WALES’ hopes of making the semi-finals of the World Rugby Under-20s Championship were ended by England in Calvisano.

The Welsh youngsters showed tremendous spirit to fight back from a shocking start but left themselves too much to do against the powerful double world champions, who were good value for their 30-16 success.

Wales enjoyed a fabulous win over England in Colwyn Bay in the Six Nations but could not repeat the trick after the English crossed for three tries for a 22-0 lead before half an hour had been played.

To their credit the Welshmen rallied to not only avoid a drubbing but make the group favourites sweat on their win in the second half.

However, captain Rory Thornton and his teammates are now set finish third in Pool A – victory should be routine against Japan on Wednesday – while England and France tussle for top spot and a place in the semi-finals.

Wales conceded a penalty after just 20 seconds that Bath fly-half Rory Jennings knocked between the sticks but they came firing straight back and could easily have gone into the lead.

An attack down the right was ended by a deliberate knock-on by Saracens full-back Aaron Morris who was punished with a yellow card, although there could have been no complaints from the English had New Zealand referee Brendan Pickerill also marched under the sticks for a penalty try.

Alas, the 14-man reigning champions defended their line and struck when they got down the other end through Bath centre Max Clark, whose powerful finish was improved by Jennings for a 10-0 lead.

Wales, who lost Dragons number eight Harri Keddie to an arm injury early on, were staring down the barrel when Northampton wing Howard Packman went through Dafydd Howells’ weak tackle to make it 15-0 after 19 minutes.

After 27 minutes Exeter scrum-half Stuart Townsend went over from a Danny Care-eque quick tap penalty but Wales rallied.

Cardiff Blues fly-half Jarrod Evans traded penalties with Jennings before Owen Watkin gave Wales a glimmer of hope before the break when the Ospreys centre ripped the ball away from hooker Jack Walker and trotted over.

Evans converted and then added a penalty in the opening exchanges of the first half to make it 25-13.

Wales, with Dragons openside Ollie Griffiths to the fore, piled the pressure on the English line on the hour and were rewarded for their efforts with another Evans three-pointer.

But England secured victory with an impressive driving lineout, Exeter back row forward Sam Skinner the man to cross the whitewash for the bonus point score in the 65th minute.

Wales: Dafydd Howells (Ospreys); Lloyd Lewis (Dragons), Garyn Smith (Blues), Owen Watkin (Ospreys), Joshua Adams (Scarlets); Jarrod Evans (Blues), Tomos Williams (Blues); Luke Garrett (Dragons), Liam Belcher (Blues), Dillon Lewis (Blues), Adam Beard (Ospreys), Rory Thornton (Ospreys, captain), Tom Phillips (Scarlets), Ollie Griffiths (Dragons), Harrison Keddie (Dragons)

Replacements: Ryan Elias (Scarlets), Keagan Bale (Dragons), Joe Jones (Blues), Jon Fox (Ospreys), Seb Davies (Blues), Kieran Hardy (Scarlets), Daniel Jones (Scarlets), Barney Nightingale (Dragons)

Scorers: try – O Watkin; conversion – J Evans; penalties – J Evans (3)

England: Aaron Morris (Saracens), George Perkins (Saracens), Nick Tompkins (Saracens), Max Clark (Bath), Howard Packman (Northampton), Rory Jennings (Bath), Stuart Townsend (Exeter); Sebastian Adeniran-Olule (Harlequins), Jack Walker (Yorkshire Carnegie), Paul Hill (Yorkshire Carnegie), Kieran Treadwell (Harlequins), Charlie Ewels (Bath, captain), Lewis Ludlam (Northampton), Will Owen (Leicester), Sam Skinner (Exeter).

Replacements: Jack Innard (Exeter), Ellis Genge (Bristol), Ciaran Parker (Sale), Will Witty (Newcastle), Josh Bainbridge (Yorkshire Carnegie), James Mitchell (Sale), Lloyd Evans (Gloucester), Piers O'Conor (Wasps).

Scorers: tries – M Clark, H Packman, S Townsend, S Skinner; conversions – R Jennings (2); penalties – R Jennings (2)

Referee: Brendan Pickerill (New Zealand)