England 44 Wales 0 (half time 26-0)

An impressive ENGLAND outfit ran in eight tries to defeat WALES 44-0, Wigan’s Ben Currie claiming two of them.

The English led 26-0 at the break, hooker Connor Spencer darting over from dummy half in the seventh minute for the opening touchdown.

Another Wigan Scholarship attendee, centre Chris Taylor scored an impressive touchdown soon after, brushing off several would-be tacklers, second rower Currie then putting in Tom Gilmour with a fine pass, Gilmour adding a second conversion.

Whitehaven’s Martin O’Neil was next to cross, going over in the corner after terrific lead up work from Danny Yates and Taylor.

Currie’s first, a storming effort leaving defenders trailing in his wake, completed the first half scoring just before the half hour.

England added three further touchdowns in the second period, scrum half Yates producing a superb defence-splitting pass to send Leeds Rhinos’ Stevie Ward over, Yates adding the extras.

Currie grabbed a second following another majestic inside ball from fellow-Wiganer Yates and Hull’s Saul Beavis completed the dismantling, getting on the end of a fine passing move involving Spencer and Currie, three minutes from time.

Wales lacked nothing in effort, were best served by loose forward Rhodri Lloyd and put some good moves together but England were always the more threatening on the break.

ENGLAND
1 - Jamie Hodgkiss
2 - Martin O'Neil
3 - Chris Taylor
4 - Mike McMeelan
5 - Ben Warrillow
6 - Tom Gilmour
7 - Danny Yates
8 - Liam McAvoy
9 - Connor Spencer
10 - Lewis Whitty
11 - Ben Currie
12 - John Bateman
13 - Stevie Ward
Subs (all used)
14 - Connor Farrell
15 - Liam Goodaire
16 - Saul Beavis
17 - Lewis Foster

Tries: Spencer (7), Taylor (10), Gilmour (22), O’Neil (24), Currie (28, 64), Ward (51), Beavis (77)
Goals: Gilmour 4/6, Yates 2/2

WALES
1 - Scott Gibson
2 - Josh Ramsey
3 - Sean Webber
4 - Jack Pring
5 - Dom Franchi
6 - Jason Blackmore
7 - Huw Robinson
8 - Tom Owen
9 - Dale Evans
10 - Jamie Sollis
11 - Gareth Comley
12 - Michael Griffiths
13 - Rhodri Lloyd
Subs (all used )
14 - Liam Harris
15 - David Young
16 - Andrew Waite
17 - Bradley Hill

Men of the match:
ENGLAND - Liam McAvoy
WALES – Rhodri Lloyd

Wales 18 France 54 (half time 12-18)

A superb second half performance, which saw them post six tries, enabled FRANCE to run out 54-18 victors over WALES, who tired after their exertions two days before against England.

French full back Valentin Ferres opened the scoring in the fifth minute, sprinting on

to Mantail Romano’s pass after some typically flamboyant Gallic interplay.

Damian Cardace doubled the lead when he found a gap in the Welsh defence to speed away, hooker Joan Guasch converting.

Wales’ best for the second successive game, loose forward Rhodri Lloyd, scored the Principality’s first points in the competition, capitalising on a terrific break from hooker Efan Ellis and goaled his own effort.

Nine minutes later, Lloyd smashed his way over again to level after the Welsh had gained good field position, his second goal giving them a 12-10 lead.

A power play on the last tackle saw Romain Peault cross on the wing after another fine pass from Cardace and, right on half time, Pierre-Louis Bourrel went over from dummy half.

Cardace was the playmaker in chief again three minutes after the break, his tremendous run beating three defenders before his pass sent Peault over for his second touchdown, Joann Didone converting.

Thio Bonneriez took a clutch of defenders over with him from a tap penalty to break the Welsh resistance and, three minutes later, Thibaut Margalet found the whitewash from a Didone pass.

Bonneriez broke free for a second touchdown and Cardace did likewise after being set up by stand off Jaris Bissiere.

Just before the hour, Jamie Sollis hit back for the Welsh after good work by Ollie Olds, Lloyd converting but the French brought up the half century when centre Safrane Ghanem crossed for their tenth try.

Wales included winger Josh Ramsey in their side, the younger brother of Arsenal wonder-kid Aaron.

WALES
1 Scott Gibson
2 Josh Ramsey
3 Sean Webber
4 Rhys Watkins
5 Liam Harrs
6 Ollie Olds
7 Jason Blackmore
8 Bradley Hill
9 Efan Ellis
10 Tom Owen
11 Huw Robinson
12 Michael Griffiths
13 Rhodri Lloyd
Subs
14 Jamie Sollis
15 Dale Evans
16 Andrew Waite
17 Jack Pring
Tries: Lloyd (11, 20), Sollis (58)
Goals: Lloyd 3

FRANCE
1 Valentin Ferres
2 Tony Maurel
3 Guillaume Guigne
4 Safrane Ghanem
5 Romain Peault
6 Jaris Bissiere
7 Joann Didone
8 Nicolas Varas
9 Joan Guasch
10 Thibaut Margalet
11 Damien Cardace
12 Mantial Romano
13 Pierre Louis Bourrel
Subs
14 Thio Bonneriez
15 Benjamin Garcia
16 Charles Bouzinac
17 Paul Barbaza

Tries: Ferres (5), Cardace (8, 52), Peault (28, 39), Bourrel (34), Bonneriez (42, 48), Margalet (45), Ghanem (64)
Goals: Guasch 4, Didone 3

Men of the match:
WALES: Rhodri Lloyd
FRANCE: Thio Bonneriez

article by Phil Caplan
23 August 2009