England A 8 - 24 Wales A

Wales clinched their fifth Home Nations rugby league title in six years on Sunday after they beat England Lionhearts 24-8 at East Riding in Hull.

The timing of the win couldn't have been better for Wales who are retaining their crown. With the RFL making their decision on Tuesday on whether Celtic Crusaders will be awarded a Super League licence, the Welsh second string showed that they are once again the best of their level in the British Isles.

It was Wales' fourth win out of six over their old rivals and it was completed in style as they racked up a 22-point lead in an hour to make the game safe.

The Lionhearts took the lead on five minutes with a penalty goal from former Cardiff Demons fullback Matt Jackson.

But, Elliot Kear, playing his second game in as many days after starring for Crusaders Colts on Saturday, struck for the Wales on the quarter hour after running up the blindside to beat to score in corner. Paul Emmanuelli, another of the seven men who turned out at the Brewery Field in the Colts win over Hemel the day before, added the conversion.

It was 12-2 to Wales at half-time after a 100 metre try from Mark Harvey under the posts that Emmanuelli converted. Harvey picked up the ball from underneath his own sticks and beat off all the Englishmen to score.

Emmanuelli crashed over close to line on 50 minutes for a further Welsh try converting it himself, before a Steve Parry individual try break from dummy half from the half-way line ten minutes later. Emmanuelli