2009 EUROPEAN U16 CUP – GAME 1

An impressive England outfit ran in eight tries to defeat Walee 44-0, Wigan’s Ben Currie claiming two of them. The English led 26-0 at the break, Connor Spencer darting over from dummy half in the seventh minute for the opening touchdown. Another Wigan Scholarship attendee Chris Taylor scored an impressive touchdown soon after, brushing off several would-be tacklers, 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, 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 and put some good moves together but England were always the more threatening on the break.

ENGLAND U16
Jamie Hodgkiss, Martin O’Neil, Chris Taylor, Mike McMeeken, Ben Warillow, Tom Gilmour, Danny Yates, Liam McAvoy, Connor Spencer, Lewis Whitty, Ben Currie, John Bateman, Stevie Ward. Subs: Connor Farrell, Liam Goodaire, Saul Beavis, Lewis Foster 

WALES U16
Scott Gibson, Josh Ramsey, Sean Webber, Jack Pring, Dom Franchi, Jason Blackmore, Huw Robinson, Tom Owen, Dale Evans, Jamie Sollis, Gareth Comley, Michael Griffiths, Rhodri Lloyd. Subs: Liam Harris, David Young, Andrew Waite, Bradley Hill