I received the following match summary about events in France last night when the GB Community Lions lost out to the France U25s team.
Great Britain Community Lions downed in Carcassonne
France U25s 24 v 6 Great Britain Community Lions
The Great Britain Community Lions went down to a 24-6 defeat to France U25s in Carcassonne last night.
Despite a tremendous effort from the Lions the French outfit – which contained several players with Super League experience – proved to be too strong.
The game was scoreless up until just before the half hour mark when Great Britain where penalised in front of their own posts, and despite many in attendance expecting them to take the two points on offer they decided to run the ball and were rewarded when quick handling gave centre Damien Cardace room to cross out wide for a score that was improved by David Guash.
That proved to be the only points until the final seconds of the half, before another French penalty was awarded and the reliable Guash was again on target to open up an 8-0 lead at the break.
The second period was just eight minutes old when France increased their advantage and stand off Guash was again involved.
A clever kick from the man-of-the-match was pounced on by winger Carlos Mendes-Varela and as the extras were again added things were looking bleak for GB at 14-0 down.
However, the Lions dug deep and with scrum half Tony Baker leading the side forward the side produced their best spell of play of the evening.
The efforts were eventually rewarded when Baker attacked the line before hitting his Ince Rose Bridge team mate Wayne Leyland with a great pass. Although there was still plenty of work to do the classy centre did it with ease and rounded a couple of tackles before touching down.
Captain Jordan Precious slotted over the difficult conversion and the Lions were back in the contest.
Despite another surge of effort that was as good as it got for the visitors and as the game entered its final quarter another great kick from Guash was collected by half back partner Stanilas Robin and he crossed the whitewash to re-open the 12 point gap.
With seven minutes left Precious was sent to the sin-bin and the hosts took full advantage to score the final points of the night as hooker Kane Bentley spotted a chink in the GB defence and touched down under the posts, leaving Guash with the simple act of tagging on the extras.
France U25s
1 Clement Soubeyras
2 Carlos Mendes-Varela
3 Damien Cardace
4 Mickael Tribillac
5 Quentin Nauroy
6 David Guash
7 Stanislas Robin
8 Mohamed Jamil
9 Kane Bentley
10 Andrew Bentley
11 Yoan Tisseyre
12 Kevin Larroyer
13 Florian Quintilla
Subs
14 Thibaut Ancely
15 Julian Bouquet
16 Maxime Herold
17 Eloi Pelissier
Great Britain
1 Joseph Budd (York Acorn)
2 Neil Wall (Bradford Dudley Hill)
3 Colin Marangon (Army)
4 Wayne Leyland (Ince Rose Bridge)
5 Shaun Robinson (Saddleworth Rangers)
6 Ryan Smith (Leigh Miners Rangers)
7 Tony Baker (Ince Rose Bridge)
8 David Dunwell (Normanton Knights)
9 Gary Phillips (Wigan St Patricks)
10 Anthony Gallear (Wigan St Patricks)
11 Mark Holmes (Hunslet Warriors)
12 Caldon Bravo (Hunslet Warriors)
13 Jordan Precious (Skirlaugh)
Subs
14 Tom Howley (Army)
15 Marc Donnelly (Army)
16 Andrew Lake (St Albans Centurions)
17 Moulay Mehdi (Hunslet Warriors)
Scorers
France
T Cardace, Mendes-Varela, Robin, Bentley
G Guash (4)
GB
T Leyland
G Precious
Half time: 8-0
