England secure series win

James Gordon

 

England rounded off the professional rugby league season with a comfortable 48-4 victory over France to secure the Autumn International Series trophy.

Steve McNamara’s men made it 30 tries in the three game tournament, as they ran in eight tries at the Salford City Stadium to defeat the Frenchmen for the second successive week.

Leeds winger Ryan Hall crossed for four tries, the first of which got the hosts on the board after 11 minutes.

After some French resolve, Sam Tomkins and Hall’s second sent England in to half time 18-0 up.

Josh Charnley finished well down the right as England put the game well beyond doubt early in the second half, and Hall and Tomkins again scored, with the imperious Kevin Sinfield enjoying a perfect night with the boot, to make it 36-0.

Rangi Chase scooped up a loose ball to start an 80m break, which resulted in another try for Hall, and Rob Burrow got his name on the scoresheet late on.

The only blotch on England‘s card was a late try conceded, as Charnley missed a tricky kick in the in-goal area, allowing Mathias Pala to touch down from William Barthau‘s kick.

It took the combined total of England‘s wins over France to 92-10, and helped them to 172 points for the tournament, which comes less than 12 months before the World Cup.