Warriors international round-up

• Four Warriors featured across both men’s and women’s international action in France on Saturday.
• Bateman scored a double, as Farrell also scored in Perpignan.
• Victoria Molyneux involved as Women beat France.

Saturday saw an international double header at Perpignan’s Stade Gilbert Brutus, with France hosting both England women’s and men’s sides on the day that the 2021 Rugby League World Cup was due to get underway.

The opening game saw England Women live on BBC 2, the first England international game to be shown on terrestrial television in another historic move for the Women’s game.

Warriors Women’s Victoria Molyneux started the game at loose forward in what proved to be an arm wrestle of a first half for England. Despite plenty of possession, it took until the 26th minute for England to crack the France defence as Amy Hardcastle, Paige Travis and Emily Rudge got England to a 16-0 lead at the half time break.

Cunningham got the first effort of the second half before Rudge, Jones and Beevers added further efforts to see England Women to a big victory over hosts France.

FT | France Women 4-40 England Women

In the second game of the double header, England faced France with Warriors’ John Bateman leading the side out as captain for the first time. As well as Bateman, Wigan’s Liam Farrell and Zak Hardaker also started for the England side, with all three having try involvements.

Farrell opened the scoring for Shaun Wane’s side after just three minutes, spinning away from his defender to score. Former Warrior Tom Davies added a second for England with an acrobatic effort before Tommy Makinson added a third.

Bateman finished off a well worked England try just short of the half time hooter, weaving his way to go under the sticks and put England to a 20-0 lead.

France had hit back in the second forty but Hardaker sent Makinson over to extend England’s lead. Sangare got a late consolation for the French side but it was Bateman who wrapped up proceedings, adding his second try of the afternoon in the 77th minute, captaining his side to victory.

FT | France Men 10-30 England Men