England star Chris Cracknell captained England IPF to victory in the second leg of the prestigious GB7s series in Edinburgh.
But it is beaten finalists Samurai who hold a slender one-point lead in the championship going into the final round of games in Colwyn Bay this weekend.
Cracknell led a star-studded side to the Edinburgh honours with head coach Simon Amor impressed by how some of the younger players had performed in the elite competition.
Their 28-17 defeat of Samurai included tries for Alex Davis and Henry Cheeseman with Sam Edgerley bagging a brace. Christian Lewis-Pratt kicked the conversions.
“I was really pleased to see how some of the younger players have developed over the last two weeks,” he said. “We are looking at how we can link up with academies and help the young guys with their development.
“One of the biggest challenges we face in the UK is to find that right level of competition for players and the standard here at GB7s is consistently high and a real test for the players.
“It is also a great opportunity for me personally to see some of the other players for myself, getting my scouting hat on to look at the invitational teams. It is a perfect way for me to look at getting players into the sevens programme to make them both better sevens players and also 15-a-side players.”
The strong England side that also included Mat Turner and Wasps’ Charlie Hayter, went through the day unbeaten with Edgerley scoring six tries in the process.
Former London Irish youngster Declan Williams was the star turn at Meggetland though, running in seven tries for Irish Exiles including one of just two hat-tricks on the day – his Exiles teammate Max Connon claimed the other.
Scottish Thistles finished their home event in third place thanks to a nail-biting 21-17 play-off win over Exiles, Richard Mill, Alex Cox and Liam Steele running in their tries, the latter cheered on by his father, former Scotland and British Lions international Billy Steele.
The Army took the plate title for the second week running ahead of Crawshays Welsh, Apache and Wailers.
Samurai hold a slender one-point lead going into Saturday’s deciding round at Colwyn Bay’s Eirias Park. England IPF are their nearest challengers with Scottish Thistles a further point behind.
