England Counties XV claimed their first ever win on French soil when they scored four tries to two to beat France Amateurs in a tense, compelling game in Beaune.
England finally nailed the win after 77 minutes when the youngest player to pull on a Counties XV jersey, 18-year-old Tynedale wingman Hamish Smales, scored a killer try.
France were in touch at 22-16 and growing in confidence thanks to some powerful work at the maul by their forwards. But when another attempt to rumble forward broke down on the touchline on the England 22, the ball spilled free. Smales seized the moment with aplomb, gathering the ball and racing 75 yards for a try at the posts that Moseley and North Midlands fly-half Ollie Thomas converted. The score gave the Counties the cushion they needed to see out the final minutes without any serious alarms, although the French never conceded the struggle and battled to the death.
Key to the Counties success was a superb defensive effort. Their tackling was both robust and precise and while the Frenchmen collected two tries via a superb kick by fly-half Benoit Arrayet that wingman Denis Mateu gathered on the full to score and a driving maul touchdown from replacement prop Yannick Margoet, it was the exemplary tackling which kept the Counties in the ascendancy. Nothing rouses a crowd more than a big hit – by either side - and this match contained a generous measure as the England forwards, notably the front row contingent, delivered some shuddering tackles.
Penalties by fly-halves Thomas and Arrayet opened the scoring, but the Counties crossed for the first time when Moseley and North Midlands hooker Adam Caves was driven over for Thomas to convert. Arrayet cut the deficit with his second penalty before a sublime pass from Thomas picked out Lancashire’s Preston Grasshoppers full-back Oliver Viney, who gathered at full speed and sliced cleanly through the French defence to score, leaving the Counties 15-6 ahead at half-time.
Mateu’s try three minutes into the second-half put the French back within striking distance, but a neat break by Thomas set up Wharfedale’s Yorkshire centre Chris Malherbe for a third try at the posts which Thomas converted. Back came France with Margeot’s score, but Smales had the last word with his breakaway score that Thomas converted.
“Winning is France is never easy for any English side and I’m proud of the way the lads performed,” said manager Jim Robinson. “Their tackling was top class and they kept their composure well when the French kept raising their game.
“It was a great team effort, with everyone getting a good spell on the pitch and everyone contributing. I was especially pleased for coach Paul Westgate, who leaves us after this. The lads gave him a send-off I’m sure he’ll remember for a while.”
England Counties XV: O Viney (Preston & Lancashire); P Reed (Nuneaton & Warwickshire), C Briers (Orrell & Lancashire), C Malherbe (Wharfedale & Yorkshire), H Smales (Tynedale & Northumberland); O Thomas (Moseley & North Midlands), T Handley (Stourbridge & Durham); D Cormack (Esher & Surrey), A Caves (Moseley & North Midlands), W Reed (Launceston & Devon), J Winterbottom (Henley & Middlesex) captain, R Stott (Moseley & North Midlands), M Evans (Moseley & North Midlands), J Munro (Nuneaton & Warwickshire), J Rodwell (Moseley & North Midlands).
Replacements (all used): D Brett (Blackheath & Eastern Counties), S Elkinson (Esher), R Snowball (Darlington & Yorkshire), S Williams (Stourbridge & Gloucestershire), N Hallett (Esher & Surrey), S Brocklehurst (Nuneaton & Kent), L Vinnicombe (Redruth & Cornwall).
T: Caves, Viney, Malherbe, Smales. C: Thomas 3. P: Thomas.
France Amateurs: X Haissaguerre (St Jean-de-Luz); Y Lucas (Grenoble), J Gauthier (Begles), V Sabardeilh (Argeles), D Mateu (Bedarrides); B Arrayet (Domont), G Dunyach (Argeles); L Marion (Chalon), S Boueilh (St Paul-les-Dax), J Garcia (Begles), C Ramond (Fleurance), G Beguery (St Paul-les-Dax), F Sabathier (Argeles), R Rysman (Cahors), O Dussaut (Nimes).
T: Mateu, Bargoet. P: Arrayet 2.
Referee: D Keene (Ireland)