Rugby League: Britain aim low and hit the target

GREAT BRITAIN dropped to the lowest of the three competitions in the International Sevens Tournament in Sydney - the Plate - found reserves of skill that had eluded them in the preliminary rounds, and carried off the prize with a squad reduced to the minimum seven players - one of whom, Alan Tait, was suffering from flu.

Jonathan Davies (groin) Graham Steadman (ankle) and Lee Jackson (stud wounds) were all injured in Saturday's match against Canberra, and were left out to ensure their fitness for Silk Cut Cup matches this weekend

Japan were beaten 38-4 yesterday, with hat-tricks for St John Ellis and John Bentley, but penalties awarded against Britain almost cost them victory in their semi-final against Souths and the final against Balmain, when Bentley added another trio of tries.

Manly, master-minded by the former Leeds player, Cliff Lyons, finished as runaway winners of the the main competition, the Cup, by beating St George, a fellow Sydney club, 44-12.

GREAT BRITAIN: A Tait (Leeds), J Bentley (Halifax), M Pearson (Featherstone Rovers), St J Ellis (Castleford, capt), C Joynt (St Helens), P Medley (Bradford Northern), P Clarke (Wigan).