SOUTH 30 NORTH 10
DAVID BUTLER, Sheffield Hallam University, Saturday 

SOUTH registered their third win in the ten-match series in a game in which players seeking to impress selectors ahead of the England Universities’ 2026 squad being announced were able to parade their skills on the artificial surface.

The match, which otherwise could have been a mudbath in the very wet conditions, opened with a try for South’s Henry Lenthall, Oli Winterbottom landing the first of his five goals from as many attempts.

Lenthall claimed his second score on 13 minutes, South retaining their 12-0 lead at the break, and the cushion was extended to 18 points after Jamie O’Keeffe crashed over a minute after the restart. 

Deusjes Nzage then had an effort ruled out for North, a touchjudge ruling he had stepped on the whitewash, before his teammate Leon Stewart crashed over for a try that Jake Dickinson couldn’t improve. 

O’Keeffe quickly replied before North’s Brogan Turner pounced on a loose ball, Dickinson finding the mark on this occasion. 

But the last word went, fittingly, to South, Winterbottom converting his own score. 

The England Universities squad is expected to be announced before the end of February. 

SOUTH: James Boyles, Tom Milton, Will Peasey, Ben Bell-Thorn, Alex Edun, Jacob Rigby, Oli Winterbottom, Fin Hay, Jamie O’Keeffe, Max Nissinen-Le, Ollie Patterson, Henry Lenthall, Tega Rume-Tabiowo. Subs: Noah Tyson, Shay Flanagan, Oliver McDermott, Tom Fleming, John Davies, Dom Barnwell, Finn Dagnall

NORTH: Mason McMurray, Deusjes Ngaze, Leon Stewart, Brogan Turner, Jake Dickinson, Ben Grindley-Roberts, Ryan Moses, James Leach, Will Lintin, George Moffit, Hayden Todd, Chayse Quigley, Josh Shackleton. Subs: Matty Rolls, Rob Mensah, Harrison Adams, Eddie Nolan, Matty Hand, Max Hope, Josh Barnard

Referee: Joe Stearne