WAKEFIELD TRINITY UNDER 19s 22-20 WARRINGTON WOLVES UNDER 19s

Report by Dave Whalley, Images by Bob Brough.

Warrington Wolves Under 19s were very unlucky to suffer a narrow defeat at Wakefield Trinity in their final Academy Championship game of the season at Sandal Rugby Union Club on Thursday evening.

The Wolves opened the scoring in the fifth minute when a planned move saw scrum half Leon Hayes cleverly chip over the Wakefield defensive line and winger Jake Thewlis collected the ball as the full back approached, spun passed him and then rounded the covering winger to score a superb try under the posts. Centre Lewis Hughes converted but then six minutes later Trinity replied when a repeat set ten metres from the Wolves line saw the ball swept out to second row Leon Ruan who powered over on the left. Scrum half Robbie Butterworth added the conversion.

Shortly afterwards good hands by the Wolves saw the ball reach Hayes and he found full back Noah Booth linking into the line and he glided through the defence to score a fine try wide out on the right but then just before the half hour mark Wakefield sent the ball out wide to winger Lewis Murphy and he raced seventy metres down the wing to outpace the Wolves defence and score at the left of the posts. Butterfield added the conversion to put his side in front for the first time.

Seven minutes before the break a lovely ball from Wolves substitute Tom Inman found hooker Denive Balmforth at speed and he rounded the full back on a thirty metre run to score under the posts. Hughes converted to give the Wolves a 16-12 half time advantage.

Narrow defeat for U19s in season finale