Skanska Amateur Four Nations

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The Skanaska Amateur Four Nations (or Home Nations) Championship is a rugby league competition contested annually by Wales A, Ireland A, Scotland A and the England Lionhearts. While the teams from the Celtic nations are officially the countries' second string sides, the Lionhearts are England's representatives from National League Three, the Totalrl.com Conference and the student and armed forces' sides. The competition has previously been sponsored by Cheltenham Regency and Parkhouse Recruitment.

Contents 1 History 2 Results and Tables 2.1 2002 2.2 2003 2.3 2004 2.4 2005 2.5 2006

[edit] History

Friendly matches between A sides were played between 1998 and 2001 with Scotland facing Wales twice and Ireland three times and Wales taking on the forerunner to the England Lionhearts once.

The success of these one-off friendly internationals saw the advent of the first Home Nations Championship in 2002.

Until the final match between Wales and England at Cheltenham, the tournament was low-key and had little publicity, even in Wales where the Ireland match was played on a park pitch in Penarth on a Sunday morning. But the England v Wales match received unprecedented national coverage with highlights on Sky Sports and resulted in a shock Wales win.

Wales would continue to "shock" for the next four years as they continued to win the title, only losing two matches in this period. It took the introduction of the Celtic Crusaders to weaken the Wales side and allow England to win the title for the first time in 2006. Even then Wales only lost by two penalties and travelled with a weakened injury ladened side.

The tournament has been successful in introducing new players to international rugby league with at least three players from the Celtic nations each year are invited to play for their full international sides.

[edit] Results and Tables

[edit] 2002

Team	P	W	D	L	For	Agn	Pts	Diff
Wales	3	3	0	0	120	60	6	60
England	3	2	0	1	108	46	4	62
Ireland	3	1	0	2	100	94	2	6
Scotland	3	0	0	3	40	168	0	-128

15th June - Scotland 22 Wales 40 at Glasgow

16th June - Ireland 10 England 32

20th July - Scotland 8 England 58

21st July - Wales 52 Ireland 20 at Penarth

18th August - Ireland 70 Scotland 10

15th September - England 18 Wales 28 at Cheltenham

[edit] 2003

Team	P	W	D	L	For	Agn	Pts	Diff
Wales	3	2	0	1	104	72	4	32
England	3	2	0	1	80	62	4	18
Scotland	3	1	0	2	90	96	2	-6
Ireland	3	1	0	2	66	110	2	-44

21st June - England 28 Scotland 20

28th June - Ireland 32 Wales 28 at Dublin

27th July - Wales 48 Scotland 22 at Brewery Field, Bridgend

27th July - England 34 Ireland 14

9th August - Scotland 48 Ireland 20

14th September - Wales 28 England 18 at Aberavon RFC

[edit] 2004

Team	P	W	D	L	For	Agn	Pts	Diff
Wales	3	3	0	0	124	70	6	54
Scotland	3	1	0	2	76	78	2	-2
England	3	1	0	2	63	88	2	-25
Ireland	3	1	0	2	56	83	2	-27

15th May - Wales 56 Ireland 12 at Cardiff Athletics Stadium

13th June - Scotland 26 England 28

3rd July - Scotland 26 Wales 34 at Glasgow

3rd July - Ireland 28 England 3

22nd August - Ireland 16 Scotland 24

12th September - England 32 Wales 34 at Coventry Bears

[edit] 2005

Team	P	W	D	L	For	Agn	Pts	Diff
Wales	3	2	0	1	120	54	4	66
Scotland	3	2	0	1	69	102	4	-33
England	3	1	0	2	60	75	2	-15
Ireland	3	1	0	2	52	70	2	-18

12th June - Wales 70 Scotland 8 at Brewery Field, Celtic Crusaders

2nd July - England 8 Ireland 26 at Halifax RLFC

16th July - Ireland 10 Wales 18 at Dublin

23 July - England 16 Scotland 17 at New River Stadium, London Skolars

14th August - Scotland 44 Ireland 16 at Glasgow

11th September - Wales 32 England 36 at Brewery Field, Celtic Crusaders

[edit] 2006

Team	P	W	D	L	For	Agn	Pts	Diff
England	3	3	0	0	120	63	6	57
Ireland	3	2	0	1	85	84	4	1
Wales	3	1	0	2	58	70	2	-12
Scotland	3	0	0	3	60	106	0	-46

Saturday 15th July - Ireland 23 England 44 at Dublin

Saturday 3rd June - Ireland 38 Scotland 30 at Dublin

Sunday 16th July - Scotland 16 Wales 22 at Glasgow

Sunday 13th August - Scotland 14 England 46 at Glasgow

Saturday 19th August - Wales 10 Ireland 24 at Brewery Field, Celtic Crusaders

Sunday 10th September England 30 Wales 26 at Featherstone Rovers RLFC