EIGHTEEN-year-old Exeter Chiefs scrum-half, Richard Bolt, has been making his mark at the IRB U19 World Championship in the Middle East starting for England U19s in their win against Argentina on Sunday. England?s victory by a scoreline of 28-23, keeps the side in contention for the semi-finals. This was former Okehampton College pupil Richard?s second start for England U19s this season. He was also in the line up for their Six Nations match last month against Ireland, when they won 32 - 9. Unfortunately, however, when the two teams met again only 19 days later in the first of their World Championship matches it was Ireland who won 17-16. This meant England needed a win and at least four tries against Argentina to stay in the battle for the semis. Richard said: ?It feels different when you start a game. It helps your confidence. On the bench you are just eager to get on all the time and to make an impact. You have no idea whether you will get that chance until the coach tells you you?re on. ?After the Ireland game in Dubai we were all pretty down. Nobody on the bench got on except Northampton Saints prop Charlie Beech who was needed because of a sin binning in the front row. Watching us go down by one point was tough, especially as we should have beaten Ireland. ?Everyone was really up for the Argentina game and we knew how badly we needed the win and the bonus. ?I started off rushing it a bit but soon settled down and we played much more to our game plan, started playing at our own pace. I had fly-half Danny Cipriani outside me, which was great because he chats quite a lot, tells me what he wants. ?Argentina?s scrum-half was pretty good and well looked after by his forwards but I nailed him a few times. There?s always that scrap, 9 v 9, 10 v 10 and I think I gave quicker ball but when you come off you always remember your mistakes,? he said. ?I played until about 12 minutes into the 35-minute second-half and when Danny Care from Leeds Tykes went on the score was 21-13. But you cheer your team mate when he goes on and in the heat you do need to speed the game up with some fresh legs. Richard said Argentina were really putting pressure on them in the second-half but they defended well. ?When the whistle went with us at 28-23 and with enough tries to get the bonus it was fantastic. ?This has been a great season. Getting selected for the World Championship was great and I have had a lot of help and support from my coaches at Exeter Chiefs, Rob Baxter and Alastair Murdoch and from my South West England Rugby Academy coach Craig Townsend and James Marshall my conditioning coach. The work we have done with the U19s throughout the season has also helped with my rugby development a great deal and I will still be young enough to qualify for the U19s again next season.? Richard, who is studying sport at Exeter College, says his parents have been watching the matches or highlights on Sky and ringing from home and he has been on MSN talking to his older sister, Andrea. ?It feels very far away from home here in Dubai but it is a wonderful opportunity and a fantastic experience,? he added. The next crunch fixture for England U19s is today (Thursday) against South Africa. With the team needing another victory and four tries to grab a bonus all the boys in camp are training hard and determined to give it their best shot. ?It?s a World Cup and there is nothing else like it,? said Richard. ?Playing the best in the world at your age group is amazing and we just want to do well.?
