Sam Farmer took over the captaincy and steered an increasingly confident England to victory.

Wales led 7-0 with a converted try which was the result of a charge down when England got caught in two minds.

England fly half Ryan Mills replied with a penalty but the Welsh were recycling and kicking well, and England were under pressure playing into the wind on Millfield’s Jubilee pitch.

The flow of the game was also disrupted by a few knocks to both sides before Wales scored a chip-and-chase try, which went unconverted.

England began the second half by winning a line-out and earning a penalty at a ruck which Mills put through the posts.

Wales had their No 8 sent to the sin-bin for a technical offence and England took the lead when inside centre Will Dunkley cut back against the grain and found replacement flanker James Stephenson, who used his strength to crash over the line. Mills converted for 13-12.

Wales hit back with a penalty but England’s forward drives were effective and prop Will Bigley scored a try converted by Mills.

With 10 minutes remaining, Mills picked up with about five metres to run, both sides appeared transfixed for a split-second and the fly half went over unopposed.

“It was a really competitive game of rugby and a good way for the England 16 Group to finish the international season,” said David Maughan, Under 16 A team manager.

“We have had the lead coach, Gareth Rees, and U16 manager, George Squires, down here during the week, and all the boys have enjoyed the Festival, which started in 2000 with English divisional teams and now includes international sides from Europe and North America.”

Canada’s Under 17s finished the Festival with three wins out of three, including a surprise victory over France’s U16s who had picked up a few bumps and bruises in a thoroughly entertaining success over England in their first match.

Development is the name of the game, though, after three tough matches for each team on the field and the building of new friendships off it.

England Under 16 A: B Ransom (Tonbridge School & Kent); J Trueman (Solihull School & Warwickshire), G Elliott (Easingwold School & Yorkshire), W Dunkley (Bedford School & East Midlands), G Armitage (Wellington College & Berkshire); R Mills (West Exe Technology College & Devon), M Hogan (King Edward VII & Eastern Counties); G Burkinshaw (Ecclesfield School & Yorkshire), C Clare (Sedbergh School & Yorkshire), T Williams (Abraham Darby & North Midlands), A Lockley (Ivybridge College & Devon), S Farmer (Bedford School & East Midlands), W Skuse (Penair School & Cornwall), W Radburn (Tudor Grange & North Midlands, capt), S Northcote-Green (Dulwich College & Surrey). Replacements: W Bigley (Wellingborough School & East Midlands) for Williams, J Stephenson (Canford School & Dorset and Wiltshire) for Radburn, S Heygate (Guilsborough School & East Midlands) for Skuse, O Shaw (Bradford Grammar & Yorkshire) for Hogan, J Allan (North Halifax Grammar & Yorkshire) for Trueman. Not used: K Britton (Kingsbridge Community College & Devon), L Padian (Bishop Challoner Sports College & North Midlands), A Bone (Harrow School & Middlesex), T Barrett (Sedbergh School & Yorkshire), C Sadler (St Benedict’s College & Eastern Counties), M Yarde (Gunnersbury Boys Catholic School & Middlesex).

Tries: Stephenson, Bigley, Mills; cons: Mills 2: pens: Mills 2.

Millfield International Festival 2008

Competing teams: England U16 A, Wales U16 A, France U16, Scotland U17, Canada U17, USA U17, Portugal U17, Romania U17.

Results (all matches at Millfield School unless stated):

Tuesday April 1:

Wales v Scotland 21-17

Canada v Romania 45-0

USA v Portugal 34-3

England U16 A v France U16 25-33 (at Tor RFC)

Thursday April 3:

Romania v Wales 8-55

Scotland v Portugal 36-3

France v Canada 15-33

England U16 A v USA U17 52-10

Saturday April 5:

France v Scotland 11-20

Sunday April 6:

Portugal v Canada 12-25

Romania v USA 10-51

England U16 A v Wales U16 A 25-15

Ends