England U16 put in a brilliant display for a 41-22 victory over Wales U16 at Bridgwater and Albion RFC on Sunday.
It was a thrilling performance from the young Englishmen, who scored seven tries on their way to victory. Four came in the first half, through Christ Hospital’s Lennoz Anyanwu, a brace from St Ambrose College scrum half Raphael Quirke, and one from Fullbrook winger James Botterill, who also landed a conversion for a 22-10 half time lead.
Three further tries followed in the second half, with Wellington College’s Jack Reid and RGS Newcastle’s Chidera Obonna scoring early tries before a bit of a resurgence from Wales narrowed things to 34-22, before Alfie Barbeary, the Bloxham hooker who has also represented England U17 this year, added England’s 7th of the game for the 41-22 victory, with Reid’s Wellington College teammate Will Sinfield adding a couple of conversions from the bench.
Sinfield and Reid’s Wellington College coach, Steve Shortland, is also the England U16 Head Coach, and speaking to www.englandrugby.com after the game he was full of praise for his young side, saying:
“There were two excellent sides on show today, both teams had their moments and I thought we scored some fantastic tries in tricky conditions. It was an incredibly exciting game of rugby, I thought we dominated the first half but Wales came back strong in the second and that was a big challenge for us.”
“In a short period of time together as a group they have gelled very well, I wouldn’t single anybody out but I’m very proud of the performance today.”
Full Time: England U16 41-22 Wales U16
England U16
15 Louis Lynagh (Hampton/Harlequins)
14 Joe Carpenter (Lawnswood/Yorkshire Carnegie)
13 Lennox Anyanwu (Christ’s Hospital/Harlequins)
12 Josh Hallett (New Hall/Saracens)
11 James Botterill (Fullbrook/Harlequins)
10 Will Haydon-Wood (Sedbergh/Newcastle Falcons)
9 Raphael Quirke (St Ambrose College/Sale Sharks)
1 James Whitcombe (Woodhouse Grove/Leicester Tigers)
2 Alfie Barbeary (Bloxham/Wasps)
3 Sam Riley (St George’s College, Weybridge/Harlequins)
4 George Martin (Rawlins Academy/Leicester Tigers)
5 Alfred Mawdsley (Aylesbury GS/Wasps)
6 Jack Reid (Wellington College/Harlequins)
7 Fin Rossiter (Pangbourne College/London Irish)
8 Harry Hill (Sedbergh/Newcastle Falcons)
Replacements: 16 Lewis Holsey (Archbishop Ilsely/Worcester Warriors), 17 Aristot Salomon (Whitgift/Harlequins), 18 Corey Payne (KES Five Ways/Worcester Warriors), 19 Sam Davies (Cardinal Vaughan/Harlequins), 20 Harry Dugmore (Tomlinscote/Harlequins), 21 Sam Clough (Edgebarrow/London Irish), 22 Will Sinfield (London Irish/Wellington College), 23 Chidera Obonna (RGS Newcastle/Newcastle Falcons).
Wales U16
15 Sam Earl-Jones (RGC/Eirias)
14 Dafydd Thomas (Aberdare/Aberdare Community School/Blues)
13 Bradley Roderick (Resolven/Llangatwg Comp/Ospreys)
12 Aneurin Owen (NHSOB/Gwynllyw/Dragons)
11 Morgan Richards (Caldicot/Gwynllyw/Dragons)
10 Sam Costelow (Pencoed/Pencoed Comp/Ospreys)
9 David Jones (Felinfoel/Strade/Scarlets)
1 Garyn Phillips (Abercynon/Ysgol Gyfun Rhydywaun/Blues)
2 Aneurin James (Pontypridd/Gartholwg/Blues)
3 Tom Sly (Pencoed/Pencoed Comp/Blues)
4 Ben Carter (Caldicot/Caldicot/Dragons)
5 Owen Jones (Aberaeron/Aberaeron/Scarlets)
6 Reuben Williams (Cowbridge/Cowbridge Comp/Blues)
7 Dillon Caulfield (Resolven/Ystalyfera/Ospreys)
8 Sam Williams (Burry Port/Strade/Scarlets)
Replacements: 16 Llew Phillips Taylor (Burry Port/Strade/Scarlets), 17 Matthew Iles (Pontypridd/Gartholwg/Blues), 18 Iestyn Haskins (Ystrad Rhondda/Treorchy Comp/Blues), 19 Teddy Williams (CRICC/Plasmawr/Blues), 20 Craig Miller (Llanishen/Glantaf/Blues), 21 Dan Hiscocks (Brecon/Ystalyfera/Ospreys), 22 Ioan Evans (Pontypridd/Pontypridd High/Blues), 23 Dan O’Sullivan (Cowbridge/Brynteg/Ospreys).
(Images via Andrew Sinfield)
