Frontline Test
Great Britain Lions 42 d. France 14

2007 International Test Matches Index [Draw] [Player Stats]

Location: International > Nations > First Grade Competition: International Test Matches

Great Britain too strong for gallant France
Sat June 23, 2007
Source: www.therfl.co.uk

Tony Smith enjoyed a dream start to his reign as Great Britain coach as his young Lions roared to an eight-try victory over France at Headingley Carnegie.

Warrington Wolves forward Adrian Morley led Smith's experimental side to Britain's biggest win over the French since a 72-6 win at Leeds in 1993 on a night of huge promise for the British game.

Morley, the oldest man in Smith's team by some distance, led by example and was rewarded with his first try for his country, almost 11 years since making the first of his 27 appearances.

Livewire scrum-half Rob Burrow, who made up for the disappointment of his non-appearance on last year's Tri-Nations tour, grabbed a brace of tries in one of a host of eye-catching displays in front of a 12,685 crowd.

The St Helens quartet of Jon Wilkin, James Graham, James Roby and Ade Gardner all enhanced their burgeoning reputations while Kevin Sinfield showed his class after being brought back from the international wilderness.

Sinfield was forced into the stand-off role after the early loss of his Leeds team-mate Danny McGuire through injury and revelled in his familiar surroundings with a master-class of ball distribution to win the man-of-the-match award.

France benefited from the experience of the Catalans Dragons quartet but coach John Monie was also forced to include a host of part-timers from the French domestic league and the gulf in class showed in a one-sided second half.

It was a different story in the first half, however, especially when the visitors took the lead with two tries in five minutes from scrum-half Maxime Greseque.

The experienced Pia half-back demonstrated neat footwork in the build-up to his first score and then profited from a superb offload by debutant second-rower Cyril Gossard.

A conversion from another debutant, full-back Thomas Bosc, put the visitors 10-4 ahead but they only fleetingly looked capable of repeating their 1990 victory over Britain on the same ground.

Greseque, who had a brief stint with Featherstone, clearly anticipated a much closer contest as he attempted two drop goals in the first half, one of them from 40 metres out.

The French had to overcome early disruption caused by injuries to winger Constant Villegas and Bosc but they never threw in the towel.

McGuire went off midway through the first half but not before he had made his mark with the opening try, engineered by a break from deep inside his own half from St Helens winger Gardner.

Left winger David Hodgson, one of two survivors from Britain's last meeting with the French in Agen six years ago, was also involved in the move after earlier catching the eye with a try-saving tackle on Sebastien Planas.

Greseque's two-try burst clearly shook Britain but Burrow took a return pass from the clever hands of Morley to score his first try and bring the scores level with the aid of Sinfield's conversion.

And the game was effectively settled by a scoring burst of 16 points in 15 minutes either side of the interval.

A surge from Graham set up the position for substitute Jamie Langley to touch down before half-time and Smith's young Lions cut loose at the start of the second half, when they enjoyed an overwhelming share of possession.

Sinfield's craft and guile helped get Stephen Wild and Morley over for tries before Burrow finished off the best move of the match to claim his second.

A magnificent offload by Gardner got Paul Sykes in for Britain's seventh try and, although second rower Eric Anselme pulled a consolation try back for the French, Roby scooted over from Andy Lynch's pass out of the tackle and Sinfield wrapped up the scoring with his fifth goal.

Great Britain (16) 42
Tries: Burrow 2, McGuire, Langley, Wild, Morley, Sykes, Roby
Goals: Sinfield 5

France (10) 14
Tries: Greseque 2, Anselme
Goals: Bosc

Great Britain: Melling, Hodgson, Wild, Sykes, Gardner, McGuire, Burrow, Morley, Roby, Lynch, Ellis, Coley, Wilkin.
Replacements: O'Loughlin, Graham, Sinfield, Langley.

France: Bosc, Villegas, Stacul, Houles, Planas, Greseque, Moly, Guisset, Rinaldi, Ferriol, Anselme, Elima, Cologni.
Replacements: Borlin, Gossard, Mounis, Wynne.

Referee: S Ganson

Attendance: 12,685

Report source: www.therfl.co.uk

Article: Hungry Lions please Smith
Article: Mission accomplished for Morley


Seven Dragons in France squad
Thu June 21, 2007
Source: www.therfl.co.uk

France coach John Monie has included seven players from engage Super League side Catalans Dragons in his squad for the Frontline Test against Great Britain at Headingley Carnegie on June 22.

Former Dragons centre Teddy Saddaoui has pulled out through injury while ex-Catalans forward Aurelien Cologni, now with Lezignan, has been been called in as cover for Gregory Mounis, who was injured against Bradford Bulls last Saturday.

The 20-man preparation squad includes hooker Julien Rinaldi, who moved from Catalans to Harlequins RL at the end of last season, and Wakefield Trinity Wildcats forward Olivier Elima.

Thomas Bosc (Catalans)
Olivier Charles (Catalans)
Aurelien Cologni (Lezignan)
Cyril Stacul (Villeneuve)
Sylvain Houles (Toulouse)
Sebastien Planas (Toulouse)
Maxime Greseque (Pia)
Christophe Moly (Carcassonne)
James Wynne (Toulouse)
Jerome Guisset (Catalans)
Julien Rinaldi (Harlequins)
Jean-Christophe Borlin (St Gaudens)
David Ferriol (Catalans)
Eric Anselme (St Gaudens)
Cyril Gossard (Catalans)
Gregory Mounis (Catalans)
Constant Villegas (Toulouse)
Matthieu Griffi (Catalans)
Frederic Vaccari (Villeneuve)
Olivier Elima (Wakefield Trinity)

News source: www.therfl.co.uk

Thu June 21, 2007
• Five new caps for Great Britain, Morley named skipper
  
Thu June 21, 2007
• Frontline Test Preview: Great Britain v France
  

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