25th August 2010 – Carnegie Floodlit Nines – Headingley, Leeds, England
Wales crashed out of the Carnegie Floodlit 9s in the group stages at Headingley on Wednesday night after losing to Super League sides Leeds Rhinos and Wakefield Trinity Wildcats.
The eventual winners were Wigan Warriors who beat Bradford Bulls 20-16 in a dramatic final.
Wales, fielding a youthful side, made two changes from their originally announced squad. Craig Richards had to withdraw so he was replaced by Kriss Wilkes from Rhyl Coasters, while Gil Dudson was suspended following a disciplinary hearing on Tuesday. Dudson will also miss South Wales Scorpions’ play-off game at Rochdale Hornets on Sunday 5th September in the second of his two game suspension.
The surprise team of the night were Jamaica. With most of their squad flying over from the West Indian island where they have an 11 team league, they beat Hull FC 22-12 but Wigan, the other side in the three-team group, won both of their matches to send the plucky Jamaicans out.
The women’s tournament, played with touch rugby rules, was contested by four sets of cheerleaders with Wakefield Wildcats beating Castleford Tigers in the Final. Girls from Warrington and Leeds were the other entrants.
The player of the tournament was Shaun Ainscough from Wigan Warriors.
LEEDS RHINOS 28 WALES 10
In their first game, the hosts outpaced the young Welsh side, running out 28-10 winners.
George Elliot went over to give Leeds an early lead despite the efforts of Curtis Cunningham to stop him. Paul McShane converted.
But Wales struck back straight away as Lee Williams fed Danny Jones who forced his way over for a try on his debut in a Wales shirt at any level. The conversion was missed.
Leeds scored next when the two Callums, Watkins and Casey, linked up, with the latter going over and McShane converting to make the half-time score 12-4 to the hosts.
They extended their lead just after the interval with an excellent try. McShane kicked a pin-point lob to Jay Pitts who had no problem scoring. McShane converted.
George Elliot offloaded to Reuben Haile and under pressure, went over for Leeds fourth try soon after.
Wales got back on the board straight away when Rhys Griffiths scored in the corner and Jones converted but a breakaway try from Michael Coady settled things for Leeds.
WALES 8 WAKEFIELD TRINITY WILDCATS 14
It took a last minute try for a near full-strength Super League Wakefield Trinity Wildcats side to beat the Welsh youngsters.
In Nines terms, it took some time for the first try to go over – six minutes into the 15 minute game to be exact – and it went Wales’ way.
Lewis Mills was stopped short of the line but from the next play, South Wales Scorpions’ Steve Parry scored his 19th try of the season to give Wales a 4-0 win at the interval.
An Aaron Murphy try in the corner levelled things early in the second period and Sam Obst ran over a couple of minutes later to give Wakefield an 8-4 lead.
Parry went over for his second in the corner to level things once again but Wakefield clinched the game on the hooter with a fine Damien Blanche try converted by Ben Jeffries.
Wales squad: 1. Curtis Cunningham (South Wales Scorpions), 2. Jack Pring (Crusaders), 3. Danny Jones (Keighley Cougars), 4. Kriss Wilkes (Rhyl Coasters), 5. Andrew Gay (South Wales Scorpions), 6. Lee Williams (Crusaders), 7. Lewis Reece (South Wales Scorpions), 8. Joe Burke (South Wales Scorpions), 9. Steve Parry (South Wales Scorpions), 10. Matt Barron (Gateshead Thunder), 11. Lewis Mills (Crusaders), 12. Rhys Griffiths (Leeds Met), 13. Mark Wool (Leeds Rhinos).
Full results
4.00 – Wigan Warriors 12 Jamaica 6
4.20 – Warrington Wolves 24 Halifax 0
4.40 – Castleford Tigers 28 Scotland 4
5.00 – Leeds Rhinos 28 Wales 10
5.20 – Jamaica 22 Hull FC 12
5.40 – Halifax 12 St Helens 18
6.20 – Scotland 4 Bradford Bulls 12
6.40 – Wales 8 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 14
7.00 – Wigan Warriors 16 Hull FC 14
7.20 – Warrington Wolves 22 St Helens 4
7.40 – Castleford Tigers 4 Bradford Bulls 20
8.00 – Leeds Rhinos 12 Wakefield Wildcats 18
8.30 – SEMI-FINAL 1 – Wigan Warriors 16 Warrington Wolves 12
9.00 – SEMI-FINAL 2 – Bradford Bulls 26 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 22 AET
9.30 – FINAL – Wigan Warriors 20 Bradford Bulls 16
