Scotland Rugby League U18’s began their European 4 nations campaign with an away fixture against a strong England Community Lions’ side at the home of the Halton Farnworth Hornets on Saturday 24^th May. Both teams were looking to build on the successful seasons in 2024 and had prepared well for the encounter. 

The game kicked off in very warm conditions on a dry, fast pitch with Scotland taking the long Kick Off well. Vice-captain Cuillin Stoddart-Shannly took the first of many carries back to England. This was backed up with great work with ball in hand from two of our young Bravehearts on debut Max Erasmus and Shaun Callan winning a penalty and getting the team up the field. 

After a couple of handling errors from both teams the game was very much becoming an arm wrestle in the middle. Young Braveheart Zack Emerson suffered a hand injury, dislocating a finger and was substituted, giving Ali Abraham his chance to take the field.  

Both teams were getting through the sets and putting pressure on each other’s defensive lines. Big tackles from Oscar Ellicott-McCulloch followed up with good kick pressure, that made England think twice about attacking his channel. This hard work was backed up with some great work in yardage from Callum Duncan, Shaun Callan and Jacob Walker.  With a great kick chase Scotland put a lot of pressure on the England defence. 

More fantastic work rate from the team holding England in their own 20 metres with huge tackles from Captain Seth Clapham and Debutant Jack Lister gave the team a huge amount of confidence. More impressive work from the young Bravehearts came on the right edge. A well taken high ball from Lewis Wright, backed up with hard runs from Charlie Jackson and clever ball play from Isaac Maclean gave the team some real go forward. 

Brilliant carries from the Scotland pack got the Bravehearts in a great attacking position, another pinpoint high ball from Oscar Ellicott-McCulloch was taken and offloaded by Isaac Maclean, which gave Charlie Jackson a great opportunity to score, but was held up just over the line.

England took the battle back to Scotland and their big middles really showed why they had been selected, lots of hard runs and quick rucks put a tired Scotland on the back foot.  A clever grubber kick turns the Scotland defence and has them having to work from their own try line again. More good play from the England backs pushed them into a great attacking position and this time, they scored. Good foot work and power to push through for the first try, the conversion was good and England were 6 up. 

The arm wrestle continued in the middle of the pitch, with  both sets of forwards slogging it out, wingers battling hard in yardage. Both teams not giving an inch until an unforced error at the play the ball gave England another great attacking position. Strong aggressive defence from two more forwards playing their 1^st game for Scotland Arran Jaimeson and Lucas Anderson Moore, both following in their families footsteps playing for Scotland, really push the England attack back on its heels.  

Scotland gave everything, the scramble defence from centre Harry Woodard and Winger Harrison Goldthrope forced another error with the ball from the England attack. 

The England Fullback showed some classy play and cut through the middle on the pitch and with 2 more quick plays England broke down the left and found a way through to score. England  10-0 The Conversion was missed.

The Bravehearts heads didn’t drop, and they pushed on. Strong runs from Max Erasmus, Harry Woodard and Lucas Anderson Moore got them back in the physical battle. England pushed back and came up with a good attacking set, the high ball went up but was received by the flying blonde winger Harrison Goldthorpe. With one look at the line Harrison spotted the space on the edge and hit the gas, going 90 metres to the tryline scoring the Bravehearts first try of the day. England 10 – 6 Scotland, the try was converted by S Callan.

England hit back with a try of their own, the Scotland defence missed too many tackles and with a bit of good ball play and a dummy pass England ran over to make it 16-6 at half time. 

The Bravehearts started the 2^nd half missing Lucas Anderson Moore as he picked up a shoulder injury in the last tackle of the 1^st half. But the team pushed on for him as he cheered the lads on from the dugout. 

The game continued to be a great contest, with not a lot between the two sides. Scotland had good field position but were unable to break through or get the ball out quick enough to the pacey wingers. England kept bashing the middle channel, working the Scotland forwards hard to break them down. 

Both teams started to struggle with the ball, and both knocked on several times which took the sting out of both attacks. A big carry from the always willing Jacob Walker got Scotland on the front foot again and good work from the newly introduced Ethan Frary kept the pressure on.

It was England’s turn next and they got a roll on down their left edge. Good work in defence from Zack Emerson and Callum Duncan who held them back but some quick offloads from England saw them find a way to the line.  England 20-6 Scotland.

Scotland looked for a way to hit back and did so in fine fashion. Good pressure from the kick off forces an England knock on and was followed by a second set of six.  That gave Scotland great field position. Strong carries in the middle from Jack Lister sucked in forwards allowing Oscar Ellicott McCulloch to spot the short edge and pick out a long pass to Harrison Goldthorpe who went over  in the corner for his and the teams second try.   England 20 – Scotland 12 Converted S Callan

England were fired up and some aggressive running from Scotland was matched with an equally aggressive defence. England forced several errors causing the Bravehearts into reverse.  But  they never gave up and were fighting at every ruck. 

Some poor choices with the ball give Scotland the reprieve they need, and they rallied again through Lewis Wright’s hard work in yardage and Harry Woodard’s working across the pitch, offering himself constantly. A few errors were creeping in, missed tackles and dropped balls, but the work rate and effort was always there. 

More hard work from Cuillin Stoddart Shannly and Arran Jamieson held the England forwards at bay, but England found a way through via a big looping pass to the right wing.  Eng 26 – Scot 12, the conversion was good.

Scotland needed a rejig in the line up as the lad’s bodies were feeling the pace.  Jacob Walker  was putting in some big minutes alongside captain Seth Clapham who seemed to be covering every position at times. 

England were now turning the screw and looking to finish the game strongly. Some big hits from a cramping Max Erasmus, hard work covering out the back from Callum Duncan held the edges together. It was all hands to the pump,  but again it’s all guts and hard graft never a backward step. 

The last score was hard on the team. Excellent ruck play from England’s hooker saw markers out of position and England were able to take advantage under the posts stealing a try and converting. Eng 32 – Scot 12

Head coach Leigh Beattie said after the game.

“The scoreline does not reflect the effort, work rate and sheer guts the lads put into this game. They have learned some lessons today and we as a group will build on this performance and push on towards the next game against Wales”.

Final Score 

England community Lions 32 – 12 Scotland 

Man of the match from Scotland – Full back Shaun Callan (Glasgow RL)

Try’s – 2 x Harrison Goldthorpe (Elland RLFC)

Conversions – 2 x Shaun Callan (Glasgow RL)