Reggae Warriors beaten 28-12 in warm-up match

DERWENT PARK, Workington, England:

Jamaica’s Rugby World Cup squad was beaten 28-12 by Cumbria yesterday in a warm-up match for next weekend’s first-ever game in the competition.

After a bright but breezy and cool afternoon, the Reggae Warriors, featuring each of the five Duhaney Park Red Sharks who flew over last weekend, took to the field in front of a crowd of several thousands at Workington’s Derwent Park stadium.

Jamaica fielded all but four of their 24-man squad with only vastly experienced Britain-based quartet Ben Jones-Bishop (ill), Joel Farrell (suspended), Ross Peltier (returning from injury) and Jy-mel Coleman (knee) missing out.

On a pitch left slightly soft by rain in midweek and made more greasy by further rain during the game, the Warriors gave a commendable account of themselves in the first 40 minutes – level 12-12 at halftime – before conceding three more tries without reply in the second period.

The Cumbrian side, made up from their three semi-professional teams plus a handful of players born in the county, was forced to come from behind for their success.

Good work from scrum half James Woodburn-Hall enabled Bradford Bulls youngster AJ Wallace, making his Jamaican debut, to open the scoring for the Warriors after 10 minutes.

The hosts, playing as a representative side for the first time in 11 years, hit back almost immediately with veteran captain Kyle Amor, boasting several Super League titles and a Challenge Cup win with former club St Helens, forcing his way over.

Jake Carter, who plays for Barrow Raiders in the England’s second tier Championship, added the first of four goals to edge the Cumbrian’s 6-4 ahead.

Jamaica responded bravely with Halifax’s Woodburn-Hall – who usually plays fullback – going over with Kieran Rush this time converting off of the inside of the posts.

Cumbria were briefly reduced to 12 men when Tom Walker was sin-binned midway through the half.

But they struck next when Luke Johnson went over and Carter added the goal before a 39th-minute Rush penalty left the scores level at the break.

Cumbria took control in the second half to score three further tries, from Whitehaven’s Curtis Teare, Barrow’s leading try scorer Tee Ritson, his 34th touchdown of the year, and Andrew Bulman, also from Whitehaven, to help take the final advantage out to 16 points, with Carter adding two more goals.

Teams:

Cumbria: Luke Cresswell, Tee Ritson, Brett Carter, Curtis Teare, Andrew Bulman, Jake Carter, Ryan Johnson, Brad Singleton, Jamie Doran, Kyle Amor, Perry Singleton, Ellis Gillam, Steven Scholey; (substitutes): Connor Saunders, Tom Walker, Gregg McNally, Jordan Thomson, Liam McAvoy, Luke Broadbent.

Jamaica: Andrew Simpson Duhaney Park Red Sharks), Mo Agoro (Keighley Cougars), Greg Johnson (Batley Bulldogs), Jacob Ogden (York City Knights), Alex Young (Workington Town), James Woodburn-Hall (Halifax Panthers), Kieran Rush (Huddersfield Giants), Michael Lawrence (Huddersfield Giants), Ashton Golding Ashton (Huddersfield Giants), Jordan Andrade (unattached), AJ Wallace (Bradford Bulls), Keenan Tomlinson (Dewsbury Rams), Joe Brown (Workington Town). Substitutes: Marvin Thompson (Duhaney Park Red Sharks), Khamasi McKain (Duhaney Park Red Sharks), Chevaughn Bailey (Duhaney Park Red Sharks), Abevia McDonald (London Skolars), Aaron Jones-Bishop (Cornwall RLFC), Renaldo Wade (Duhaney Park Red Sharks), Bradley Ho (Keighley Cougars).