Last updated 19:42, Thursday, 26 June 2008

CUMBRIAN Rob Miller got 19 minutes of a World Championship final but could do nothing about England’s heavy defeat by New Zealand.

England’s bid for the Junior World title was brought down at the final hurdle by a slick and sharp New Zealand side in Swansea who won comfortably 38-3.

Nigel Redman’s U20 sqaud had outperformed every previous junior England team by reaching a first Junior World Championship final, winning all nine games this season and completing a Six Nations Grand Slam in the process.

But the number one seeds weathered the early pressure, then kept the scoreboard ticking over with penalties before their increasingly dangerous runners with a tries.

Miller, a former Keswick School and Aspatria fly-half now with Newcastle Falcons, got his chance after 61 minutes replacing Bristol centre Luke Eves.