#rugbyleague BLOG 2010/11 Australian Schoolboys coach Brendan Barrow gave his reaction to the loss to England

Entry 37, 6th December 2010

In the aftermath of their surprise 38-30 defeat to England Academy, the Australian Schoolboys were entrenched in their dressing rooms for forty minutes with coach Brendan Barrow leading the inquest.

When he did emerge Barrow gave frank and honest assessment of his team's performance.

“We knew it was going to be tough and in the first half we had a few things to deal with and we were fairly heavily behind on the penalty count but we were happy about where we were at half-time.”

“We were 12-all and came out after the break and really exploded out of the blocks well and did a great job there but we went into a bit of a sad time there at the back end of that second half. We struggled with some effort and the scoreline resembled that.” He said.

After twice holding twelve point advantages, the Schoolboys loosened their grip on the game and allowed England to overhaul them.

“It was a couple of little things that we did, just one or two things that changed momentum and I think the boys learned that. You don’t need to make a lot of things go wrong in this game to turn momentum. We had some really good momentum going forward and we probably played with that a bit and got bored with it and weren’t prepared to do a couple of little things and it swung it back England’s way.”

Barrow continued, “A couple of penalties legged them up a bit and they got into a try-scoring position and went on from there. All credit to them, they used that momentum change.”

“We have to play for eighty minutes. I was really proud of the boys at half-time, they really got a lot thrown at them in the first half and we probably should have been behind by a lot on the scoreboard, but we played great offensively and defensively to stay in the game, they did that and we had a good chat at halftime. We put a couple of tries on right after then and then got out to 30-18, and that momentum thing kicked back and we’ve just got to learn to deal with that and handle that a bit better next time.”

When questioned about his side’s discipline, Barrow commented, “There were a lot of penalties, everyone could see that. We have to have a look and see where we went wrong in those areas. We are over here in England, on English soil and we’ve got to abide by the rules, look at that and learn from it.”

Despite being hampered by the weather and late change of plans for the game, the Schoolboys refused to blame them for defeat.

“Preparation was great I couldn’t fault it and our first half showed it when we stuck at everything well but you can’t win a game in fifteen minutes in rugby league but you can lose one. I think that’s what we did tonight.”

“We are grateful that we got to play. If we’d stayed where we were we wouldn’t have played.”

The Australians are 1-0 down in the two match series and their mindset is simple.

“We’ll be back next week and it’s pretty obvious what we have to do.” 

#rugbyleague BLOG 2010/11 Elliott happy with England Victory

Entry 36, 6th December 2010

After seeing England Academy defeat Australia for just the fourth time. I caught up with boss Dave Elliott for his reaction:

THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT – ELLIOTT PRAISES PERFORMANCE OF HIS BATTLING YOUNG CHARGES

England Academy coach Dave Elliott was full of praise for his super seventeen after England's Academy elite defeated Australia's finest in gripping style on Saturday.

“I'm extremely happy and really proud.” The Cumbrian said.

“I think the guys have shown a lot of passion there for England but also a lot of commitment and patience. We could easily have folded at 30-18 and a big, big pat on the back for the fellas, I thought they were outstanding today.”

At the heart of England's dominant start was Bradford youngster George Burgess. “George had a point to prove.” Elliott said. “It's always hard having a famous older brother but he set a platform for us. He was really strong in go-forward and really strong in the game.”

He wasn't the only one, with the coach quick to praise Wigan scrum half Sam Powell as “sensational”, he continued, “I thought our two halves were really good to be honest. Gaz O'Brien kicked them to death, and Sam was really good, especially when we were behind. Adam Milner was too, he came off the bench when we were 30-18 down and grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and got us back into it. As a captain he showed a real passion and gave a real captain's knock. Our back-row impressed and we were really strong off our bench.”

“We said before that we'd train as a team and win as a team and that really stood out.”

England's preparation had been hampered with the team based up in Barrow before the game was switched to Leigh. As a result of the icy conditions it meant much of the preparation was done indoors.

“It was really tough and up until Friday we hadn't had a team run.” Elliott explained, “We'd been training indoors and all weather pitches were we could. We've been working a lot on our metal side and our mental preparation. This week was all to be about fine tuning. It was about keeping the lads together and making them believe that this could be a special week and it's turned out to be.”

“The Australians are big, athletic and physical but I think now people should start looking at our fellas. We've got some big athletic kids who potentially have got big futures in this game. The Australians are a fantastically skilled side. The game was a great advert for rugby league. There were times I was looking on thinking 'that was a fantastic game to watch'. Our fellas should be really proud of their efforts.”

#rugbyleague BLOG 2010/11 Match Record 5

Entry 34, 6th December 2010

England Academy 38
Australian Schoolboys 30

Dave Elliott's England Academy team were the toast of the country on Saturday evening after a superb performance saw them twice overcome twelve point deficits to take the opening spoils in the two match series.

Following a midweek switch from Barrow, the impressive Leigh Sports Village was the setting for the first test between the Australian Schoolboys and England Academy and by the time kickoff arrived there was no sign of the snow that has proved so troublesome across the country.

