For the second time this week Scotland gave away an 18 point lead as England came back from behind to claim their fifth successive Student Rugby League Four Nations title. 

England were under pressure early in the game as Josh Boulger was lost to a shoulder injury and Jordan Duncan barged his way through after Scotland’s early pressure. Matthew Hogg added the extras. And it was Jonny Hutton who finished the flowing move shortly afterwards, giving Hogg a further easy conversion.

England looked to be on the rack, when Craig Robertson found space on the left edge, Hogg again kicking the conversion to put them three points clear. 

England rallied and Jacob Jones powered through on the left after England managed to build pressure, but Kieran Smith was deemed to have missed the kick. And it was Kieran Smith again five minutes later who burrowed through from dummy-half, converting his kick this time. 

Boulger, now restored to the field, ran wide round the scrum to find space on the outside with five minutes from the break, with Kieran Smith adding the conversion, before Boulger found Scotland napping on the right hand side, Kieran Smith converting to move England ahead at the break.  

England came out of the blocks firing in the second half, Tom Jubb burrowing through from dummy-half four minutes into the game, Kieran Smith adding the easy extras. 

The following twenty-five minutes saw both teams slug it out as the rain began to fall and tempers frayed. Dan Gover and Andy Joy for England and Connor Terril and Josh Jonan for Scotland got through the hardwork in the middle as neither side managed to break the deadlock. 

Hogg found himself on the wrong side of the referee’s patience after pushing off the ball and took a ten-minute sin bin, giving England the overlap, which they capitalised on as Boulger scored his hat-trick up the middle of the field, but Kieran Smith failed to add the extras.  

Lee Registe found himself in the sin bin with five minutes to go for also pushing off the ball, but the final word went to Matthew Chrimes who’s 70 metre break saw him rewarded for an excellent try which Kieran Smith was unable to convert.

Sin Bin – Matthew Hogg (70) – Pushing Off The Ball

Sin Bin – Lee Registe (75) – Pushing Off the Ball