Witty starts U20 World Championship decider
Will Witty will start for England on Saturday as they face New Zealand in the final of the U20s World Championship in Italy, with the match screened live at the Tap & Tackle.
Head coach John Callard has named a side that remains unchanged from the one that defeated South Africa in the semi final as England target a third consecutive title.
Witty has been in impressive form throughout the tournament, scoring a try in the first round win over Japan and earning a place in the team of the round as a result , before coming off the bench to make an impact in the win over Wales.
Returning to his starting berth for the Semi Final, Witty was part of a pack who earned plenty of plaudits against their South African counterparts and will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of team mate Scott Wilson and raise the trophy come full time on Saturday.
Speaking to RFU.com Callard said: “The squad performed heroically in the semi-final and they deserve another opportunity. That is, however, unfortunate for the others who have been pushing and training hard.”
“We were all pleased with the semi-final but feel that we left a bit out there. We were a little exposed at the end so there have been lots of key learning’s from that game.”
“New Zealand are a very exciting and challenging proposition for us. They have a powerful squad who play with width and pace. We need to be strong in the set piece and smart in our game management. I’m hoping that it will be a great advert for the game as the boys look to show that they are the best in their generation.”
The World Rugby U20 Championship final will be screened in the UK via BT Sport with kick off at 19:30 on Saturday evening, with the Falcons’ Tap & Tackle bar screening the game live for fans to gather and enjoy the game together.