The game also marked a return to the field for Super League referee Steve Ganson, himself no stranger to the international scene.

England opened the score after two minutes when two quick penalties saw them march 60 metres upfield. The first came on the back of a high tackle from prop Matthew Groat. This put England in ascendancy and after big drives from George Burgess and Ben Evans, Sam Powell sent the ball left for Wigan team-mate Danny Bridge to cross the line. Gareth O'Brien added the first of seven goals and it started a period of dominance for the English.

Starved of possession and haemorrhaging penalties, Australia were up against it as the England pack, led by powerhouse Burgess, who looks set to follow brothers Sam and Luke into the big time, set the platform.

During his first stint Burgess was excellent. With fearless running and just enough aggression in the tackle to have a few Australian forwards giving a sidewards glance everytime he was on the radar. Skipper Adam Milner and eventual man-of-the-match James Laithwaite also worked hard.

Milner knocked on at the line after four minutes but England continued to force the Australian defence to scramble with Jacob Gagan twice denying tries to opposite wing Reece Lyne.

A rare excursion took Australia into the England half when scrum-half Harry Siejka fired a superb touch finder and the hosts lost the ball. This allowed a counter attack down the left from Trent Jennings at the base of the scrum but Gareth O'Brien tackled back. It was a frustrating time for Australia with captain Paul Carter and Michael Chee-Kam penalised.

With 23 minutes gone, England missed out on a try when Milner's foot brushed the touchline and momentum was lost with the withdrawal of Burgess. It was the Joeys turn to pounce. First Siejka split the defence with a run right out of the Geoff Toovey box of tricks before linking with Gagan down the right. That fifty metre attack put the hosts on the back foot and after Jordan Thompson came up with an excellent tackle on Jack Wighton, he was unable to stop Jennings finish at the corner like Brent Tate, ducking his shoulder through the gap.

This gave a difficult conversion attempt to interchange forward Anthony Gadd but he kicked it to tie the game at 6-6 after 26 minutes.

Australia looked to be getting on top and were soon in the England twenty on the back of some strong running by Chee-Kam and a couple of rare penalties. Sadly for the Joeys, a promising move came to nought when Carter saw the ball slip from his grasp.

Back came the English and they scored a second try when Ryan King went over at the corner after Gareth O'Brien spun a pass out just like his Warrington mentor Lee Briers. O'Brien also converted but not to be outdone, Australia's response was quick and a swirling kick was spilled by England allowing Vaipuna Tia Kilifi to romp over. Gadd again levelled the game with his second goal.

There was still time for more drama when big David Klemmer was sinbinned for talking back to Mr Ganson before the break but Australia held out to go into halftime locked at 12-all.

The second half began superbly for the Australian Schoolboys and they caught England napping in the first few minutes of the half. The otherwise solid Matthew Russell knocked on at the back for England when he tried to recover a well placed Siejka grubber kick on the greasy surface.

The position was set and the Schoolboys went route one with simple ruck plays. After Siejka was stopped on the line, Redman dived over and Gadd's goal finally put some daylight between the Australians and England.

Despite England marching downfield to a threatening position, it was Australia that scored against the run of play. Unlucky Lyne saw a grubber kick for him expertly picked up by Gagan and he outflanked Rhys Evans and Gareth O'Brien before Lyne flew at him to haul him back inches from the try line.

With England's defence splintered, the ball came to the middle and Jack Wighton motored through to score another Gadd improved try.

Errors began to creep into play and after Australia spilled the ball England scrum-half Powell scooped up and went over, showing some nifty dance steps to evade the clutches of Tautau Moga that wouldn't have looked out of place on television on a Saturday night! O'Brien's third goal made it 24-18, but again Australia stepped up their efforts and notched a further six points when a Siejka linked with Carter for the Bulldogs player to go under the posts after 62 minutes.

At 30-18 it should have been game over for England but they blasted back into the contest three minutes later when a rare offload in the wet unlocked the defence.

Greg Burke got the pass away and Milner scurried down the middle before linking with Wigan's Leigh-born Matthew Sarsfield and he went over under the posts. It was then the turn of Thompson to get over the line when a towering kick from O'Brien was spilled by Henare Wells after 69 minutes and the centre was quickest to react. All of a sudden it was 28-30 and the Australians were left reeling when O'Brien tied the game with a 72nd minute penalty after Carter said too much.

England then went for the throat with Burgess, Milner and Burke to the fore. This extra impetus allowed halfbacks O'Brien and Powell to take centre stage and Powell obliged with great opportunism, to pounce on his own kick for a second try following a Gerard McCallum fumble. O'Brien converted and then rubbed salt in Australian wounds with a late penalty to confirm a pulsating 38-30 win.




GAMESTAR: Any one of five in white shirts. George Burgess was a collossus, Adam Milner turned the game, James Laithwaite was non-stop throughout while halfbacks Gareth O'Brien and Sam Powell were a classic combination.



