IRELAND WOLFHOUNDS 26 WALES DRAGONHEARTS 22
PHIL HODGSON, Castleford Panthers, Saturday

BAILY TAIT, whose grandfather Frank ‘Spanky’ Dyson was a fine fullback for Huddersfield and Oldham in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, and was also capped by Great Britain, could be a chip off the old block.

Tait, who featured on the wing for Ireland days after confirmation of his signing a professional deal at Goole, scored four tries in a memorable display that went a long way to the Wolfhounds not only registering a fifth successive win, but in securing a double over Wales, who had been beaten 26-18 at Neath in September.

Ireland, who have now won five successive games, also owed a debt to fullback James Farrar, who was incisive in attack throughout, while coach Wayne Kerr was delighted with the efforts of five under 18s players.

He said: “Issac Baynham, Oisin Carroll, Charlie Sweeney, Dom Green and Michael Walsh all had major inputs and the experience will have done them a power of good.

“Farrar was very good, and our middles were immense.”

Wales coach Si Reynolds had anticipated that his side would have the better of the closing stages. That, in fact, was perhaps the case, but the Dragonhearts could only muster one try in the bid to rally from ten points behind with time running out. 

Reynolds said: “We don’t always seem to get the rub of the green and the penalty count (10-3) against us certainly had an impact. I want my players to be aggressive – they can sometimes be close to the line, but not all referees like it.

“But I’m proud of my players’ performance, especially as 16 of our 28-man squad were new to the Dragonhearts. And I certainly can’t fault them for effort. If the game had lasted for another five minutes I’m sure we would have won, and it would have been the same when we lost to Ireland in Neath after having blasted back from 26-6 down to 26-18 behind.”

Tait scored his first try in the third minute, with Farrar adding the first of his three goals.

Wales went 10-6 up courtesy of touchdowns for Kurtis Haile and Llewellyn Hawkes, the first of which Dan Wilds converted, but Ireland bounced back with tries late in the first half for Paul McCullagh and – in collecting Tom Ashurst’s kick in some style – Tait, to lead 18-10 at the interval. 

Tait’s hat-trick score, two minutes after the restart, established a 12-point advantage, which looked like being extended when the Wolfhounds mounted an attack as the hour beckoned.

Hawkes, though, intercepted a Baynham pass to sprint 90 metres for a try (which he himself goaled) that left Ireland only six, rather than a possible 18, points ahead. 

Crucially, however, that man Tait claimed the next try, registered when the Wolfhounds had appeared to take the wrong option in moving the ball to the right instead of to the left. 

And Ireland duly held out despite late Welsh pressure which led to Alan Pope powering over on 74 minutes and Hawkes improving.

Kerr said: “I’m as happy about the performance, which is paramount, as the win.

“(Senior coach) Ged Corcoran has, over the past three years, put in place pathways which has given Rugby League in Ireland a sound structure, at many age groups. This victory wouldn’t have happened without him.”

WOLFHOUNDS: James Farrar, Baily Tait, Paul McCullagh, Ellis Keppel, Kyle Bassett, Issac Baynham, Tom Ashurst, Oisin Carroll, Conor Mahon, Daniel Lynch, Conlan Mawson, Patrick Walsh, Liam O’Callaghan. Subs: Kyle Barrett, Charlie Sweeney, Daire Kemp, Euan Hynes, Dom Greene, Conor Coleman, Michael Walsh

DRAGONHEARTS: Brad Lewellyn, Lewis Francis, Owen Thomas, Llewellyn Hawkes, Kurtis Haile, Dan Wilds, Elli Evans, Alan Pope, Nathan Tucker, Rob Davies, Brandon Lamb, Lloyd Allen, Ben Jackson. Subs: Chadd George, Ellis O’Grady, Johnathan Reid, Lewis Harris, Ryan Price-Jones, Sean Waldeck, Tom Spedding

Referee: Carl Hughes