The destiny of the trophy was in doubt until the final few minutes when Baby Blacks full-back Beauden Barrett chased down his own toe poke to touch down to the delight of his teammates and ecstatic fans in the crowd.

England came as close as anyone has ever come to beating New Zealand in their 20 Junior World Championship matches, but for the third final in four years it was the men wearing the red rose on their chest who were left in tears at the final whistle.

Both sides scored three tries in the final, Charles Piutau, Ben Tameifuna and Barrett for New Zealand with a Christian Wade brace and Henry Thomas touchdown for England.

However, it was the perfect kicking record of New Zealand fly half and man of the match Gareth Anscombe which proved the difference, with his opposite number George Ford missing three kicks at goal.

In the other matches on the final day, Australia avenged their defeat by France in the pools stages with a 30-17 victory in the third place play-off final with captain Colby Faingaa their talisman.

South Africa ran in a record-equalling 16 tries to overwhelm Fiji 104-17 to secure fifth spot, while Wales also finished on a positive note by beating Ireland 38-24 to match their seventh place finish of last year in Argentina.

Argentina held off a Scotland fightback to claim ninth place overall with a 15-14 victory in Rovigo, where Italy saved their best to the last day to beat Tonga 34-22.

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