Shane Jennings has won the Six Nations Under-20s Try of Round 1 for his breath-taking score for Ireland against Scotland after coming out on top in the public vote.
The Connacht academy centre received nearly half the votes to take the prize, having helped the 2019 champions kick off their 2021 campaign with a 38-7 triumph in Cardiff.
Jennings topped the poll with 47.5 percent ahead of Elliot Gourlay of Scotland, who finished runner-up with 20.5 percent of the vote after crossing the whitewash in the same game.
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England’s Arthur Relton took third place in the poll with 19.3 percent of the vote after dotting down against France to help his side complete a memorable second-half comeback.
And Les Bleuets wing Nelson Epee received 12.7 percent of the vote for the first of his three tries against the young Red Rose as his hat-trick put France 19-3 ahead at half-time.
But it was Jennings’ try, which evoked memories of Noel Mannion’s famous 1989 score in Cardiff, which the public decided was the pick of the bunch from the opening round.
With Ireland in control midway through the second half at Arms Park, Jennings put an exclamation mark on the convincing victory over Scotland by streaking away for a superb score.
On the halfway line, the Irish backs shifted the ball to the left where Cathal Forde showed quick hands to flick a pass to Jennings, who still had plenty of work to do.
He made the finish look routine, though, cutting inside an over-committed defender and then showing his pace to blaze clear of any other would-be tacklers and dot down.
Six Nations Under-20s Try of Round 1 results
Shane Jennings (Scotland v IRELAND) – 47.5%
Elliot Gourlay (SCOTLAND v Ireland) – 20.5%
Arthur Relton (ENGLAND v France) – 19.3%
Nelson Epee (England v FRANCE) – 12.7%
