UNDER-16 INTERNATIONAL

England remained unbeaten against Wales at under 16 level as their team of Super League Academy players claimed a 52-12 win despite a strong comeback from Wales in the second half. The Welsh, whose players were drawn solely from local club sides had little to say against their opponents in the first half as England went 34-0 up. However Wales refused to lie down and were applauded off after the second half was three tries all with England scoreless in the final 22 minutes.

A dropped ball while Wales were on the attack gave England their first opportunity in the first five minutes. From their second successive set, they had a chance but Matthew Ashcroft was called back for a forward pass as he was running for the line. However from England’s next set, Hull FC’s Jack Browne ran over to give them the lead. Wakefield’s Josh Pinder converted.

Four minutes later, Browne twisted over for his and England’s second, created by Pinder, who added the extras to make the score 12-0.From a Wales error, England went three tries up after a good passing move was finished in the corner by Warrington’s Andrew Bullman. Pinder’s kick was wide.

A gap was opened for Castleford’s Callum McClelland and he happily ran through it to ground for England’s fourth. Pinder converted. Wigan’s Sam Storey was next on the scoresheet, just off the bench, he forced his way under the sticks. Pinder had no problem with the kick from under the sticks to make it 28-0. There was still time before the interval for England to increase their lead further after Jordan Parr scored in the corner with Pinder converting to make it 34-0 at the interval.

England extended their lead in the first minute of the second half after St Helens’ Sean Croston ran unchallenged to the line. Jordan Parr converted. However Wales hit back a clever short kick-off, regaining the ball with Monmouth’s Paris Thomas outwitting the English to sprint to the line. Fraser Stroud missed the kick. ut straight away, England regained the balance after Storey was released on the left flank to score his second with Parr converting.

Wales got another try back on 46 minutes, Thomas the creator on this occasion with The Raiders’ Blake Hughes grounding in the corner. Again Stroud was unable to convert. Again England were fired up and scored straight away as Wigan’s Nathan Wilde forced his way under the sticks with Parr converting.

Wales kept pounding the England line looking for a third try but their defence stood firm. Archie Snook, Tom Devine and twice Jake McDonald were centimetres short of the line. But their determination came to fruition in the end as McDonald, who hails from the now dual-code Pill Harriers club in Newport, grounded, but Cobi Green couldn’t land the conversion.

WALES U16
Jaymes Price, Blake Hughes, Rowland Kaye, Paris Thomas, James Smith, Fraser Stroud, Cobi Green, Ross Williams, Macauley Harris, Jordan Ball, Archie Snook, Harry Bevan, Tom Devine, Tom Crees, Dan Morgans, Connor Morris, Jake McDonald

ENGLAND U16
Jordan Parr, Kiedan Hartley, Robbie Storey, Sean Croston, Andrew Bulman, Callum McClelland, Joshua Pinder, Jack Browne, Paul Nash, Matthew Heritage, Callum Tranmer, Joseph Shorrocks, Matthew Ashcroft, Callum Green, Adam Rooks, Nathan Wilde, Samuel Storey