Skanska Amateur Four Nations

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 the Rugby League Conference and the student and armed forces' sides. The competition has previously been sponsored by Cheltenham Regency and Parkhouse Recruitment.

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.

Results and Tables

2002

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 24 at Clontarf RFC, Dublin

22nd August - Ireland 16 Scotland 24

12th September - England 32 Wales 34 at Coventry Bears

2005

Saturday 16th June - Wales A 44 Scotland 30 at Cardiff Demons

Saturday 23rd June -England A 22 Ireland A 28 at Leigh Centurions

Saturday 30th June -Wales A 22 France A 18 at Neath Port Talbot Steelers (not part of Championship)

Saturday 14th July -Ireland A 16 Wales 16 at Carlow

Saturday 14th July -England A 42 Scotland A 40 at Gateshead Thunder

Saturday 11th August -Scotland A 18 Ireland A 28 at Glasgow Hawks

Sunday 19th August -Wales A 39 England A 18 at Blackwood Bulldogs