Showing posts with label Australian Universities. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Australian Universities. Show all posts

Monday, 6 December 2010

#rugbyleague BLOG 2010/11 Match Record 6

Entry 35, 6th December 2010

GREAT BRITAIN STUDENTS 20
AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITIES 30

Leigh’s international double header weekend entered a second day when Leigh East’s state of art 3g pitch hosted a hotly contested student international between the two old foes.

From the outset tempers were short and the first major incident, other than loose handling from both sides in the cold and fog was a 6th minute brawl where particularly Australian Levi Freeman was lucky to remain on the pitch. With several transgressors from the two sides it took the match officials a little time to sort out and Matt Garside (GB) and Anthony Don (Australia) were sinbinned.

It was Great Britain who settled down first and the Students took the lead when hooker Jonnie Horton, a massive influence in the first half, darted out from behind a play-the-ball and Nigel Scott supported to go under the posts before goaling himself for a 6-0 lead on 16 minutes.

With the pack featuring Adam Scott, Mike Sykes, Andy Marsh, Kris Hodson and Mark Wool, Great Britain remained in control and added a second try after 21 minutes. It came after a flowing move down the left was sparked by a Wool offload and Garside seared through the defence before finding Nigel Scott a second time.

Scott continued his point accumulation with the conversion and then added a 26th minute penalty when Garside was tackled high. Great Britain remained in ascendancy but couldn’t add further points despite the promptings of Jymel Coleman and Horton. The closest they came to a try was in the 34th minute when Coleman and Nigel Scott gave Jack Sampson some space but Australia tackled back with relish and centre Michael Commerford stood his ground.

Three minutes later Horton split the defence and won a penalty for his side. This allowed Nigel Scott the chance to add his fourth goal and increase the hosts advantage to 16-0.

From the resumption Great Britain knocked on and sensing an opportunity Jonathan Thurston look-a-like scrum half Cameron Bruce opened the defence with a pass to Mitch Seaton who returned the favour for the halfback to go under the posts and convert.

It meant that despite not really being in the contest for field position in the first half, Australia were well poised for the second period.

While Great Britain sought the warmth of the dressing rooms, the Australian coaching staff kept the team on the pitch and it meant that they started the second half a completely different animal.

A couple of minutes into the new half Sampson was pinned behind his line and from the resulting possession, Australia drove within range for the excellent Tommy Butterfield to bury through a mass of bodies.

With Don looking an increasing threat, the fullback broke into Great Britain territory. Marsh then conceded a penalty but it took a wonderful pass out of the tackle from Seaton to unlock the defence fully for Adam Hansen to finish well at the corner. A superb touchline conversion from Bruce put the Universities in front and they didn’t look back with Gary Windass and Luke Kelly setting a good lead.

Butterfield nabbed his second try after 52 minutes and when prop Marty Cordwell powered over for the fifth Australian try in succession twelve minutes later, the game was threatening to run away from the Students.

To their credit, the Students knuckled down again with Adam Scott prominent in many of their best plays while Sampson threatened on occasion. Largely though, Australia continued to work through their game with the field kicking of Drew Dalton pushing Great Britain back in demoralising fashion before Nigel Scott combined with Adam Scott to pull back a consolation near the end.

All eyes will turn to Cheltenham on Wednesday night with Great Britain looking to repeat their first half performance over the course of eighty minutes while the Australians will also want more consistency.



GAMEBREAKER: Halftime gave Australia time to focus and their quick start to the second half caught Great Britain out.

GAMESTAR: Tommy Butterfield controlled the game from dummy half for Australia in the second half and also notched two tries for his troubles.



GREAT BRITAIN STUDENTS



1        Jack Sampson

2        Kris Wilkes

7        John Paxton

11 Matt Garside

4   Harry Mostyn

19 Pat Smith

12 Nigel Scott

17 Adam Scott

23 Jonnie Horton

18 Mike Sykes

13 Andy Marsh

21 Kris Hodson

5   Mark Wool

Substitutes (All Used)

20 Jymel Coleman

3   Laurence Pearce

15 Liam Gilchrist

14 Dan Kerr



Tries: Nigel Scott (16, 21), Adam Scott (78).

Goals: Nigel Scott 4/4, Mark Wool 0/1.



Sinbinned: Matt Garside (6 – Fighting).



AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITIES



1        Anthony Don

2        Hillal Kara Ali

3        Mitch Seaton

4        Michael Commerford

5        Adam Hansen

6        Drew Dalton

7        Cameron Bruce

8        Marty Cordwell

9        Tommy Butterfield

10    Gary Windass

11    Levi Freeman

12    Simon Larkis

13    Luke Muttdon

Substitutes (All Used)

14    Michael Gavan

16    Brenton Stonier

17    Luke Kelly

18    Daniel Sleeman



Tries: Bruce (39), Butterfield (44, 52), Hansen (49), Cordwell (64).

