Spirited Saints fall just short as London Irish grab glory in Under-18s final

The best two Academy sides in the Premiership went head to head in the showpiece, and it was Saints who took early control thanks to superb scores from Henry Pollock and Toby Cousins.

Ben Radnor was able to add the conversion to skipper Pollock’s try as the black, green and gold moved into a 12-0 lead inside the opening 12 minutes.

But London Irish came back fighting and they scored three tries of their own to go 19-12 up before the break.

Saints levelled the scores in the second half as hooker Sol Moody finished things off after a strong maul was driven towards the line.

Radnor again converted, but London Irish wasted little time in getting back in front as they scored again.

Saints gave it everything they had got to force their way over the Irish line once more, but when the boys from Brentford notched a late penalty the game was over.

Saints: Toby Cousins; Jacob Wilmott, Harry Simpson, Ollie Saddleton, Ben Radnor; Rory Hollis, Archie McParland; Lucas Nisbett-Hadaway, Sol Moody, Will Lamprell; Aiden Kabi, Henri Burditt; Mart van der Veen, Henry Pollock ©, Ollie Holliday.

Replacements: Robert Gaffan, Oliver Scola, Tom Dye, Ashton Webb, Alfie Hoyles, Billy Pasco, Max Allman-Ward, Ben Agbenu.