NZ tame England in final to retain junior world crown

New Zealand remain the nation to beat in under-20 rugby after beating England in the junior world championship final in Japan tonight.

The young New Zealanders overcame a sluggish start and physically imposing opponents in Tokyo win an entertaining match 44-28.

By doing so they retain the title won last year in Wales when they tipped aside England 38-3 in the decider.

The English tonight fielded six players who contested that game, while New Zealand's sole survivor was wing Zac Guildford, who marked the occasion by scoring two tries, a return matched by his outstanding captain Aaron Cruden.

Aggressive forward play and mighty goalkicking from fullback Tom Homer saw England steal a 6-0 lead before the New Zealanders began to eliminate the errors which plagued their early endeavours.

Robbie Robinson opened New Zealand's account with a fine try after a midfield break by centre Winston Stanley saw the fullback fed the ball on the left following good link play by halfback Frae Wilson and second five-eighth Shaun Treeby.

England actually made good use of the ball for a change when lock James Gaskell collected their only try of the first spell in the 17th minute but thereafter New Zealand took charge on the back of a fast-paced game and sure handling.

Guildford drew the New Zealanders to 10-11 with a fine try after he received a kind bounce from a Stanley chip ahead, then first five-eighth Cruden scored two tries in the space of three minutes as his team suddenly turned the match on its head.

All England managed to retaliate with before the interval was a third penalty to the impressive Homer but it was the New Zealanders who took the momentum with them to the dressing rooms when they led 25-14.

The first score after halftime was always going to prove decisive and this went New Zealand's way, too, when Treeby scampered through a big hole after accepting a neat in-pass from the combative Cruden near the 22m line.

Coming just four minutes after the restart the setback was too much for the English to rebound from, although Sale Sharks loose forward Carl Fearns used all of his 110kg frame to force his way over the tryline following a tap penalty.

That dragged England back into contention at 21-32 with 30min remaining, but Manawatu representative Cruden settled things for New Zealand with a quarter to play with an incisive break which led to a canter to the line for a second time by Guildford.

Even the sinbinning of prop Latu Talakai in the 69th minute did not distract the New Zealanders from their task and they rubbed England's noses in it when hooker Brayden Smith crossed for their seventh try eight minutes out from fulltime.

England made use of their numerical advantage in the forwards to disrupt New Zealand scum ball late in the match, which enabled replacement halfback Dave Lewis to pinch the ball and steal a sneaky try.

South Africa beat Australia 32-5 in the playoff for third.