Under 20s Head-to-Head - England Top Performers v Wales

England take on Wales this weekend in a clash steeped in rivalry and tradition. With three rounds under the belt, we take a look at the respective teams’ top performers in the most noteworthy categories before they meet head-to-head on the pitch.

England’s top tackler thus far is back-rower Richard Capstick. The Exeter Chiefs man has put down 63 opponents in the tournament with an average per game of 21.

However, Capstick’s efforts on defence have been surpassed by the burly Welsh number 8 Morgan Strong, who features prominently in the statistics, and has managed to pull off 64 tackles, averaging 21.33, the highest in the tournament overall.

Number 8 Rusiate Tuima has carried the ball up to the defensive lines 34 times for England in the competition to date. His efforts on attack have been overshadowed by Strong who has carried the ball up on 41 occasions.

English winger Tom Roebuck has racked up 153 running metres with his time on the field. His opponent, flyhalf Sam Costelow, is the best in this category for Wales with 93 metres.

Costelow has manage to outfox a total of 8 defenders in the first three rounds, the same number as England’s best in this particular stat, Freddie Steward.

With regard to the ‘turnovers won’ category, the Welsh loose forwards have been more industrious with Strong and Jac Morgan each responsible for the theft of 5 opposition balls on the ground- a tournament high. England’s top turnover stat lies with George Hammond (2).

Tom Roebuck and Osian Knott (Wales) have each executed 4 clean breaks.

In terms of lineouts, Welshman Ben Carter edges England’s George Hammond, having secured a total of 17 compared to the latter’s 12.

The history between these two great rugby nations will no doubt fuel the best in the players come Saturday. For the Welsh, it is clear that much will depend on the determination of Morgan Strong who will be looking to motivate his troops against an English side who will be eager to bounce back after their loss to the Irish in Round 3.