GAMEBREAKER: Powell's second try which followed a difficult grubber kick was opportunism personified and with the conversion it was 36-30 with only a few minutes left. It capped a magnificent turnaround for the young England team.





ENGLAND



1 Matthew Russell

2 Ryan King

3 Jordan Thompson

4 Rhys Evans

5 Reece Lyne

6 Gareth O'Brien

7 Sam Powell

8 George Burgess

9 Adam Milner (C)

10 Ben Evans

11 Danny Bridge

12 Jack Hughes

13 James Laithwaite

Subs (All Used)

14 Adam O'Brien

15 Jared Stewart

16 Greg Burke

17 Matthew Sarsfield



Tries: Bridge (2), King (33), Powell (55, 72), Sarsfield (65), Thompson (69)

Goals: O'Brien 7/8



AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLBOYS



1 Henare Wells

2 Jacob Gagan

3 Tautau Moga

4 Trent Jennings

5 David Nofoaluma

6 Jack Wighton

7 Harry Siejka

8 Chris Grevsmuhl

9 Chad Redman

10 Matthew Groat

11 Lachlan Burr

12 Vaipuna Tia Kilifi

13 Paul Carter (C)

Subs (All Used)

14 Gerard McCallum

15 Michael Chee-Kam

16 Anthony Gadd

17 David Klemmer



Tries: Jennings (26), Tia Kilifi (36), Redman (42), Wighton (47), Carter (62).

Goals: Gadd 5/5.



Sinbinned: Klemmer (37 - Dissent)



Referee: Steve Ganson

Penalties 20-7 to England

Attendance: 732

#rugbyleague BLOG 2010/11 More from the RFL about the Academy International at Leigh on Saturday

Entry 28, 2nd December 2010

Being on the RFL press list gets you some interesting stories sent through and one such story that landed in my inbox today featured England Academy skipper Adam Milner. The Castleford hooker is a top prospect and will be looking to break into the Tigers first team on a regular basis before too long. Before then however, he has the little matter of leading the England Academy team out against the Aussie Schoolboys.

Here is a copy of the press release:

England Academy captain Adam Milner is relishing the opportunity to lead his country from the front when they face the Australian Schoolboys in the first of a two Test series at Leigh Sports Village on Saturday, December 4. (K.O 2:00pm)

Milner will join a list of past England Academy captains which includes England’s recent Four Nations captain James Graham. Graham’s international teammates Sam Burgess and Luke Robinson are just a selection of other players who have recently represented the England Academy side before progressing to senior level and Milner is hoping to follow their footsteps.

“It’s a great privilege for me to be named as captain of the England side,” said Milner. “It’s also a bit of a surprise. I’ve never really been a captain before but I’m really honoured to be given the captains role and I can’t wait to lead the boys out to face the Schoolboys.”

“If I can be anything like some of the players who have previously played for the Academy then I’d be delighted. To be mentioned in the same breath as guys like Burgess and Graham is an honour for me, but I know I have a long way to go before I can be considered in their class. But it’s a great confidence boost to know so many academy players have gone on to become England players.”

On the eve of the Academy's first Test against the Australian Schoolboys, Milner and his squad know they have the opportunity to prove themselves against their counterparts from Down Under and he says there is a confident mood within the Academy camp.

“Training so far has been going good,” said the Castleford Tigers player. “We’ve worked hard at getting the squad to blend together and the team spirit now is fantastic.

“We’re expecting the games against the Australians to be very tough and we’ve heard rumours about the players coming over here, but we've been studying their team to see what exactly we’re going up against and what we need to do.

“We’ve got some very talented players in this side and I’m confident that we can perform well on the day and get the result that we all want.”

Tickets for the England Academy versus Australian Schoolboy on Saturday, December 4 at Leigh Sports Village (K.O 2:00pm) can be purchased on the day and cost £3.

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#rugbyleague Blog 2010/11 - International Rugby returns to Leigh... tell as many people as possible!

Entry 26, 1st December 2010

The Leigh Sports Village will hold its second Rugby League International this weekend when Great Britain Academy will take on the Australian Schoolboys. This was confirmed today when I received the following e-mail from the RFL:

England Academy versus Australian Schoolboys fixture relocation

Due to unforeseen weather conditions across England, the RFL in collaboration with Barrow RL, have decided to relocate the first Test game between the England Academy and Australian Schoolboy’s to Leigh Sports Village.

The game was scheduled to take place at Barrow’s Mark Coward Stadium, but due to adverse weather conditions the fixture will now be contested at Leigh Sports Village on Saturday December 4. (K.O 2:00pm)

Tickets for the fixture can be purchased on the day and cost £3 

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Spread the word, retweet this message and feel free to post a link wherever you like advertising the fixture. This is great for Leigh to host another prestigious fixture but also don't miss the chance to see these Aussie Schoolboys. In the past these tours have unearthed such gems as Israel Falau, Brad Fittler and the like. You really could be seeing a superstar of tomorrow, today if you get my meaning!

I'll be covering the game and bringing a match report and news on these very pages. Stay tuned in.