Rugby Football Union - England deaf win four nations

England deaf win four nations

By Howard Gilbert

When England Deaf Rugby lost their first ever match to France last autumn, Head Coach Geoff Atkinson promised, “We will beat the French when we return.” And so they did by 12-20 in Lille last month, bringing them the coveted Four Nations title.

With the French backs penalised for offside, the England pack rolled forward, with the opposition using any measures to stop them, the French prop eventually sin binned for pulling a maul down. A solid French defence kept the half to 3-3 as kickers Gavin Jackson and Jeremy Escare traded penalties. The physicality of the game resulted in Brett Pruce coming on as hooker for an injured Craig Pothecary and Robert Hill replacing Andrew Millership. Despite their valiant efforts and good work from prop Nick Todd and James Hart, a France penalty gave the home team the lead early in the second half.

England's sustained pressure saw them win the ball on the 25-metre line and move it down the back line for prop Nick Todd to come wide and offload to winger Ben Warner to run in at the corner flag, taking them to 6-8. France soon kicked another penalty, however, making it 9-8. England brought on David Millard for Piesley and Steve Bloxham replaced injured full back Jackson.

A charging run by Doyle followed, the ball offloaded to centre Gilbert who powered over for a great try to give England a 9-13 lead, before France answered with a penalty bringing them within one point. With ten minutes to go, England’s forwards secured victory. From a 5-metre scrum captain Richard Jackson, at No 8, picked up and drove to the line and flanker Tim Sawyer ripped the ball to score a try which, converted by Nick Doyle, gave England a well deserved 12-20 win.

Said Geoff Atkinson, “The result showed how far the team have progressed since our first meeting in July. This was another highly successful occasion for Deaf Rugby and deaf sport in general.”
England had earlier secured a 14-11 win against Wales (pictured) in a proverbial game of two halves, with an intially confident Wales faltering when England finally settled to play with greater fluidity. England conceded an early penalty for encroaching and Wales continued pressure until a foray into Welsh territory brought a penalty for full back Gavin Jackson, levelling the score at 3-3.

A Wales try gave them a 3-8 lead, soon to become 3-11 with a further penalty. Motivated by Geoff Atkinson’s pep talk, and a few tactical switches England took to the field with fresh determination and Wales conceded a further penalty bringing the score to 6-11. With a Welsh player in the sin bin, Gavin Jackson again obliged with the penalty kick taking the score to 9-11. Winger Warner finished off a fine sequence of play scoring by the flag for England’s first international try and England were 14-11 ahead with less than 10 minutes to go. Forwards Taylor, Millard and Pothecary fought it out up front to secure possession from a Welsh side determined not to lose. Gilbert, subsequently made man of the match, was binned and the Welsh team were awarded three penalty attempts but, kicking into a tricky wind, failed to find the target.