France have won the European Under 19 Rugby League Championships, but only after surviving a dramatic late comeback from England that just fell short.

It was very cagey early on as both sides ran it up the middle to test the line.

France scored first when Laguerre broke the line on the left and raced clear, stepping Teale on his way to the line after 6 minutes with Bertrand kicking the conversion for 6-0. England answered back straight away with Captain Teare handing off a tackle attempt and barrelling over in the corner after 8 minutes, with McMahon missing the conversion to leave it 6-4 to France.

England came close to a second try, only for McMahon’s pass from a great run by him to be intercepted by Gorka. France began to attack and England’s discipline began to fail them as they conceded successive penalties, but they survived the onslaught when Rouge knocked on in the tackle. Continual attacks came from both sides, but handling errors were starting to creep in and both sides spilt the ball in possession with chances available.

Finally, England completed a full set and it let to a try as McMahon forced his way over from close range after Kenyon made great yardage from a pass by Coleman after 18 minutes, with McMahon converting his own kick for 10-6 to England.

France bit back straight away after a penalty was conceded by England from the kick off. Two plays later and Carre forced his way over to score the equalising try after 21 minutes, with Bertrand missing the conversion to leave the score 10-10.

Both sides continued to batter the opposition line, trying to find a gap or some other way through, with Brogan knocking on in the tackle and Jassaume losing the ball in the tackle from a big hit by Harber. A high tackle penalty gave France a platform to launch an attack from and Rouge took it down to the goal line, but it ended on a kick easily fielding by Teare, who launched the next attack, which ended with a charged down kick. From the charge down, England drove up with quick passes and took it close, but Wood knocked on under pressure from Carre in the tackle.

Bertrand missed a drop goal attempt as the half ended France 10 England 10.

As the evening sun started to set, it was France who broke through early in the second half, with Lima being put clear to score after a great run by Gorka after 37 minutes, with Bertrand kicking the extras for 16-10 to France and they threatened again with a Miki Bauer run and half chance for Fourquet. Their dynamic passing and slanted running was causing England problems and a Bertrand kick nearly dropped back into his path, before England countered with a couple of sly passes that almost put Selby clear.

France finally found a way through when, after a high tackle on Bertrand, France battered the England line and Leguerre was put over by De Macedo for a try converted by Bertrand for 22-10 after 45 minutes.

England took the fight to France and made some great yardage themselves, but they struggled to find a way through the French defence, with some big hits coming in from Les Bleus. France showed adventure in attack and their invention forced a goal line drop out by England from a Bertrand kick, the attack finally ending with a Bertrand penalty for 24-10 after 54 minutes.

England tried to respond and their next attack took them to very close to the French line, but Digby was just denied a try after some desperation tackling by France after he was put into a gap by McMahon.

They finally got some reward for their efforts after Curtis Teare stepped through to score after a great attacking move by England that involved 5 passes, with McMahon slotting over the extras for 24-16 after 59 minutes.

France nearly extended their lead again, only for Leguerre to fumble the ball in the tackle after a brilliant tap tackle by Teare. They would get some more points on the board when Bertrand kicked another penalty after a late tackle penalty against England for 26-16.

England launched a late attack and scored a try from almost nowhere as Wood broke on the left from a Teare pass and put Harrison through to score on 67 min, but McMahon missed the conversion to leave the score 26-20.

With a desperate late attack, an arrowed kick from Coleman fell kindly into the path of Kenyon, who dived over in the corner after 69 minutes, but McMahon again missed the kick to leave it 26-24 to France and England were desperately unlucky not to find another chance before the final whistle went to signal French joy and English despair.