Goals: Bruce 5/5.



Sinbinned: Anthony Don (6 – Fighting).



Referee: Warren Turley

Penalties: 15-12

Attendance: Approx 200.



Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match:

Great Britain: Nigel Scott

Australia: Tommy Butterfield.



Scoring Sequence: 6-0, 12-0, 14-0, 16-0, 16-6; 16-12, 16-18, 16-24, 16-30, 20-30.

Thursday, 2 December 2010

#rugbyleague Blog 2010/11 More International Action in Leigh this weekend..

Entry 27, 2nd December 2010

More International Rugby League is on its way to Leigh on Sunday when the respective Student teams of GB and Australia do battle.

Here is the official press release sent out by the RFL

The Great Britain Students Rugby League side are making their final preparations ahead of a two game Test Series against Australian Universities which is scheduled to kick off on Sunday.


The first Test Match at Leigh East is scheduled to kick off at 2pm and Great Britain will be heading into it full of confidence after triumphing in their two warm up fixtures.

Great Britain Students Head Coach Paul Fletcher said: “It’s going to be a very close series as Australian Universities boast some very talented players.

“But I feel our boys are better prepared than ever after two tough warm up games and our training camp at Liverpool University. Our forwards are working very well and we are forging some excellent combinations in attack, so the signs are very positive.”

Rochdale's Town team provided the first competition for the Great Britain Students team, losing out 42-18, before Combined Services provided a thorough work out in an entertaining game at Cheltenham which the students won 38-12.

The second Test Match is scheduled to be played at the Prince of Wales Stadium in Cheltenham on Wednesday night kicking off at 7.30pm.

The Australian Universities team have prepared for the series by triumphing over a France select XIII in Paris on November 23 and beating a French Universities side 30-26 three days later on November 26 at stade Mercier, Cobeil Essonnes, Paris.

Australian Universities also inflicted a heavy defeat on the Combined Services team in Portsmouth on Wednesday night.

Great Britain Students

> Jack Sampson (Leeds Met Carnegie)
> Patrick Evans University of Gloucestershire)
> Kris Wilkes (Llandrillo College)
> John Paxton (Leeds Met Carnegie)
> Matt Garside (Northumbria University)
> Dan Kerr (Loughborough University)
> Harry Mostyn (Loughborough University)
> Jy’mel Coleman (Leeds Met Carnegie)
> Pat Smith (Sheffield Hallam University)
> Nigel Scott (Leeds Met Carnegie)
> Mark Wool (Loughborough University)
> Michael Sykes (Leeds Met Carnegie)
> Adam Scott (Leeds Met Carnegie)
> Laurence Pearce (Bishop Burton College)
> Liam Gilchrist (University of Central Lancashire)
> Andy Marsh (Manchester Met University)
> Kris Hodson (c) (Leeds Met Carnegie)
> Joe Walsh (Leeds Met Carnegie)
> John Horton (Leeds Met Carnegie)
> Lee Hudson (Edge Hill University)

Coach: Paul Fletcher

Australian Universities

> Jarrod Biggs (Queensland University of Technology)
> Cameron Breust (University of Canberra)
> Tommy Butterfield (University of the Sunshine Coast)
> Michael Comerford (Central Queensland University)
> Martin Cordwell (Queensland University of Technology)
> Drew Dalton (University of Western Sydney)
> Anthony Don (Newcastle University)
> Levi Freeman (Master Builders Association Training Centre Canberra)
> Michael Gavan (Newcastle University)
> Joshua Goulton (University of Wollongong)
> Adam Hansen (University of Technology Sydney)
> Hillal Kara-Ali (University of Western Sydney)
> Luke Kelley (Australian Business Academy Sydney)
> Simon Lakis (Australian College of Physical Education Sydney)
> Luke Muttdon (University of Wollongong)
> Paul Salamakis ( McDonalds Training Department, Sydney)
> Mitch Seaton (Charles Sturt University Albury)
> Daniel Sleeman (Griffith University)
> Brenton Stonier (Central Queensland University)
> Gary Windass (Meadowbank College)
> Darcy Wright (Queensland University of Technology)

Coach: Grant Stephensen

Great Britain Students v Australian Universities (1st Test)
Sunday December 5
Leigh East
KO 2pm

Great Britain Students v Australian Universities (2nd Test)
Wednesday December 8
Prince of Wales Stadium, Cheltenham
KO 7.30pm