The AURL team’s first England fixture and it’s third match of the 2010 France/England Tour, was a convincing win for the tourists, defeating UK Combined Servces 50-0.
Played Wednesday afternoon 1 December on a snow covered Barnarby Road Portsmouth ground in freezing cold conditions, the Aussies dominated the game from the opening whistle, with second rower Daniel Sleeman scoring after just 5 minutes and a lengthy break by centre Mitch Seaton leading to a Levi Freeman try soon after.
The Combined Services defence was certainly willing enough but the superior speed of the Aussie attack proved too hard for them to handle with winger Hillal Kara-Ali crossing for the first of his 3 tries at the 12th minute. Minutes from the break five eight Michael Gavan sent half back Drew Dalton over to give the tourists a 24-0 half time lead.
The services team muscled up in the second half and it took some time for the Aussies to get into gear. Although Kara-Ali scored early in the half, it was only in the dying stages of the match that the floodgates opened.
Hillal Kara-Ali was voted Players’ Player whilst Michael Comerford was selected by the Servces team as its Man of the Match and the Aussies selected Jm Barnes as Combined Services Man of the Match.
The team has travelled to St Helens to prepare for the first test against the Great Britain Students on Sunday 5 December.
AURL 50 (Tries: Hillal Kara-Ali 3, Daniel Sleeman 2, Levi Freeman, Drew Dalton, Michael Comerford & Adam Hansen, Goals: Drew Dalton 5, Levi Freeman, Tommy Butterfield) defeated UK Combined Services 0
The AURL Team:
1. Anthony Don
2. Hillal Kara-Ali
3. Mitch Seaton
4. Michael Comerford
5. Adam Hansen
6. Michael Gavan
7. Drew Dalton
8. Marty Cordwell
9. Tommy Butterfield
10. Gary Windass
11. Levi Freeman-Quay
12. Daniel Sleeman
13. Smon Lakis
15. Jarrod Biggs
16. Brenton Stonier
17. Paul Salamakis
18. Luke Muttdon
19. Darcy Wright
20. Luke Kelley
Below are some photo’s from the match, courtesy of Sponge Beattie SBS Photography.
