England Community Lions Under 16s record back-to-back wins in ...
England Community Lions Under 16s won the second match of their Home Nations campaign, having too much firepower for an Ireland side who competed well, yet had three players sinbinned at three different stages of the second half.
The Lions took the lead after just three minutes when fullback Jayden Tyson drifted left and hit centre Archie Storr with a good ball and he skittled his way over the line. Bobby Dickinson couldn't convert and Ireland responded brilliantly when stand-off Alex Gorman showed a good turn of pace to finish from forty metres. However, he couldn't convert in the seventh minute.
Five minutes later hooker Dylan Morris led the visitors' defence one way and then the other over 25 metres to score at the side of the posts. This time, Dickinson was on target with the conversion and added a 15th-minute penalty. The Lions stretched their advantage when Mason Bowes offloaded brilliantly and Saul Campbell went over on the left.
Ireland rallied with Zak Brand, Mikey Walsh and Tommy Rhodes well to the fore, before the Lions blasted through the middle. Inspired by captain Reece Galvin, England moved in and Seb Jeffers showed tremendous strength to spin, twist and turn his way through for a score and Dickinson's third goal ensured a 22-4 interval lead.
An excellent cover tackle from Rhodes denied Travis-Jack Morse in the opening stages of the new half, but the Lions did stretch their advantage when they spread play to the right and Mason Bowes scored. Jack Barker couldn't goal after he replaced Dickinson, who was forced from the field with injury.
Again Ireland fronted up, but they earned the wrath of match official Shae Harrison as from the 55th minute, the three players spent time in the sin-bin. The first yellow card was shown to hooker Joshua Guyan and centre Eugene Tinibu followed him in the 60th minute.
With extra space afforded to the hosts, they didn't hang around and another superb ball from Galvin sent Mason Bowes in for his second try for Bowes to goal.
Seb Jeffers then scooped up an ambitious low restart from Ireland and he showed great speed to beat two players down the touchline and fly in from sixty metres. Bowes added his second goal.
Ireland rallied and scored a well-worked try on the left from centre Mitch Ireland that Gorman converted well from wide out before blotting his copybook after becoming the third Ireland player to be yellow carded.
Again the Lions made their advantage count with Bowes appearing on the shoulder of Galvin to collect his third try and kick the conversion for the final points of the win.
Bowes deservedly collected the player-of-the-match award for his 18-point contribution while Rhodes impressed for Ireland with a non-stop effort at halfback.
The Lions U16s are in action again on 3rd August at the Gnoll in Neath when they take on Wales.
England Lions: Jayden Tyson, Ellis Holliday, Saul Campbell, Archie Storr, Alex Richardson; Bradley McDonough, Bobby Dickinson; Joe Higgins Meadows, Dylan Morris, Josh Doran, Seb Jeffers, Mason Bowes, Reece Galvin. Subs: Travis-Jack Morse, Prestem Burgess, Noel Gardner Lewis, Declan Rigby, Kolby Harmer, Jack Barker, Junior Redmond.
Tries: Storr, Morris, Campbell, Jeffers 2, Bowes 3.
Goals: Dickinson 3, Bowes 3.
Ireland: Mikey Walsh, Ryan Crawford, Mitch Ireland, Eugene Tinubu, Aaron Corbett; Alex Gorman, Tommy Rhodes; Jack Brown, Matthew Tootill, James Rodgers, Jamie Coop, Andy Lee, Zak Brand. Subs: Liam O'Reilly, Paddy White, Joshua Guynan, Alex Murphy, Conor Meadows, Samuel Waring, John Reynolds.
Tries: Gorman, Ireland.
Goals: Gorman 1.
Half-time: 22-4
Full-time: 44-10
By Dave Parkinson
Photo Credit: Ben Challis
