Wales run England close in two excellent junior rugby league internationals

U16 INTERNATIONAL
WALES 18 ENGLAND LIONS 34
Ian Golden at Stadiwm Zipworld, Sunday

England Lions U16s won a hard-fought encounter with Wales 34-18 in Colwyn Bay on Sunday with the result in doubt right up until the last five minutes.

Wales, with a number of their players signing up for the official Wales Rugby League academy in Coleg y Cymoedd for September, gave a good account of themselves for much of the game, but in the end England’s experience took them over the line.

The visitors took under a minute to take the lead after Wales made an error in the first set. Michael Sowden picked up the loose ball and Jayden Billy touched down from the resulting set. Oliver Whitford converted.

Wales hit back after seven minutes. Josh Hanson was the eventual scorer after two players were centimetres short in their attempts to get over the line. Isaac Morgan sliced the kick wide.

England regained the lead on 23 minutes when after a well-worked set, Billy notched his second, scoring near to the corner. Whitford missed the conversion attempt so England held just a converted-try lead.

But five minutes later, the visitor increased their advantage after Ellis Welburn completed a good passing move to ground. Whitford’s conversion attempt hit the post.

Wales were close to pulling a try back before the break but Morgan Farmer-Gratton and Isaac Morgan were both held up over the line, leaving the half-time score at 14-4 to England.

Wales were first over the line in the second half, attacking from the off, and were rewarded when Ben Morris twisted his way over the line. Isaac Morgan’s conversion attempt slipped under the bar.

England regained their ten point lead when Scott Egan scored in the corner five minutes later in another try that went unconverted.

Wales hit back again through the try of the game when Isaac Morgan broke free on the wing and sprinted 40 metres to ground under the sticks. He converted his own try to leave Wales just four points behind.

But England were next to score when Jack Edge dived over in the corner. Sonny Cooper converted well from the touchline to give England their ten-point lead back.

A well worked try for Wales was next, with Farmer-Gratton the scorer and Morgan unable to convert.

But England sealed the game three minutes from the end when Ryan Joseph picked up an Edge pass to score in the corner. Cooper converted well.

Egan put the icing on the cake with a try in the final move of the game.

WALES
1              Isaac Morgan (Aberavon Fighting Irish)
2              Dylan Morgan (Cardiff Blue Dragons)
3              Ben Morris (Swansea Stallions)
4              Nick Evans (Bridgend Blue Bulls)
5              Peter Richmond (Cynon Valley Cavaliers)
6              Llewellyn Hawkes (Bridgend Blue Bulls)
7              William McCarthy (Aberavon Fighting Irish)
8              Connor Lacey (Cynon Valley Cavaliers)
9              Dafydd Morgan (Cardiff Blue Dragons)
10           Bradley Williams (Cynon Valley Cavaliers)
11           Alex Banks (Torfaen Tigers)
12           Carter Barnes (Torfaen Tigers, capt)
13           Josh Hanson (Bridgend Blue Bulls)
Subs (all used):
14           Tre Huddleston (Torfaen Tigers)
15           Morgan Farmer-Gratton (Cardiff Blue Dragons)
16           John Baldwin (Cardiff Blue Dragons)
17           Calum Jones (Aber Valley Wolves)
18           Celt Ffransis (Marchogion Mon Knights)
19           Daniel Bartlett   (Cardiff Blue Dragons)
20           Jarrod Hippsley (Cynon Valley Cavaliers)

Tries: Hanson (7), Morris (4), I Morgan (51), Farmer-Gratton (60)
Goals: I Morgan 1/4

ENGLAND
1              Oliver Whitford (Siddal)
2              Daniel Walsh (Wigan St Judes)
3              Ryan Joseph (Fryston Warriors)
4              Jayden Billy (Siddal)
5              Oscar Doran (Kells)
6              Jack Edge (Leigh Miners Rangers)
7              Logan Holgate (Hensingham)
8              Michael Sowden (Holderness Vikings)
9              Sonny Cooper (West Hull)
10           Fynn Wright (Kells)
11           Ellis Welburn (East Hull)
12           Ashton Sice (Kells)
13           Kameron Siddique (Siddal, capt)
Subs (all used)
14           Danny Frost (Wigan St Judes)
15           Ellis Nixon (Seaton Rangers)
16           Connor Phoenix (Rylands Sharks)
17           Louis Gibson (West Hull)
18           Scott Egan (Hensingham)
19           Aiden Sugden (Skirlaugh)
20           Mason Harris (Salford Roosters)

Tries: Billy (1, 23), Welburn (28), Egan (45, 70), Edge (54), Joseph (67)
Goals: Whitford 1/4, Cooper 2/3

Referee: Rob Apsee
Half-time: 4-14
Attendance (for both games): 710

U17 INTERNATIONAL
WALES 10 ENGLAND LIONS 16
By Ian Golden at Stadiwm Zipworld, Sunday

A try from Ryan Wood with four minutes left on the clock broke Welsh hearts in their first ever match at U17 level.

