Saints U16s confidently beat Broncos

Saints gave debuts to four more of the U15’s squad bringing the total in the team to eight, but you’d never have known as they all made the step up look easy.

Saints had opened the scoring within the first minute, Taylor Pemberton dummying his way over at the posts after the Broncos had gifted Saints possession straight from the kick off.

Daniel Moss knocked on from a MacKenzie Buckley break and then Kallem Rodgers had a try disallowed for a forward pass.

The first of three 1 on 1 ball steals leading to tries by the Broncos saw them draw level, the winger going 60 metres down the line.

The Saints regained the lead as Tom Lyon went through a massive hole on the last to score his first in the Red Vee.

Then a pass into touch on halfway gave the Broncos field position and four tackles later their prop Sanya stepped his way through to stride over, before two tries in three minutes gave the Saints some breathing space.

Four times in consecutive tackles Matty Parkes, Cole Appleby, Owen Blackwood and then Ryan Wood were held over the line leading to a repeat set after a neat Pemberton grubber.

Drives from Parkes and Reece Sumner allowed Rodgers to finally get his first try diving over in the left corner.

From the kick off Appleby and Parkes again put the Saints on the front foot and from a neat cross field kick on the last which was allowed to bounce Shay Martyn beat the fullback to open his account.

As always the Broncos were proving game opposition and 22 – 10 became 16 on the whistle as the Broncos scored from their second ball steal as the right winger went over.

The second half opened as last week’s game had with two glorious chances missed.

First Appleby inexplicably passed to a man in black not white after a great break and minutes later Moss knocked on with the line begging after Reece Sumner and Rodgers had combined to go 60 metres.

Appleby then charged the final 30 metres to the posts from a great show and go from Moss now operating at stand-off.

The heat was finally taking its toll on the opposition and the Saints showed no mercy in continuing to run in the tries. Reece Sumner scored the sixth try bursting through from 30 out and outpacing the cover to the left corner.

From a scrum on half way debutant Alfie Whittle showed his potential with a great show and go and clean pair of heels to score.

Rodgers could have got two more tries as he first bobbled and drop the ball over the line from another Reece Sumner break and then was held up over the line after another charge from Appleby.

But the Saints kept plugging away and scored their eighth courtesy of a cheeky quick tap and dummy from Moss.

The final try saw Keane Gilford go in at the left corner after good work from Appleby, Harrison Picton, Kieran Dean and the impressive Ryan Wood.

In between the Broncos had scored from their third ball steal and had the final word again on the whistle with a consolation in the right corner.

Match Summary

St Helens Scholarship U16’s: Daniel Moss; Keane Gilford, Owen Blackwood, Shay Martyn, Kallem Rodgers; Taylor Pemberton, Ryan Wood; Cole Appleby, Tom Lyon, MacKenzie Buckley, Ben O’Donnell, Reece Sumner, Harrison Picton.

Interchanges: Kieran Dean, Matthew Parkes, Theo Sumner, Sam Haynes, Alfie Whittle.

Tries: Taylor Pemberton (1), Tom Lyon (15), Kallem Rodgers (27), Shay Martyn (30), Cole Appleby (46), Reece Sumner (50), Alfie Whittle (54), Daniel Moss (67), Keane Gilford (75).

Goals: Taylor Pemberton 6 from 9.

London Broncos Scholarship U16’s: Alastair Reed; Padraic Tennent, Adam Jolly, Owen Michael, Rhys Cotter; Arthur Holding, Joseph Rees; Oluwafemi Sanya, Bill Leyland, Malachy Watts-Adams, Max Allen, Iwan Stacey, Owen Glover.

Interchanges: Ben Kennedy, Christian Grint, Theo Martin, Sam Yorke, Euan Parke, Callum Crozier, Thomas Laing

Tries: Rhys Cotter (10), Oluwafemi Sanya (18), Thomas Laing (38 & 70), Bill Leyland (80).

Goals: Arthur Holding 2 from 5.

HT:  22-16

FT: 48-24