WATCH: RAPID England hooker burns scrum-half to score a 40m stunner

Jared Wright
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England U20s hooker Craig Wright showed off his rapid pace in the World Rugby U20s Championship third-place playoff on Friday.

England U20s hooker Craig Wright racing away to score against South Africa during the World Rugby U20s Championship.

England U20s hooker Craig Wright showed off his rapid pace in the World Rugby U20s Championship third-place playoff on Friday.

The Northampton Saints academy front rower replaced Harlequins’ Nathan Jibulu in the starting lineup and scored a stunning first-half try.

The long-range effort came after South Africa U20s flyhalf Jean Smith, son of former Springbok and now Glasgow Warriors coach Franco Smith, punted the ball deep into England’s 22.

What a try!

England winger Cassius Cleaves tracked back and scooped up the bouncing ball and managed to evade two attempted tackles from his opposing wing Quewin Nortje and fullback Regan Izaks.

He then beat flanker Paul de Villiers with an outrageous side step and sped into space over the halfway line.

Cleaves drew in centre Katlego Letebele before spreading the ball out to Wright, who initially fumbled the ball before securing possession.

From there, he put the hammer down and sprinted away with South African scrum-half Neil Le Roux struggling to keep up with him before diving for the ankle tap in desperation and missing entirely.

Wright’s score came at the perfect time as England looked to get back into the game after going behind 17-3 after 21 minutes.

Hennie Sibergagen and Corne Beets scored South Africa’s opening tries with Smith adding the conversion to both scores and added a penalty.

Juann Else got one back for South Africa, but Zach Carr’s score just before the break meant that England trailed the hosts 22-15 at halftime.

Craig Wright

Wright may have his front-row union membership suspended before his 20th birthday!

Born on 31 March 2004 in Chelmsford, Wright joined the Northampton Saints‘ senior academy on a full-time basis ahead of the 2022/23 season.

The 19-year-old put pen to paper on his first professional contract last April and was part of the Northampton club’s U18 side that reached the final of the Premiership Rugby’s academy league in 2022.

The hooker represented England U18s level too and joined the Saints junior academy at U13 level.

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