Channel Islands cruise to 10-try Sweden victory

The first-ever game for the combined Channel Islands rugby team ended in an impressive victory

The Channel Islands rugby team won their first-ever match as they beat Sweden 66-28.

The game at Guernsey's Footes Lane came a fortnight after Jersey had beaten their old rivals in their annual Siam Cup fixture.

A combined side - with eight Guernsey and seven Jersey players in the starting line-up - proved too strong for the side 31st in World Rugby's international rankings as they scored 10 tries.

The islanders wasted no time as they raced into a 14-0 lead after 11 minutes as Dom Rice and Guernsey compatriot Anthony Armstrong scored tries.

Aron Qvarnstrom pulled a try back for the Swedes midway through the first period but Charlie Simmonds and Armstrong went over in quick succession to make it 28-7 after 26 minutes.

Axel Kalling Smith and David Hill scored two tries in three minutes for the Swedes to reduce the gap to seven points before Simmonds and Ethan Smith scored for the islands in the final moments of the half as they led 40-21 at the break.

Guernsey full-back Charlie Simmonds scored two first-half tries

Guernsey hooker Tom Ceillam got the Channel Islands' seventh try two minutes after the restart before Joar Blanc got Sweden's fourth try five minutes later.

Scott van Breda intercepted a 58th-minute pass and raced in from inside his own half for the eighth home try of the night - the former Worcester Warriors and Western Province player becoming the first Jersey-based scorer of the night.

Dan Barnes had a ninth try disallowed soon after as the islands' forwards dominated the game, but Armstrong sealed his hat-trick moments later to make it 61-28 with eight minutes left.

Jersey forward Euan Spencer forced his way over from close range in the final moments to wrap up the victory.

Sweden play in the Rugby Europe Trophy against the likes of Poland, Luxembourg and Lithuania