England Youth beat France

Correspondent

England Youth coped well with wet conditions to beat their French rivals 16-6 on Good Friday at Belle Vue.

The game was the first of a two-match series, and featured some strong defensive work from the French.

“I’m happy, we have worked really hard all week,” said England Youth coach Shane Eccles.

“We expected it to be really tough and it was physical but the lads did well to carry on with a good attitude and character to come out with the win.

“We have worked this week on keeping the opposition in their own twenty and not letting them get out, and I think what we have done in training they took out onto the field. I was really impressed with that.”

England now head into the final match of this junior international series next Tuesday (April 7) at Castleford’s Mend-A-Hose Jungle (2pm).

England Youth (professional club and community club in brackets):

Kevin Brown (St Helens, Thatto Heath Crusaders)
Will Dagger (Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, Castleford Panthers)
Jacob Wardle (Huddersfield Giants, Illingworth)
James Worthington (Wigan Warriors, Wigan St Judes)
Will Oakes (Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, Eastmoor Dragons)
Declan O’Donnell (Wigan Warriors, Wigan St Patricks)
Oliver Russell (Wigan Warriors, Wigan St Judes)
Caine Barnes (Wigan Warriors, Seaton Rangers)
Jacques O’Neill (Castleford Tigers, Askam)
Mikolaj Oledzki (Leeds Rhinos, Hunslet Warriors)
Dyson Nicholson (Leeds Rhinos, Hunslet Warriors)
Chris Brown (Hull KR, West Hull)
Cameron Smith (Leeds Rhinos, Lock Lane)

Interchange:

Danny Walker (Widnes Vikings, Crosfields)
Jon-Luke Kirby (Huddrsfield Giants, Eastmoor Dragons)
Liam Walsh (Widnes Vikings, Halton Farnworth Hornets)
Samuel Kibula (Wigan Warriors, Leigh Miners Rangers)

France Under-16:

Luc Franco (StEsteve XIII Catalan (Dragons U-19))
Georgy Gambaro (MJCarcasonne XIII)
William Planela (St Esteve)
Cameron Chamorin (St Esteve)
Dorian Lopez
Thibault Franck (XIII Catalan)
Lucas Albert (StEsteve XIII Catalan (Dragons U-19))
Maxime Garcia (StEsteve XIII Catalan (Dragons U-19))
Clement Meunier (XIII Catalan)
Theo Lardot (Marseille 13)
Tom Bonillo (XIII Catalan)
Leo Mathieu (Albi)
Ayoub Mezianni (SOA)

Interchange:

Hugo Priels (XIII Catalan)
Justin Sangare (TO XIII)
Louis Castres (FCL XIII)
Nathan Chatras (Villeneuve XIII)

England Youth 16 (T: Smith, O’Neill, Worthington; G: Russell 2)

France U16 6 (T: Priels; G: Franck)

International England