JWC: England have responded well since France defeat- Callard

England U20 coach Jon Callard has hailed the response from his squad after their defeat to France in the final pool game of the U20 World Championship.

Last Wednesday’s loss left the defending champions with a nervous wait to see if they would be involved in the semi-finals, with defeats for Australia and Ireland paving the way for England to take the fourth and final place as the best runner-up.

By doing so they have set up a meeting with the Junior Boks, the top seed following the pool stages.

Rather that dwelling on being beaten by France the young England squad have rolled their sleeves up and got stuck in during training according to Callard, who is excited about the challenge ahead on Monday in Calvisano.

“It was a disappointing game but the attitude and bounce back has been first class,” Callard said.

"There is a renewed energy and ambition in the group and, while the format of this competition is demanding, it does mean that within a matter of days we have the opportunity to put right what we didn’t do against France.

“We have watched South Africa extensively and they are a forward orientated side, with good half backs that can move the team around the field well, and they have an electric back three.  This is why we come to these tournaments - you want to play against the best, to learn and develop through challenging fixtures.  We are excited about the proposition that is ahead of us.”