Match Report

By Ian Golden

Wales have beaten England for the very first time in an under 16 international after securing a hard-fought 18-10 win at Cardiff Met University on Saturday afternoon.

The list is a long one in the international game that is normally an annual event but was missed last year. Fourteen games played before this encounter and 14 England wins since the first game back in 2003 in Penarth when the score was 0-40.

Wales have had some narrow defeats, like the time they lost on conversions in both 2011 and 2013, but this is the first time they've recorded a win against the Super League players of the future.

Saturday’s result is an even more outstanding one when you consider the clubs that the players come from. Fourteen of the 17 England players were affiliated with Super League clubs and the other three at RFL regional academy sides. In turn, Wales had nine players from South Wales based community clubs – four from Aber Valley Wolves, four from West Wales Raiders and one from Rhondda Outlaws.



And Wales didn’t scrape it either. They blew three chances in the first 15 minutes and could have been 18-0 up early on.

Finally the deadlock was broken when Joel Davies crossed in the corner, James Machin unable to land the extras.

England hit back five minutes later through a Josh Gray try, scored following a scrum, that Lewis Dodd converted to give them a 6-4 lead at half-time.

Wales regained the advantage seven minutes into the second half through a Ewan Badham try that James Machin converted. However England were soon level when Nathan Carter scored in the corner after Wales were caught out following another scrum.

The winner came ten minutes from the end. Finn Swift crossed out wide and Lewis Hall converted well from the touchline, before extending the lead with a penalty soon after that to rubberstamp the victory.

Wales coach Jason Seddon said: “We thoroughly deserved this win over a good England side, the best academy players in England. We’ve put in a lot if hard work in the last few camps so to achieve what we’ve done today makes it all worthwhile.

“We always knew we had the quality of player in Wales, we just needed to get them the understanding of what was required. Now we need to kick on from here and establish solid under 18 and under 23 set ups so we can continue to produce quality players for the senior Wales side. It’s our job at under 16 level to continue to nurture and develop the talent we have in Wales and kick on.”

WALES
1. Harvey McDaid (St Peter and Paul Catholic School, Widnes / Halton Farnworth Hornets & St Helens)
2. Shaun Webber (Afon Taf High School / Aber Valley Wolves)
3. Billy Glover (Wade Deacon High School, Widnes / Halton Farnworth Hornets & Widnes Vikings)
4. Finn Swift (Range High School, Formby / Blackbrook Royals)
5. Joel Davies (Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Llangynwyd / West Wales Raiders)
6. James Machin (Great Sankey High School, Warrington / Crosfields ARLFC & Warrington Wolves)
7. Iestyn Hopkins (Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera / West Wales Raiders)
8. Ieuan Badham (Milford Haven Comprehensive School / West Wales Raiders)
9. Keenan McDaid (St Peter and Paul Catholic School, Widnes / Halton Farnworth Hornets & St Helens)
10. Ewan Badham (Milford Haven Comprehensive School / West Wales Raiders)
11. Teifion Thomas (Tonypandy Community College / Rhondda Outlaws)
12. Jacob Lee (Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni / Aber Valley Wolves)
13. Lewis Hall (Great Sankey High School, Warrington / Crosfields & Warrington Wolves)
Subs:
14. Adam Young (Rougemont School / Aber Valley Wolves)
15. Matthew Jones (Ysgol Uwchradd Bodedern / Leigh Miners Rangers)
16. Will Smith (Gateacre School / Halton Farnworth Hornets & St Helens)
17. Kyle Huish (Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni / Aber Valley Wolves)

Tries: Davies (15), E Badham (42), Swift (60)
Goals: Machin 1/2, Hall 2/2

ENGLAND
1. Will Tate - City of Hull Academy
2. Liam Tindall - Leeds Rhinos
3. Lewis Delaney - Leeds Rhinos
4. Umyla Hanley - Wigan Warriors
5. Josh Gray - City of Hull Academy
6. Alex Donaghy - Newcastle Thunder
7. Lewis Dodd - St Helens
8. Jack Bibby - Wigan Warriors
9. Bradley O'Neill - Wigan Warriors
10. Harry Rushton - Wigan Warriors
11. Nathan Clemmitt - Newcastle Thunder
12. Nathan Carter - Castleford Tigers
13. Ellis Longstaff - Wigan Warriors
Subs:
14. Jacob Dugdale - Widnes Vikings
15. Jacob Gannon - Leeds Rhinos
16. Dean Beddall - Wigan Warriors
17. Seth Jackson - London Broncos

Tries: Gray (20), Carter (47)
Goals: Dodd 1/2