Germany defeat Netherlands in Rotterdam
Germany retained the Griffin Cup but only just, after an impressive display from a new-look Dutch side, the visitors holding on to triumph 8-6 in Rotterdam. The final hour of a tense match was scoreless following Emerson Werk’s converted opener for the hosts on eight minutes and tries by Jannek Hagenah and David Ziekursch’s for Germany. The two-point defeat was the closest the Dutch had come to the trophy, in June 2015 Germany won 46-12, the year before the Dutch were crushed 70-16 at home, and in 2013 their neighbours won 28-22. According to Thijs van der Zouwen, the Nederlandse Rugby League Bond president: “The NRLB fielded our strongest national team yet. Never before have our players played so many matches during the domestic season, nor have we had so many trying out for the squad in the Netherlands. We had a great training camp in the week running up to the match. “Our national coach Kane Krlic selected a great set of lads that are all willing to work hard, listen...