ARL/AIS Aussies walk onto the footy field at Wakefield - TOUR PHOTO GALLERY

England's Under 17 Academy shrugged off the disappointment of the previous week's two-point defeat at the hands of the Australian Institute of Sport to square the Series with a performance of real quality and determination at Wakefield's Belle Vue.

England Head Coach Tony Smith attended both games, and was happy with what he saw.

"I'm very pleased," said Smith.

"We made improvements as the Series went on, and I thought that our boys were very comprehensive out there tonight.

They showed a lot of determination on their own try-line, and that proved to be a big part of their success, and I thought they played some good Rugby League in both games.

"The improvement was certainly in the defensive area tonight, and I thought they played strong.

"A couple of boys got hat tricks and I was pleased for them, and I thought there were a whole lot of contributions across the whole team.

These guys are improving all the times, and exposure to games like these is great for them.

"The next step for these boys aren't too far off, and the next step for most of these guys is getting some engage Super League experience, and from there, hopefully they will go to the next step.

"They are getting into the habit of beating Australian teams, and that's a good habit to get into!"

The match left England Academy Head Coach Steve Crooks delighted for his players following the frustrations of the defeat at Warrington after the side had outscored the young Aussies by six tries to five.

ENGLAND ACADEMY UNDER 17'S 38 - 22 AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF SPORT TRIES : Myler (13min;49;62); Farrell (22); Ainscough (30;66;70) GOALS : Foster 5/7 TRIES : Hansen (27); Henaway (56); Lui (73); Williamson (77) GOALS : Hansen 3/4
(Played at Belle Vue, Wakefield)
England Academy:	A.I.S.
1. Phil Baines (St. Helens)	1. Gerrard Beale
2. Shaun Ainscough (Wigan)	2. Max Dudley
3. Jamie Foster (St. Helens)	3. Ryan Williamson
4. Tom Briscoe (Hull FC)	4. Daniel Vidot
5. Michael Lawrence (Hudd'field)	5. Drury Lowe
6. Jon Lomax (St. Helens)	6. Daniel Mortimer (c.)
7. Richard Myler (Salford)	7. Ray Thompson
8. Adam Neal (Warrington)	8. Andrew Clayton
9. Josh Hodgson (Hull FC)	9. Jay Bayley
10. Jay Pitts (Wakefield T.)	10. Joel Latham
11. Liam Farrell (Wigan)	11. Alex McMillan
12. Andrew Dixon (St. Helens)	12. Ryan Hansen
13.Chris Gerrard (Wigan (c.)	13.Chris Faust
Substitutes	Substitutes
14. Kallum Watkins (Leeds)	14. Robert Lui
15. Paul McShane (Leeds)	15. Alex Butschies
16. Jason Walton (Salford)	16.Ben Henaway
17. Chris Clarkson (Leeds)	17. Jake Anlezark
Referee : Ian Smith (Oldham) Pens : 7-10 H.T. 16-6

"Every player who came into the squad has had a tremendous input, and even though there were a few players who had to pull out, but ultimately the players really wanted to play two games against the Australians and earn some respect for it, and at the end of the day, we have done."

"The difference between us last week and this is down to a little bit of experience, really.

I used the phrase 'youthful naivety' after last Friday's game and we've done a lot of work on that.

We've been a bit smarter and really, over the last six weeks, the side has grown up a little bit.

"After our defeat last week, our focus was all about this game, and we determined not to shoot ourselves in the foot as we did last week.

That we didn't is a measure of the learning curve we've come through in the last week."

"We did a lot of work on our defence, but also offensively, where we got the ball a bit wider, were a lot more direct, and worked on the edges.

It's very pleasing when the guys are good enough and smart enough to come up with ideas out there, and that's why we beat them I think.

"There were some smart young men out there tonight who can go to the next level.

Tony Smith worked with us this week and the reaction of the players was tremendous, and I think that we can go on to see some of them in engage Super League.

"We had to make a couple of changes and the lads we brought in did a great job for us.

Jonny Lomax, like Kallum Watkins, is a year younger than everybody else, and between them they did a fantastic job.

"And Chris Clarkson, he had to play out of position, but that's just international, you can get centres playing back row and forwards having to play in the backs - things like that - but you have to pull out all your trumps and that's what they did - credit to them.

I was very proud of the whole squad, including those who didn't play.

They epitomised what the Academy is all about."

There were hat tricks of tries for both Richard Myler and Shaun Ainscough as England outscored their opponents by seven tries to four, but this was a victory which needed to be built on the foundations of solid defence, with the Aussies always posing a genuine threat with their quick footwork and strong running.

Both sides had made changes from the previous encounter, Jon Lomax (St. Helens) and Chris Clarkson (Leeds Rhinos) coming into the England side; the AIS making a quartet of alterations which included the role reversal of halfbacks Ray Thompson and Daniel Mortimer, and in conditions made slippery by a pre-match downpour, it was England who started the better.

Shaun Ainscough gave early notice of his potency when he was only bundled into touch fractionally short of the corner flag after an Australian knock-on, then after fullback Gerrard Beale had lost possession when driving low for the line, AIS conceded a penalty for holding down.

Jay Pitts broke into open field, Myler slipping the defence to touch down from close range for Jamie Foster to convert.

A high shot from front rower Joel Latham cost AIS dear when Liam Farrell burst over from Myler's pass, Foster again converting, but the Australians got themselves right back into contention when tall second rower Ryan Hansen crashed through for a try which he converted.

It took a quite special try from Ainscough to re-assert England's superiority, when after an AIS goal-line restart, the Wigan winger chasing back to gather a loose pass, running it back before chipping into the corner to beat the fullback to the touch and send England into the halftime dressing rooms ten points to the good.

The irony of the 16-6 interval score-line - identical to that midway through the clash at the Halliwell Jones a week previously - was not lost on Steve Crooks.

"We were certainly not worried by it.

We did a lot of work with our A and B defenders in midweek, and were determined not to be caught in those areas as in the second half at Warrington, and reinforced that determination at halftime."

It was that determination which was to pay off handsomely in the second period, three times massing to frustrate Australian attackers in the English in-goal, whilst also putting pressure on the Aussie outside backs.

Twice they forced left winger Drury Lowe into errors whilst in good positions, whilst on attack they received an immediate return on a goal-line restart which was forced by Chris Gerrard's probing kick.

Farrell was sent in full cry down the right, his one-handed offload sending Myler over for Foster to goal.

Though AIS replied when a repeat set of their own kept the ball alive and Ben Henaway crossed too far out for the conversion, England swept back to sew up the game with a three try burst inside eight minutes.

First, a bomb to the right allowed Michael Lawrence to harass another error, substitute Kallum Watkins sending Myler in unopposed for his hat trick try, then Ainscough completed his own triple strike when finishing quick-fire passing to the England left.

Foster, after being able to land just one kick a week earlier, slotted over two angled conversions, and at 38-10 with ten minutes left, it was job done.