Congratulations to Sam Moa this week as he played a solid role in last Sunday's International against the English Schoolboy Acadamy. Although in a beaten team, Sam scored two tries and made numerous blockbusting runs through the English defence.

England under-18 built up a solid buffer before beating the Junior Kiwis 22-20 in an age group rugby league international at North Harbour Stadium yesterday.

The tourists led 14-0 at the interval but needed a late try to snatch victory after finding themselves behind 14-20.

The Junior Kiwis were bigger, more powerful and more physical but the English played as a team while the home side relied on individual performances.

England enjoyed a wealth of possession, troubled the Junior Kiwis with the accuracy of their kicking game and kept them pinned back for long periods.

The home side's defence held up well for most of the first half, but the pressure told on three occasions after a line bust by English fullback Lee Smith and again following good support play from halfback James Coyne.

The English scored their third try shortly before the interval after a sprint down the left flank by wing David Doherty.

The Junior Kiwis lifted themselves after the break and used a following wind intelligently to force three consecutive goal-line dropouts.

They scored off the last two of those through big barging runs by Sonny Fa'I and then Sam Moa.

New Zealand Warriors development player Frank-Paul Nuuausala dived under the defence from dummy-half for his team's third try and the Junior Kiwis found themselves ahead 16-14 with 20 minutes remaining.