Cunningham-South has been England’s main ball carrier at the U20 World Championship and put in a man-of-the-match performance – despite earning his first yellow card since his university days – in the 22-22 draw with Australia on Tuesday that secured a place in today’s semi-final against top seeds France.
England’s second draw in three matches – and only the third ever in 13 tournaments – was just enough to edge out New Zealand for the best runners-up spot and keep alive their hopes of becoming champions for the first time since 2016.
“That was everyone’s goal flying out here and I guess we’re just taking it game by game to see how we go,” said the bruising No.8, who was born in south-east England but raised in New Zealand.
Cunningham-South could quite easily have been a member of the disappointed Junior All Blacks squad instead of being two wins away from becoming a world champion.
“I was born in England and then moved to New Zealand with my family when I was four, grew up there and then I came back for an opportunity with London Irish when I was 18,” he said, explaining his route into rugby and then England.
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