England Lions, selected from the best of the community sides in the north of England, won the encounter 16-10, but there was very little between the sides in an exciting contest played in good spirits throughout.

It was a battle royale throughout the game with two very well drilled defences. Wales have an official link with Salford Red Devils and this excellent performance from many individuals will certainly give their scouts a lot to look at.

After some good defending by Wales in the first ten minutes, they took the lead through a good run and break through by Harri Ackerman. Billy Walkley couldn’t convert.

England levelled on 26 minutes after Jay Richards twisted and turned to get past the Wales line and ground. Connor Gannon’s goal attempt was swept past the posts by the famous Bae Colwyn wind.

Wales looked to regain their lead, but tough English defence continued to keep them out and the scores were still level at 4-4 at the break.

England struck first in the second half after Evan Stephenson sold a dummy and scored. Gannon converted.

Wales replied on 54 minutes after Scott Pritchard leaped onto a grubber kick to score under the posts. Walkely converted to level the scores up at 10-10.

But it was England who won though after skipper Ryan Wood showed his skill be running through the Welsh defence to score under the posts. Gannon easily converted.

Both sides could have scored again in the last few minutes but, as they had been pretty much throughout the encounter, defences ruled.

WALES
1              Billy Walkley (Aber Valley Wolves)
2              Cameron Davies (Torfaen Tigers)
3              Harrison Garland-Griffiths (Gwendraeth Valley Raiders)
4              Harri Ackerman (Aber Valley Wolves)
5              Kane James (Cardiff Blue Dragons)
6              Harri Ford (Aber Valley Wolves)
7              Lewis Pinder (Wigan Warriors, capt)
8              Sam Godfrey (Bridgend Blue Bulls)
9              Finley Yates (Cynon Valley Cavaliers)
10           Oscar Fisher (Newcastle Thunder)
11           Scott Pritchard  (Aber Valley Wolves)
12           Finn Thomas (Bridgend Blue Bulls)
13           Charlie Glover (Halton Farnworth Hornets)
Subs (all used):
14           Lewis Ingram (Bridgend Blue Bulls)
15           Bradley Toy (Aber Valley Wolves)
16           Aneurin Jenkins (Aber Valley Wolves)
17           Jack Preddy (Bridgend Blue Bulls)
18           Michael Carter (Aber Valley Wolves)
19           Luke Minett (Bank Quay Bulls)
20           Mason Phillips (Aber Valley Wolves)
24           Gareth Parry (Wrexham Crusaders)

Tries: Ackerman (12), Pritchard (54)
Goals: Walkley 1/2

ENGLAND
1              Ryan Wood (Wigan St Judes, capt)
2              Jay Richards (Heworth)
3              Lucas Smith (Shaw Cross Sharks)
4              Will Swales (West Bowling)
5              Sonny Easter (West Hull)
6              Evan Stephenson (Shaw Cross Sharks)
7              Connor Gannon (Thatto Heath Crusaders)
8              Matt Parkes (Leigh Miners Rangers)
9              Kieran Dean (Thatto Heath Crusaders)
10           Blane Graham (Kells)
11           Kieran Welburn (West Hull)
12           Jack Ainley (Kells)
13           Scott Parnaby (Waterhead)
Subs (all used):
14           Archie Halmshaw (West Bowling)
15           Evan Foster (Ulverston)
16           Callum Beety (West Hull)
17           Jake Smith (Cottingham Tigers)
18           Josh Burr (Skirlaugh)
19           Keelan Gregg (Skirlaugh)
20           Dylan Turner (Oldham St Annes)

Tries: Richards (26), Stephenson (38)
Goals: Gannon 1/2

Referee: James Jones
Half-time: 4-4
Attendance (for both games): 710