Carleton try snatches famous win in Tbilisi
MATCH-WINNING hero Tom Carleton is glad to have put a disappointing club season behind him by helping England Counties U20s to a famous victory against a strong Georgian U20s XV.
Drawn from players at levels three to eight, the Counties U20s travelled to Tbilisi as firm underdogs against a Junior Lelos side preparing to compete at the World Rugby U20 Championship in France.
However, a superb team effort was crowned when Fylde full-back Carleton, son of 1980 England Grand Slam winner John, burst through the line to score a sensational try at the death to seal a 24-17 victory after earlier tries from Connor Field and Tom Briggs.
“It will definitely be a try that stays with me for a long time,” Carleton told The Rugby Paper.
“We knew we’d have to take risks to get a result and to go to the back of the lineout when it was the last play of the game with the score tied 17-17, against a Georgian team that really backs its set piece, showed the way we wanted to play.
“We managed to get quick ball and, one minute I was watching the ball come towards me in the air and the next, I had 23 lads jumping on me behind the posts.”
After seven seasons at level three, Fylde’s relegation to National Two North was confirmed in March when they were well beaten at Blackheath.
Carleton admits it was a challenging season for him personally as well as the club. “Coming out here with the England Counties boys has been a massive lift and probably one that I needed,” he said.
“To play with some of the other lads from Fylde, like Nick Ashcroft and Ben Gregory, has been a real big pick-me-up, and has probably made me look forward to next season a bit more than I was doing.
“My first season of National One took it out of me a bit. Don’t get me wrong I’ve loved playing with Fylde this year despite the results, but it has been tough at times getting back into training on a Tuesday after a heavy defeat.”
Carleton is one of a number of players to have re-signed at Fylde for next season. “The lads are all behind Spraggy (coach Warren Spragg) and his vision for the club, and I think with a couple of key additions to the side we’ll be able to give it a good crack in National Two.”
While Carleton is happy to continue improving and developing as a player in what is perceived as the community game in tandem with his studies at Lancaster University, he is tipping younger brother Sam, a fly-half, for a big future.
“He is doing really well at Sale Sharks U15s,” he said. “He’s still obviously very young and we’ll have to wait and see how he goes but I think he’ll be a cracking little player and end up better than me.”