capable of beating any team in the world on their day.
But he acknowledges that they will have to be more clinical than they were against the Junior Springboks and not let so many chances slip through their fingers.
“A lot of these lads will go back to the Premiership, where if you lose a game, you’ve got to dust yourself off and get ready for the next one, and we’ve had that this week.
“Obviously, there is a bit of a shorter turnaround, and there is a bit of pressure to go and get five points. I know if these boys go and put our game on the pitch against anyone, they are capable of getting four-plus tries and five points.
“If they do that on Wednesday, it hopefully puts us in a great position to go into a semi-final if other things go our way. We struggled in the 22 against South Africa, and we have spent a lot of time on that area.
“We had 16 entries, which is outstanding for these lads to create that. The challenge they now have is to go one further and take points when we have those entries.
“It’s frustrating. There were times when we, as coaches, could have run the kicking tee on and gone for three points. And yes, we want to win the World Cup, but it’s also about these boys developing and learning.
“So if they think that going for the corner is the right thing to do, we have to back them,” he added.
Let me know if you’d like it trimmed or lightly sub-edited for publication tone.
