WARRINGTON WOLVES U20s 46 SALFORD CITY REDS U20s 18

Warrington Wolves produced an excellent performance to gain an excellent victory over a very experienced Salford City Reds side in the RFL Academy Under 20s Championship at Wilderspool Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The game was in the balance for the opening hour with both sides having periods of domination but the Wolves turned on the style in the final quarter to run out very convincing winners, scoring several quality tries in the process.

The Wolves opened the scoring in the eighth minute when a high kick on the last tackle by scrum off Gareth O’Brien was superbly palmed back by winger Kevin Penny to centre Ryan Shaw who scored in the right corner and then three minutes later a brilliant chip over by O’Brien saw him collect the ball and find hooker Gavin Williams in support to race thirty metres to score wide out on the left. Stand off Craig Harvey landed two fine conversions.

Warrington increased their lead when a kick downfield by O’Brien was fumbled by the Salford full back in his own in-goal area and winger Rhys Williams was on hand to pounce on the loose ball and score in the left corner but the Reds hit back just after the midway point of the half when stand off Tom Whitehead stepped round the defenders to score under the posts after second row Ben Wood had been held on his back over the line. Scrum half Carl Sneyd converted.

Seven minutes before the break a chip ahead by centre Brad Hargreaves bobbled around in the Wolves in-goal area and Sneyd reacted quickest to score at the left of the posts. Sneyd goaled himself to make the half time score 16-12 to the Wolves.

A 40/20 by O’Brien eight minutes into the second half put the Wolves close to the Reds line and after second row James Laithwaite had been held just short Harvey found centre Rhys Evans out wide to score in the left corner. Harvey converted but the Reds responded when good work close to the Wolves line saw hooker Jeremy Smith put substitute Adam Walne over at the side of the posts. Sneyd added the simple conversion.

The Wolves response was swift and superb work by Harvey saw him find substitute Liam Hulme whose sublime offload put second row James Laithwaite over at the side of the posts and then almost immediately a long kick down field by Harvey saw R. Evans collect and a quick play the ball saw Harvey go on his own and squeeze over in the left corner. Harvey added both conversions to put his side in command at 34-18.

Warrington moved further ahead when R. Williams used his strength to stretch out and go over under the posts and two minutes later a fantastic offload from loose forward Jack Cooper sent Laithwaite racing over. Harvey again tagged on the extras on both occasions to give the Wolves a thoroughly deserved 46-18 victory.

After the game Wolves Under 20s Head Coach Richard Marshall was delighted with his side’s display. He said, “The way we played today was very special. To come up against a very experienced side like that who were unbeaten before today and put in that sort of performance was unbelievable. We had a very young side out there with the majority of them still eligible to play in the Under 18s and every one of them can be proud of the way they went about their game. After the second half debacle last weekend against Wakefield the lads knew that they had to make up for it today and they did exactly as they were told and the final scoreline was a true reflection of our superiority. We had lost more players in the week to injury and that left us a little light in terms of body size but you wouldn’t have thought that watching them out on the field. The back row of Ben Evans, James Laithwaite and Jack Cooper were outstanding and that allowed the half back pairing of Gareth O’Brien and Craig Harvey to run the game. O’Brien’s kicking game in general play was a constant menace to Salford with yet another 40/20 that paved the way for a try and Harvey was superb with his goalkicking landed several from the touchline. Young centres Rhys Evans and Ryan Shaw, 17 and 16 respectively, showed that they have very bright futures in the game.”

Marshall added, “We now have to turn our attention to Hull Kingston Rovers next Saturday and it will be the first visit to Humberside for many of the lads so it will be good to see how they handle a long trip away. If we can play anything like we did today then we will give ourselves a great chance of getting something out of the game.”

WOLVES

Tries
Ryan Shaw (8 mins), Gavin Williams (11), Rhys Williams (17, 6icon_cool.gif, Rhys Evans (4icon_cool.gif, James Laithwaite (58, 70), Craig Harvey (60),

Goals
Craig Harvey 7 from 8

REDS

Tries
Tom Whitehead (23), Marc Sneyd (33), Adam Walne (54)

Goals
Marc Sneyd 3 from 3


WOLVES

Chris Murphy, Kevin Penny, Rhys Evans, Ryan Shaw, Rhys Williams, Craig Harvey, Gareth O’Brien, Adam Neal, Gavin Williams, Jamie Peasnell, Ben Evans, James Laithwaite, Jack Cooper.

Subs: Scott Leatherbarrow, Chris Fleming, Liam Hulme, Anthony Morrison.

REDS

Lewis Palfrey, Eddie Vaughan, Brad Hargreaves, Max Wiper, Richard Lipori, Tom Whitehead, Marc Sneyd, Jack Spencer, Jeremy Smith, Mathew Haggerty, Toby Adamson, Ben Wood, Ben Burrows.

Subs: Marlon Alker, Jordan Walne, Paul Steel, Adam Walne.

Referee: Paul Stockman (Selby).

Can't believe Rhys Evans and Ben Evans are still only 17 Ben is like a tank already.

which do you think are better of the two ?

I think Ben is going to be a good 'un. He has that controlled nasty streak that separates good from great players.

Only seen Ben play twice and Rhys once Rhys is the one I have heard most about on here and at the games not surprising when you see that try on youtube, just thought yesterday he did everything very easy little step when taking the ball in nearly got a gap a couple of times, also his try he did a little spin after taking in the pass which created more room the game just seems natural to him, Ben is very hard running looks a real tough lad with a good bit of size already he put a great hit on the Salford number 14 in the second half the lad felt it.

Both looked very very good prospects in there positions not seen enough to say who is better they arent the only ones though in that U20 team though Harvey and Shaw look good as well I will be going to more of these games this season.

Like it. The thing Lee Mitch is missing at the moment it appears - hope the lad finds it, probably just needs a bloody good punch in the marble pouch.