STUDENT RUGBY LEAGUE By Gerard Keenan
REPORTS FROM 10 APRIL 2006 SRL FOUR NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP
“SRL FOUR NATIONS OFF TO FLYER”
The opening round of the 2006 Student Rugby League Four Nations Championship got off to an excellent start at Broughton Park, Manchester with victories to favourites England and current holders Wales. ENGLAND SRL 30 v SCOTLAND SRL 10 The strains of the national anthems were still drifting on the Manchester air when England second row Danny Wilson scored the first try of the competition in the left corner. The score was too wide out for full back Ian Gordon to convert. Minutes later on the opposite flank, winger Walker scored England‟s second try and although Gordon was again unsuccessful at 8-0 the match seemed all too easy for England. To their credit, Scotland began to control possession much better and pressurised the English try line but without success. As half time approached, Loughborough forward Steve Hall scored his first England try on debut. Third time lucky, Gordon converted and at the break England looked comfortably ahead 14-0. Another score to England and Scotland knew the game would be lost. Prompted by Richard Hawkyard‟s breaks from stand off, Scotland began to make inroads against the white defensive wall of England. When Dave Birchall finished off a 60 yard break along the left flank, Scotland were deservedly buoyant. With the score at 144, it seemed that England might break under the weight of a concerted attack but despite Scottish back-to-back sets England stood firm. Fortunately, referee Graham Lightowler awarded England a penalty that relieved the pressure and within seconds centre Dave Llewellyn turned the match around by squeezing in at the left corner. From that point onwards, England were dominant as Leeds Metropolitan club-mates and half-backs Kevin Till and John Nicholls led England
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around the park. It wasn‟t long before first Till and then substitute Stewart Sanderson scored further tries and two more conversions for Gordon took England to a 30-4 matchwinning lead. But Scotland took the final honours as in typical style Hawkyard chipped ahead and regathered for the last try of the game converted by scrum half Barry Earl. After the game, England Head Coach Chris Hood was satisfied if not ecstatic, “We played well enough but there is always an element of rustiness in the first hit-out of the competition. We feel we have much improvement within us.” His counterpart Scotland Head Coach Ian „Happy‟ Gilmour was more phlegmatic, “We had plenty chances just before and after half time that should have put us ahead. Perhaps our lesson is that we need to be more clinical in our finishing when playing at this standard of student rugby league.” ENGLAND 30 Ian Gordon Nick Walker Matt Mulholland Dave Llewelyn Chris Todd John Nicholls Kevin till Wayne Parillon James Sullivan Glenn Osborn Adam Scott Danny Wilson Mark McKinley Steve Hall George Coogan Tom Andrews Stewart Sanderson v 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Subs 14 15 16 17 Tries SCOTLAND 10 Rob Sloman Alastair Leighton-Scott Stuart Dunbar David Linn Douglas Thompson Richard Hawkyard Barry Earl (C) Anthony Williams David Vernon Chris Fletcher James Morrow Dave Birchall Paddy Coopar Bobby Bahadori Kaveh Bahadori Scott McKenzie Ryan Black Birchall; Hawkyard.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Subs 14 16 17 19 Tries
Wilson; Walker; Hall; Llewelyn; Till; Sanderson Goals Gordon (3) John Nicholls
Goals Earl MoM Richard Hawkyard
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IRELAND SRL 28 v WALES SRL 37 We are all familiar with the saying about „a game of two halves.‟ Some matches actually fit the description – like this opening round of the SRL Four Nations Championship. Leading 24-0 at half time, Wales thought they were sitting comfortably. By the 60th minute, when Ireland had scored four spectacular tries in four sets the Welsh players and supporters were staggering around like shell-shocked first world war veterans. Not least because during that phase of play Wales only touched the ball when restarting after each Irish try. The first half was dominated by the power play of the Welsh forwards that created huge amounts of space for their backs. Unsurprisingly it was Wales who scored the opening try as winger James Thatcher enjoying his first full season of student rugby league crossed by the right corner flag. In an excellent demonstration of kicking, full back Matt Jackson kicked the first of 6 conversions. Terrific go forward play from Glamorgan prop forward Ben Rawlings must have brought himself to the attention of watching GB Head Coach Paul Fletcher. With such leadership further Welsh tries followed from Jackson, Lewis and Ballard. The effort from winger Richard Lewis was particularly notable as he caught an Irish cross field kick on his own try line and raced 100 metres for a sensational score. Jackson‟s kicking meant the Welsh were deservedly smiling as they went to the break leading 24-0. The smiles of the valley boys grew even wider as centre Chris Vitalini soon extended the score in the second half to 30-0. Then like a giant aroused, or should we say a ferocious leprechaun, the Irish turned on the style. Substitute forward Niall Goodyear was on the end of an intricate handling exchange and winger Bernard Westman goaled. Score 30-6. Wales kicked off and Ireland flashed the ball through hands up the left side and scrum half „Mighty‟ Steve Owen scored to the left of the posts. Westman again converted for 30-12. Wales kicked off and Ireland again spread the ball to the left. As Wales appeared to cut off centre Niall Neville‟s options, he slipped the ball inside for his winger Westman to race to the posts. Westman converted his own try for 30-18.
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Wales once more kicked off determined to protect their own right flank. Instead, Ireland moved the ball left to right and centre Mike Fairclough finished a 95 metre move with a flourish. This time Westman put his kick just wide to leave the score 30-22. Wales again kicked off and to their great relief Ireland knocked on. From the scrum, Lewis got his second try and Jackson‟s final conversion opened the margin to 36-22. A moment later scrum half Pete Moore took the opportunity for a single point drop goal to extend to 37-22. With an unbeaten spirit Ireland attacked once more and Owen scored under the posts so that Westman‟s conversion made the score 37-28. By this time, referee Father Geoff Hilton decided we had all had enough entertainment and blew the final whistle for both teams to be exultantly applauded off the field. The contrast of styles displayed during both games leaves everyone looking forward to the remaining matches on Thursday 13 April and Sunday 16 April. IRELAND 28 Matt Jackson James Thatcher Chris Vitalini Alex Ballard Richard Lewis Rhys Griffiths Pete Moore Dennis Pugh Lloyd O‟Connor Ben Rawling Matt Barron Gareth Thirk Ross Olney Dan Johnson John Trick Lee Drabble Gareth Barron v 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 22 Subs 14 15 20 21 Tries WALES 37 Kieran Collins Phil Arkle Mike Fairclough Niall Neville Bernard Westman Declan Foy Steve Owen Andy Donohue Jimmy Giblin Adam Elwell Luke Garnett Paul Lane Tom Gaffney Niall Goodyear Max Oxton-Morris John O‟Connor Kev O‟Hare
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Subs 14 16 17 19 Tries
Thatcher; Jackson; Lewis (2); Ballard; Vitalini. Goals Jackson (6); Moore dg. Ben Rawling
Goodyear; Owen (2); Westman; Fairclough. Goals Westman (4) MoM Steve Owen
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