Next up were the “B”s huge 25 player squad who were pitched against a second local side “A.A.E.L Le Foret”, who were another completely unknown quantity, save for the ringers they added at short notice having seen the “A”s demolish a higher ranked team just minutes earlier.

This time there was no cold starting from Nottingham and within seconds the ball was whipped out in classic fashion, and in a flash one of the smallest but speediest players on tour Josh Potter has scorched down the touchline leaving hosts and visitors slack jawed in appreciation of his finishing and for an instant 0-7 lead, as Padraic Walsh chipped over the conversion. This match had frantic pace about it, with the field position and ball possession shipping first one way then the other. Le Forest sensed a response, but the ball was cleared up field and from a scrum close to their line Arian Dwornik was over from the no 8 pick-up which Padraic again converted.

Having seen the successful “A” team tactics in the earlier kick off the “B”s too were into the big tackles; Will Taylor brought down a French ball carrier and Connor Craven stretched away from fully 40 yards with a further conversion seeing Nottingham 0-21 up before a slightly bizarre “time out” saw the game transferred to an adjacent pitch due to a double booking on the no 1 playing surface!

This slightly chaotic interlude saw French reinforcements drafted in from far and near as substitutes, resulting in at least 16 players on the pitch for a while and the rest of the match saw Mark Craven and David Dodge counting numbers! But it did not matter how many opponents Nottingham faced, as Arun and then Padraic from Aruns run touched down to create a comfortable 0-33 lead. With second rows James and Seb dominating the mauls and rucks, Jack Roper put in another great tackle and Josh Brown was next on the score sheet with Ollie Dodge stopped just short after a fine run.

Although now 0-38 down the French counter attacked with two quick scores, which brought them to 14 points before Nottingham finished in style with a try apiece from Arian and Joe Boutell, the latter generously set up by Arun. A very late consolation to the hosts saw the closing score at Le Foret 19- Nottingham 52.

A really compelling victory for Nottingham “B”s, who also had to face boys of 15 years age, and yet took the game to them in fantastic style showing how strongly they have finished the second half of the season.


For the story of Sunday's tournament, please see: http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/nottinghamcorsairsrfc/j/match-report-12739.html?official=0&fixture_id=1054521