England Knights
{{Short description|Rugby league team of England}}
{{EngvarB|date=July 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2014}}
{{Infobox rugby league representative team
| Name = England Knights
| Badge =
| Badge_size = 200px
| Nickname = The Knights
| Governing body = Rugby Football League
| Region = Europe
| Coach = Paul Anderson
| Captain = TBA
| RLIF Rank =
| Most caps = Jodie Broughton (5)
| Top try-scorer = Jodie Broughton (6)
| Top goal-scorer = Jordan Turner (9)
| Top point-scorer = Luke Gale (28)
| First international= {{flagicon|England}} Knights 38–18 {{rl|France}}
(15 October 2011)
| Largest win ={{flagicon|England}} Knights 62–4 {{rl|Ireland}}
(16 June 2012)
| Largest loss =
| World cup apps =
| World cup first =
| World cup best =
}}
England Knights is the feeder team for the England national rugby league team. The Knights play a key role in the development of emerging talent, allowing players to gain experience in an international environment and to compete for a place in the England first team.
History
=1990s and 2000s: Background=
The idea of a second England team originated in the 1990s as "Emerging England" to give young players a chance to play internationally before being called up to the senior side. Throughout the late 1990s and 2000s Emerging England played against the senior sides of developing nations. In another incarnation as "England A" (not to be confused with the Amateur Four Nations team), the team took on the Australian national rugby league team in the second game of the 2003 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France. Australia defeated England A 26–22 in front of 6,817 fans.
=2011–13: Formation=
England Knights were officially formed in 2011, eight years after England A played Australia. A squad of players under 25 were chosen play against France and where they came out 38–18 victors. The following year they competed in and won the 2012 European Championship and defeated Samoa in a 2013 test match.
=2014–17: Hiatus=
The England Knights team was not utilised between 2014 and 2017.
=2018: Return=
In 2018 it was announced that the Knights would go on a two series tour of Papua New Guinea.{{Cite web |title=England Knights announce two-game tour of Papua New Guinea |url=https://www.skysports.com/amp/rugby-league/news/12196/11377267/england-knights-announce-two-game-tour-of-papua-new-guinea |access-date=2024-04-25 |website=Sky Sports |language=en}}{{cite web | url=https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/england-knights-to-tour-papua-new-guinea | title=England Knights to tour Papua New Guinea | date=18 May 2018 }}
Competitive Records
=Overview=
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" | |||||
| style="width:200px;"|Opponent
!width="80"|Matches !width="70"|Won !width="70"|Drawn !width="70"|Lost !width="70"|Win % | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 88% |
| {{flagicon|Cumbria}} Cumbria | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| {{rl|FRA}} | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| {{rl|IRE}} | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| {{rl|JAM}} | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| {{rl|PNG}} | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 50% |
| {{rl|SAM}} | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| {{rl|SCO}} | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
=List=
;As England A
| class="wikitable"
! Date !! Home team!! Score !! Away team!! Competition !! Location !! Attendance !! Ref. |
| 30 October 2002
|{{flagicon|England|16}} England Knights |12–34 |{{rl|NZL}} |Friendly | | |
| 28 October 2003
|{{flagicon|England|16}} England Knights |22–26 |{{rl|AUS}} |Friendly |6,817 |
;As England Knights
| class="wikitable"
! Date !! Home team!! Score !! Away team!! Competition !! Location !! Attendance !! Ref. |
| 15 October 2011
|{{flagicon|England|16}} England Knights |38–18 |{{rl|FRA}} |Friendly | |2,071 | |
| 22 October 2011
|{{flagicon|Cumbria|16}} Cumbria |12–26 |{{flagicon|England|16}} England Knights |Friendly | |1,163 |
| 16 June 2012
|{{flagicon|England|16}} England Knights |62–4 |{{rl|IRE}} |Friendly | |11,083 | |
| 20 October 2012
|{{rl|IRE}} |4–56 |{{flagicon|England|16}} England Knights |rowspan=2|2012 European Championship |Deramore Park, Belfast | |
| 28 October 2012
|{{rl|SCO}} |24–62 |{{flagicon|England|16}} England Knights |Meggetland Stadium, Edinburgh | | |
| 19 October 2013
|{{flagicon|England|16}} England Knights |52–16 |{{rl|SAM}} |Friendly | | |
| id="2018 Knights tour"
|27 October 2018 |{{rl|PNG}} | 12–16 |{{flagicon|England|16}} England Knights |rowspan=2|2018 Knights tour | Lae, Papua New Guinea | | |
| 3 November 2018
|{{rl|PNG}} | 32–22 |{{flagicon|England|16}} England Knights | Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea | |
| 20 October 2019
|{{flagicon|England|16}} England Knights | 38–6 |{{rl|JAM}} |Friendly |7,113 |
| 15 October 2021
|{{flagicon|England|16}} England Knights | 56–4 |{{rl|JAM}} |Friendly |2,250 |{{Cite web |title=Youthful England Knights defeat Jamaica |url=https://www.rugby-league.com/article/36158/youthful-england-knights-defeat-jamaica |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=www.rugby-league.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Jamaica 4-56 England Knights: Paul Anderson's young stars shine against Reggae Warriors |url=https://www.skysports.com/amp/rugby-league/news/12196/12434670/jamaica-4-56-england-knights-paul-anderson-s-young-stars-shine-against-reggae-warriors |access-date=2024-04-25 |website=Sky Sports |language=en}} |
| 1 October 2022
|{{flagicon|France|16}} France B | 6–18 |{{flagicon|England|16}} England Knights |Friendly | |
| 9 October 2022
|{{rl|SCO}} | 4–28 |{{flagicon|England|16}} England Knights |Friendly | |
Honours
- European Championship: 2012
Women's rugby
{{see also|England women's national rugby league team}}
On 26 July 2022, a women's knights team was launched. The team is managed by Leeds Rhinos head coach Lois Forsell.{{cite web | url=https://www.totalrl.com/england-knights-squad-launched-for-women-with-lois-forsell-as-coach/ | title=England Knights squad launched for women with Lois Forsell as coach | date=26 July 2022 }} The team called up a performance squad to training camps in 2023{{Cite web |title=England Rugby League: Women's Knights Performance Squad announcement |url=https://www.rugby-league.com/article/61828/england-rugby-league-womens-knights-performance-squad-announcement- |access-date=2024-04-25 |website=www.rugby-league.com |language=en}} and 2024.{{Cite web |title=England Women name Senior and Knights National Performance Squads |url=https://www.rugby-league.com/article/62386/england-women-name-senior-and-knights-national-performance-squads |access-date=2024-04-25 |website=www.rugby-league.com |language=en}}
In 2019, an England reserve side called "England Lions" played Wales, losing 20–24, while the senior side was on tour against Papua New Guinea.{{Cite web|url=https://wrl.wales/wales-women-secure-historic-first-win-as-they-beat-england-lions|title=Wales Women secure historic first win as they beat England Lions|last=Golden|first=Ian|date=16 Nov 2019|website=Wales Rugby League|access-date=3 May 2021}}
=List of results=
| class="wikitable"
! Date !! Home team!! Score !! Away team!! Competition !! Location !! Attendance !! Ref. |
| 27 October 2022
|{{flagicon|England|16}} England Knights |14–26 |{{rlw-l|COK}} |Friendly |Weetwood Sports Park, Leeds | |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.englandrl.co.uk/teams/knights England Knights]
{{England national rugby league team}}
Category:National rugby league second teams