The 2025 Student Four Nations kicked off on Sunday with two games at Highfield Sports Ground at the University of Nottingham.
England were victorious when the tournament was last held in 2023, and got off to a winning start this time round with Victory over Ireland.
Wales were also round one winners over Scotland.
SCOTLAND 10 WALES 34
IAN GOLDEN, Sunday
WALES, with Clive Griffiths back in the dugout and set to mark his 71st game as a Wales coach during the tournament while in his 71st year, almost inevitably ended a five-match losing run to signal their title credentials.
Scotland scored first, through Jacob Holt, but Wales were 18 points ahead early in the second half, thanks to tries by Lewis Ingram, Finlay Northrop, Thomas Moore, Lewis Howells and Leo Jones.
James Tufnell – who was subsequently sent off for allegedly sparking a brawl, with Wales’ Connor Thomas copping a yellow card in the incident – nipped over in response, but the Welsh sealed victory with touchdowns for Moore and Ingram, the former completing a three-goal contribution.
SCOTLAND: Owen Palmer, Jak Quinn, Jacob Holt, Mackenzie Cumming, Scott Shaw, Ben Neave, Hayden Cumming, Connor Terrill, Frazer Murray, Alex Woodhall, George Murray, Oli Reddy, Guy Chalstrey. Subs: Dom Aston, Oli Inch, George Kinnard, James Tufnell, Ethan Yarnold.
WALES: Lewis Ingram, Lewis Howells, Eli Weekes, Alex Naylor, Leo Jones, Llewellyn Hawkes, Tom Moore, Connor Thomas, George Groves, Alex Green, Fin Northrop, Archie Whillock, Mason Phillips. Subs: Conor Madden, Scott Simons, Iwan Stacey, Mason Apsee, Natt Cotton, Evan Moore.
Referee: Carl Hughes
ENGLAND 40 IRELAND 18
DAVID BUTLER, Sunday
The holders posted an ultimately comfortable victory over 13-man Ireland.
England were 22-12 ahead at the break, courtesy of a Jake Dickinson hat-trick, an Oli Winterbottom touchdown and three Fin Balback goals. Ireland’s James Farrar, meanwhile, had converted tries by Ollie Whitford and Will Waker in a rally from 18-0 down.
Depleted Ireland continued to impress in the second half, responding to a James Leach touchdown with a Sean Murray effort that Farrar improved. England, however, posted late tries by Ben Bell-Thorn and Leon Stewart, with Balback totalling six goals, to close as emphatic winners.
ENGLAND: Oli Winterbottom, Ben Bell-Thorn, Dan Perry, Leon Stewart, Jake Dickinson, Charlie Yeomans, Fin Balback, Ben O’Donnell, Will Lintin, Freddie Smith, Teddy Davidson, Mackauley Stephenson, Harry Lowery. Subs: Jamie O’Keeffe, James Leach, Elliot Martin, Alex Ringshall
IRELAND: James Farrar, Joe Boone, Ellis Keppel, Connor Brogden, Henry Jolliffe, Connor Colman, Sean Murray, Euan Haynes, Will Waker, Jamie Gill, Caleb Owen, Olive Whitford, Matteo Tafi. No subs.
Referee: Matty Clayton
Fixtures
Wednesday 2 July
Ireland v Scotland (5.00pm)
England v Wales (7.00pm)
Saturday 5 July
Ireland v Wales (2.00pm)
England v Scotland (4.00pm)
All matches at the Highfield Sports Ground, the University of Nottingham.