English Schools 28

France Cadets 23

A LATE try from Nathan Armitage snatched victory for English Schools in their your 'Test' against France at Cougar Park on Tuesday evening.

The French Cadet side was held up for over two hours when they M62 was closed following a multi-vehicle crash and the planned 7pm kick off was delayed until 8.30pm. But despite spending four hours on a coach travelling from Wigan, the French side played some superb rugby.

They edged an early lead with a penalty before England steamed into the lead with tries from Danny Houghton, Thomas Sheldrave and Marc Shackley to take a 16-2 lead.

The game looked to be going the way of the 34-0 victory for England in their first meeting, but the Cadets had improved their organisation during intensive training sessions and hit back with tries from Lional Navaro and Thibault Ancely to go into the break just 16-12 down.

A seocnd try from Ancely after the break put them level and set up a period of breathtaking rugby in the second half.

Adam Myers and Kevin Liguoro exchanged tries with the conversion of Steve Tyrer giving England a slender two point lead. The impressive Fabian Bourrell landed a drop goal and a penalty to give France a one point lead with two minutes to go.

Nathan Armitage stormed over for a try, converted by Tyrer, with the last move of the match, to give England victory.

Star of the England Schools side, No 10 Sam Burgess took the man of the match award to join an impressive line-up of previous winners which includes Lee Crooks, Sean Edwards, Andrew Farrell, bobby Goulding, Paul Sculthorpe, Kevin Sinfield and Leon Price.