England 18 Exiles 10: England enjoy their revenge but rain dampens Exiles experience

As Huddersfield Giants’ David Fa’alogo became the latest of many overseas Super League stars to spill another ill-advised pass inside his own half, it left many questioning the whole worthiness of this International Origin idea.

A collaboration of the best Australians, New Zealanders, Tongans and Samoans was supposed to give England the sort of thorough examination that the French never could.

Instead, though, they just looked like what they are – a disparate band of players who had never played together before. Indeed, at that point, the quality was so poor it could have been any Super League fixture featuring London Broncos or Widnes.

The difference between the Exiles and the French, however, and Super League’s cellar dwellars for that matter, is that for all their handling problems, you knew they would be able to defend whatever the weather.

A torrential downpour of Ukranian proportions had threatened to throw this opening game into farce, a horrendous deluge of rain meaning even the simplest of passes seemingly became taxing.

To their credit, England mastered those conditions better and were able to exert far more pressure on their opponents’ line, but, given their rivals’ steeliness, it was no surprise that all three of their tries came courtesy of kicks.

The Exiles defended manfully to rescue themselves from their numerous implosions and, eventually, gave Steve McNarama’s side a decent test – even if it was never easy on the eye.

For England, Gareth Hock made a decent return to the international fold after his two-year drugs ban, while Hull FC’s Danny Tickle – having not featured since 2009 – was similarly impressive in the second-row, giving a good account of himself with some purposeful angled running.

Leeds Rhinos centre Carl Ablett, one of three debutants alongside Wigan duo Lee Mossop and Josh Charnley, offered some decent assists down the right channel but it was the hosts’ superior kicking game that effectively won the contest.

It is very rare that such has been written in recent years but in Kevin Sinfield, Rangi Chase and, most tellingly perhaps, James Roby, England had a trio who could make things happen.

Chase, the Castleford Tigers half-back who won man-of-the-match when playing for the Exiles in their inaugural victory last year, dabbed a kick through which Scott Dureau could only get a flailing hand to in the 14th minute allowing Hock to pick up and coolly dummy his way over.

It was Chase’s hoisted crossfield effort which produced England’s second try, Ablett doing well to palm down for club-mate Sinfield who swiftly found Tickle to surge over.

Roby had gained position for that try, the hooker showing his craft with the boot by subtly grubbering through from dummy-half to force a drop out.

He did exactly the same in the second period to gain England possession for Sinfield to launch a high kick that left Joel Monaghan in trouble.

Sam Tomkins – the devastating Wigan full-back who was mainly subdued here – picked up the pieces and showed great finishing prowess and just marginally rounded his club colleague Thomas Leuluai to reach the corner.

Sinfield’s third conversion made it 18-4 after 46 minutes, the Exiles having shown their potential with a slick move towards the end of the first half.

Leuluai linked sharply with Dureau before the Catalan scrum-half fired out an excellent pass for Francis Meli to dive in at the corner.

Meli, one of seven survivors from last year’s Exiles team, was more noteworthy for his ferocious defence, however, twice coming in off his wing to rock Tomkins and Ablett, both times forcing errors.

For England, Chase did likewise, producing one of his increasingly familiar shuddering shoulder charges to leave Dureau grounded before, in the second half, winding David Faiumu with one well-timed effort and then chasing down Dureau in the same motion.

Leuluai, named captain following the late withdrawal of Brett Hodgson, denied Ryan Hall on the hour mark when he scrambled across to just put off the Leeds winger as he crossed. It came at a huge price for the Wigan Warriors star, though, as he suffered ankle ligament damage in the process and had to be stretchered off.

The early prognosis says the Kiwi half-back, so crucial to the Super League leaders, could be missing for eight weeks and it will clearly raise questions in future about whether clubs will allow their players to partake in this fixture.

The Exiles recovered sufficiently to claw back the deficit when Dureau slid a kick through for Catalan colleague and former Wakefield centre Daryl Millard.

He converted but England, who were well served by Huddersfield prop Eorl Crabtree up front, showed no signs of suffering the same late collapse as they had done 12 months earlier.

Back then George Carmont – one of seven Exiles who pulled out injured last week – scored at the death to take them home 16-12.

England captain Jamie Peacock admitted avenging that bitter loss had played on England minds.

“It was disappointing to lose last year, especially in that manner,” said the veteran Leeds prop, who is set to play his 450th career game tonight against Wakefield Trinity.

“Obviously, conditions made it difficult but we probably still spilt too much ball and that’s what we need to work on. I think our combinations looked quite slick at times, especially attacking their try-line, and they were quite desperate in defence to stop us from scoring so it’s something we can build on again.”

England: Tomkins; Charnley, Ablett, Atkins, Hall; Sinfield, Chase; Crabtree, Roby, Peacock, Tickle, Hock, O’Loughlin. Replacements: Burrow, Carvell, Jones-Buchanan, Mossop.

Exiles: McDonnell; Monaghan, Soliola, Millard, Meli; Leuluai, Dureau; Puletua, Hohaia, Lima, Manu, Waterhouse, Fa’alogo. Replacements: Faiumu, Laffranchi, Kaufusi, Lauaki.