SAM Smith crowned his international debut by helping his country to strike gold.

The South Craven School student has had an outstanding cross-country season and it showed as he came fifth and helped England’s junior boys to take the team prize in the Home Internationals at Wollaton Hall in Nottingham.

He completed the course in 15mins 47 sec and was just 11 seconds behind the race winner, England's Fraser Sproul.. Wales were second, Scotland third and Ireland fourth.

Smith was England's second finisher on a day when they had six of the top ten finishers to take the team honours by 34 points

Smith had earned selection to run with a stunning performance in the previous week’s English Schools Championships at Temple Newsam where he finished fourth.