England Universities began their defence of the RFL President’s Cup with a scrappy win against Great Britain Teachers at Sheffield Hallam University Sports Park.
With the domestic season firmly in the rear view mirror, representative rugby league takes centre stage for England’s university players. Adam Houston’s 26-man England Universities squad, announced in March and featuring strong representation from recent national champions Leeds Beckett University and University of Nottingham, will set about completing an unprecedented RFL President’s Cup three-peat following their triumphs in 2023 and 2024. Their path to retaining their crown was made slightly easier by the withdrawal of Great Britain Police, who cited logistical struggles for their deferred participation, leaving just a three-team competition for 2025.
England Universities dominated the first 10 minutes with the likes of Ben Grindley-Roberts and Ben Bell-Thorn eager to throw the ball around and add another milestone to an already success-laden season. GB Teachers weathered the early storm, however, and caught the Universities defence cold for the opening score. The bounce from Jacob Cox’s wicked grubber kick deceived the Nottingham pair of Ben Price and Freddie Ziegler, and Nathan Lyon was the grateful recipient, pouncing on the ball to touch down in the left corner.
The Teachers side were unable to take advantage of that against-the-run-of-play score and Universities reasserted their dominance, eventually breaching the Teachers defence as Teesside’s Danny Salkeld barged his way through and under the sticks to get his team on the board. Price, who added the extras, then turned provider just two minutes later. A burst of pace from the full-back created a 3-on-1 attack on the left-hand side, but he opted instead to return the ball to the onrushing Dan Perry, who raced under the sticks to push Universities into double figures.
Teachers were finding joy on the left side of their attack. A sweeping move from left to right put the ball into Lyon’s hands and again, he showed brute strength to get his and his team’s second score of the game, leaving Ziegler and Grindley-Roberts in a heap on the floor.
Price added a penalty goal on the stroke of half-time to edge his Universities side’s lead to two scores. The two teams shared the first half’s try scoring exploits, but Cox’s missed conversions proved to be the difference going into the break.
Half-time: England Universities 14-8 Great Britain Teachers
A knock-on from Oli Winterbottom early in the second half gifted GB Teachers valuable possession just yards from the Universities try line. From the resulting play, the ball was once again shifted to the left and Nathan Lyon powered over to complete his hattrick.
Midway through the second half, and with just two points separating the two sides, Harry Kirk produced the play of the match. The substitute was handed the ball from Charlie Yeomans 20 metres from the opposition line. Faced by a red and blue Teachers wall, Kirk pierced a hole in the defensive line and swatted away the attempted tackles of 7 defenders, charging to the try line for an impressive score.
An inadvertent touch from Winterbottom, now occupying the full-back position, resulted in a scuffed goal-line drop from Fin Balback. Three tackles later, Teachers centre Will Cooke collected a short pass and carried three Universities defenders over the line with him to get the try and keep his side within touching distance of the lead. Dom Horn relieved Cox of kicking duties, but he was also unsuccessful with the conversion attempt, capping off a miserable night with the boot for GB Teachers.
The failure to turn 4 points into 6, combined with the 68th minute sinbinning of Ryan Morley for an off-the-ball incident, meant that Universities were able to keep Teachers at arm’s length for the majority of the match, and the England side took full advantage of their numerical superiority with one final try. Yeomans produced a jinking run and only had the full-back to beat. He instead passed the ball left to the supporting Perry for his brace.
Price added one more conversion for Universities before receiving a red card in the final few minutes of the game for eye gouging, adding a tinge of disappointment to a solid opening game victory.
Full-time: England Universities 26 GB Teachers 16
UK Armed Forces await in the wings and will begin their President’s Cup campaign on Wednesday 14th May against GB Teachers at Orrell St James. Teachers need to win, and potentially win big, to keep up their hopes of claiming the trophy, whereas a win for Armed Forces will set up an exciting head-to-head showdown with England Universities in London in June.
England Universities:
Ben Price, Freddie Ziegler, Ben Bell-Thorn, Leon Stewart, Jake Dickinson, Oli Winterbottom, Ben Grindley-Roberts, Harry Lowery, Will Lintin, Ben O’Donnell, Mackauly Stephenson, Dan Perry, Danny Salkeld.
Interchanges: Jamie O’Keeffe, Alex Ringshall, James Leach, Elliot Martin, Harry Kirk, Charlie Yeomans, Fin Balback
Tries: Danny Salkeld (23), Dan Perry (29, 72), Harry Kirk (57)
Goals: Ben Price 5/5
Sent Off – Ben Price (78) – Hand In Face
Great Britain Teachers:
Brandon Worsley, Nathan Lyon, Ellis Cousins, Will Cooke, Will Kirkup, Niam O’Grady, Jacob Cox, Aaron Hall, Ryan Morley, Henry Higginson, Sam Bardsley, Jack Walton, Chris Cullimore.
Interchanges: Max Day, Dom Horn, Carl Etherington, Reuben Walker
Tries: Nathan Lyon (11, 38, 47), Will Cooke (65)
Goals: Jacob Cox 0/3, Dom Horn 0/1
Sin Bin – Ryan Morley (65) – Off The Ball Challenge
Referee: Dan Geddes
