England duo fit for Pumas showdown
HUDDERSFIELD YMCA Under 11s were looking to make it 12 months unbeaten and extend their winning run to 26 matches as they met Old Rishworthians at Laund Hill.
The teams were split into two as both clubs had large squads and in game one YMCA ran out 45-10 winners with tries coming from Jacob Algar (3), Max Turner (2), Isaac Jepson (2) and one each for Harry Fell and Harry Smith.
YMCA were rarely troubled with the forwards dominating up front and creating the perfect platform which allowed the backs to demonstrate how good they are with ball in hand.
Parents man-of-the-match was awarded to Marley Vance, who ran and tackled strongly throughout the game, and the coaches man-of-the-match went to Isaac Jepson for listening the Tests against Argentina and Australia, he is now poised to start on the wing.
Anthony Watson is set to start on the other wing, Mike Brown completing the back three, with May offering bench cover unless he is ruled out, in which case Semesa and putting into practice what had been worked on in training.
In game two Rishworthians made the better start but YMCA came back from going two tries down and dug deep to win 35-15.
Again it was the forwards that bossed it up the middle Rokoduguni is present to step in.
Every one of the British and Irish Lions included in the training squad to prepare for Argentina’s visit to London have been retained.
Jones had indicated he would rest a number of his Lions this autumn with the 2019 World Cup in mind, but all 10 have been selected including Watson and Daly.
They are unlikely to be stood down for the toughest fixture of the schedule against Australia, leaving the final Test against Samoa as their breather if Jones honours his pledge.
Jones had stated a number of his Lions arrived into the Portugal camp deconditioned and needed to be given vastly reduced training programs before it would be decided if they are fit to play.
One midfield player and one back five forward will join May or Rokoduguni and as a team they showed great character to turn the game around.
Try scorers were Sam Freudemann (3), Harry Long (2), Will Murphy and Joe Brook.
Long was awarded Parents and the coach’s man-of-thematch awards. in being culled to reduce the squad to 23 for the match.
Alex Lozowski and Henry Slade are duelling for the role of supporting playmaker and centre while the openside berth appears to be a shootout between Tom Curry and Sam Underhill.
Four locks are set to be involved on Saturday in Joe Launchbury, George Kruis, Courtney Lawes and Maro Itoje, the latter two also offering back row cover.
D Care (Harlequins), O Farrell (Saracens), G Ford (Leicester Tigers), J Joseph (Bath Rugby), A Lozowski (Saracens), H Slade (Exeter Chiefs), B Youngs (Leicester Tigers).
T Curry (Sale Sharks), N Hughes (Wasps), M Itoje (Saracens), G Kruis (Saracens), J Launchbury (Wasps), C Lawes (Northampton Saints), C Robshaw (Harlequins), S Underhill (Bath Rugby).
D Cole (Leicester Tigers), E Genge (Leicester Tigers), J George (Saracens), D Hartley (Northampton Saints), M Vunipola (Saracens), H Williams (Exeter Chiefs). HUDDERSFIELD YMCA Under 14s were knocked out of the Yorkshire Bowl at the last 16 stage – beaten 41-7 by Guisborough.
In the opening exchanges, YMCA youngsters more than held their own and the exciting contest swung from end to end.
With a number of players playing out of position due to players being unavailable – including last year’s prop forward Dan Lloyd putting in a great performance at outside centre – YMCA could have been excused of looking disjointed in attack, but it wasn’t the case.
Both outside backs Archie Roberts and Nathan Wingfield made good inroads into Guisborough territory.
The match became a battle of attrition until the visitors started to use their own possession out wide and utilise their big runners and they scored the first try of the game on 16 minutes.
To get straight back into the game, the home side looked to try something different and sprinted back to the half-way line to take the quick kick-off.
Despite catching their opponents off guard, Guisborough regrouped well and broke the first tackle to sprint away for their second try in as many minutes – this time the conversion was successful.
Once again YMCA bravely dug in with Luke Earnshaw excelling with ball in hand and in defence and he shared the man-of-the-match award with Lloyd , but Guisborough scored the final try of the half in time added on for stoppages.
Unfortunately for the home team, Guisborough started the second half just like they finished the first and quickly rattled up three more scores.
YMCA’s cause wasn’t help with injuries to Finbar Drennan, Archie Roberts and Elmo Morgan but not once did the team give up.
And with the final play of the game, they got just what they deserved with a try from Layton Morris under the posts – Earnshaw added the extras.
With a disappointing result it would be easy for the team to get disheartened, however, every player played with pride and passion right through to the final whistle and all of them are now looking forward to playing Wath Upon Dearne tomorrow night under the floodlights.