TWO English teams did manage to win in France at the weekend, with North-Easterners playing prominent roles.
Newcastle's Toby Flood scored 15 points as England Under 21s won 30-17 at Perigeux, while Tynedale's 18-year-old winger Hamish Smales scored the decisive try in the England Counties XV's 29-16 win against France Amateurs at Beaune.
The Counties team also featured Darlington lock Richard Snowball, who went off the bench for the last 20 minutes.
"We were winning 22-11 at that point but they got it back to 22-16 and we scored near the end," he said. "The ball popped out of the side of a ruck and Hamish ran 70 yards for the try.
"I really enjoyed the whole experience. We flew to Lyon on Wednesday, trained all day Thursday and Friday morning and were well looked after.
"I'd love to go on the summer tour which they are trying to organise in South Africa, but they will also be picking from division one clubs so competition might be a bit hotter."
Snowball, 24, who works on the family farm at Scorton and plays his county rugby with Yorkshire, has been approached by clubs from higher divisions but says he is happy to continue with Darlington.
Flood and his Falcons teammate, prop Dave Wilson, now hope to be involved in the Under 21s' bid to complete the Grand Slam against Ireland at Worcester on Friday.
The fly half scored a try and landed two penalties and two conversions against France.
Flood's former half back partner in the Newcastle Development XV, Lee Dickson, yesterday signed a new two-year contract with the club.
The Barnard Castle School product, who played in the Under 21 World Cup in Argentina last summer, made seven first team appearances this season before suffering a cruciate ligament injury.
He expects to be back in full training in June and Director of Rugby Rob Andrew said: "Lee is a very exciting prospect. He is really tenacious and is one of the best young backs in English rugby."
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