"Absolutely gutted losing to Australia 26-24 in the last minute last nite! Fair play to them though and what an experience playing for my country on that pitch before the state of origin, something I'll be proud of for the rest of my life!!!2

Seemingly at home in the cathedral of the former Lang Park, great early pressure from GB Armed Forces proved its value when captain James Hutchinson found Vuli Viekune who cut inside from the left touchline to score from 20-metres, which Si Wray converted. Further good kicking saw Gary Dunn find the corner from the 40-metre line, turning the Australian winger Josh Lees. Hutchinson kept the momentum going with the next attack by finishing off a slick passing started by James Young to score from 20-metres. Wray could not convert. Further good forward drives saw GB gaining 60-metres each time and after 12 minutes Botwood’s kick was collected by Siliv Biunimasi who found Viekune outside once again for his second try, making it 16-0.

The momentum wasn’t going to last forever and an awkward bounce of the ball eluded the GB players for Australian centre Keven Allsopp to collect and cut inside from the right wing to score.The hosts followed up with another quick try from the third tackle, again through Allsopp. The Combined Australian Services side made a slightly wayward GB team pay again minutes later when Dylan McGregor put the full-back Mahn Darley through to score from 20-metres out.

Jordan Andrade made his arrival onto the field in place of Ben Taylor known with a bustling run, and a similar run burst Buinimasi, and the GB body language altered going into the break at 16-16.

Five minutes after the break GB were behind for the first time after a mix up collecting a catch saw the hosts gain a second set of six and with their final attack Buinimasi allowed himself to be pushed away too easily for Mitch Simington to score.

A good kick through, this time from James Young, won another set of six and the Lions roared loudest as Howley burst through to score with 16 minutes to go. Wray converted to make it 22-22. Further good work by Young, who had placed his kicks superbly throughout, forced a penalty which Wray took to gain the lead for this side with 10 minutes remaining. The tourists then began to release the ball quickly, instead of steadying the ship and a poor set of six came to nothing. In the dying minutes a knock on saw GB on their own line and following a scrum on the 10-metre line Simington ran over to dash their hopes and win the game.

Head coach Warrant Officer Damian Clayton said “With two minutes to go and two points up, we should have controlled things better. The game changer for me was when the ball bounced to their player after we had stormed out of the blocks, it just didn’t fall our way and they scored in the first half, after that score we struggled to gain the momentum we had from kick-off. We battled back and got our rewards by levelling it at 22-22 and getting ahead by two with eight minutes to go, the lads wanted to keep playing and fair play to them for that, but I am heartbroken for them, to have come so far, to have done so much, and to lose like that.”

Combined Australian Services
1 Mahn Darley
2 Tavis Nicholson
3 Mitch Simington
4 Keven Allsopp
5 Josh Lees
6 Dylan McGregor
7 Mitch Knowles
8 Pat Inskip
9 Joel Munro
10 Will Salway
11 Rob Worsley
15 Siaka King
13 Jack Blaine

Interchange
14 Dylan Buckingham
16 Jason Brand
17 Mitch Morton
18 Sean Colville

Great Britain Armed Services
1 Cpl James Hutchinson
2 Cpl Si Wray
3 Cpl Dave Hankinson
4 Logs S Buinimasi
5 SPR S Viekune
6 Cpl James Young
7 Sgt Garry Dunn
8 SAC Josh Scott
9 CPO Kev Botwood
10 Capt Tom Howley
11 LAET Ben Taylor
12 Cpl Lee Queeley
13 AET Tommy Wilkinson

Interchange
14 SAC Lee Davies
15 LAET Mark Robinson
16 SAC Jordan Andrade
17 SAC Liam Bradley
18 CSgt Jordan Kerman

Combined Australian Services 26 (Tries Allsop 2, Darley, Simington; Goals Darley 4), Great Britain Armed Services 24 (Tries Viekune 2, Young, Howley; Goals Wray 4).