Rubery Owen Cup Final 2014

Rugeley Rufc 45 V St Leonards Rufc 19
Rubery Owen Cup Final 2014
Rugeley rugby club end there most successful season in recent history with an emphatic win in the Rubery Owen cup final against st Leonards of Stafford.
The venue for this final was at Stoke rufc.The weather was just right and the crowds from Rugeley had travelled with hope and aspirations of a win, and a win they got.
The game started with Rugeley coming straight at the st Leonards forwards at a pace the crowd had come to expect from the Rugeley forwards.
With set play and sound hands from the Rugeley pack they were able to push forwards removing any obstacle in their way. Allowing the club captain Nathen Homer the opportunity to score the first try of the day 7 minutes into the game. With the conversion from Jordan Wood the score board stood at 7-0 to Rugeley.
The following 15 minutes were a delight to watch in respect that Rugeley played as a single unit with faultless ball handling and great forwards play.
The opposition were just helpless to what was going on around them, when 22 minutes were on the clock the whole park seemed to come to a standstill as David Bagnall picked the free ball tucked it under his arm and embarked on a 30mtr run focusing on one thing and once again st Leonards were helpless in the stopping of the little rocket, with his goal achieved and the conversion complete the score board stood at 14 – 0 with 15 minutes of the first period left to play.
St Leonards continued to battle the raging bull of Rugeley but was to no avail as the forwards stopped there every move with great play from Rugeley’s two county players David Black & Kevin Birt. Then just as things seem to be getting harder for St Leonards they were able to scrape a try 32 minutes on the clock bringing the score to 14 – 7 with only 3 minutes left of the first period.
At this point st Leonards were starting to gain a little confidence only to be knocked back by Rugeley forward Matt Joss scoring on the last play of the first period. The core stood at 19 – 7 at the break.
The second period started with both the team and vast Rugeley crowd now in the winning mood, when 1.53 seconds into the start Rugeley Centre Luke Paggett ran straight at St Leonards and scored right under their nose & Posts, with a little drop in form Rugeley were unable to convert so the score stood at 24 – 7 with only 2 minutes on the clock.
With the score board no stacked against st Leonards Rugeley seemed to sit back on their heels allowing the opposition to come right back and score an opportune try with the conversion the score stood at 24 – 14 with 7 minutes of the second period on the clock.
With renewed figure and determination St Leonards seemed to pull together some impressive set play, rattled Rugeley looked a little unorganised. With the availability of replacements Rugeley change their tactics in their favour, with a scrambled run for the touch line Second row Chris Dynda scores a dubious try under the posts and with the conversion the score was further out the reach of St Leonards standing at 31 – 14.
With renewed confidence Rugeley come straight back at the opposition and within 1 minute of the restart Jordan Wood run in an impressive try and wood also converted 38 – 14.
The next 25 minutes of the period both teams played end to end rugby with both side giving 100% resulting in visible signs of fatigue from both sides.
With St Leonards heads now dropping things looked all sewn up for Rugeley to end the game on a well-deserved win, but the opposition warn't finished yet, as they were allowed to run free and score with only 4 minutes left to play. 38 – 19. With only minutes to play the Rugeley crowd were in party mood but the players on the pitch still focused on the afternoons game when on the death Chris Dynda was able to score the final try of the afternoon, with the conversion the score stood at 45 – 19 at the sounding of the final whistle, rounding Rugeley Rugby Clubs most successful Season in over 25 years Rugeley 2nd winning the Merit League & Rugeley 1st winning the Midlands 5 North west league and now The Rubery Owen Cup.
Rugeley’s Chairman Carl Johnson said “ he would like to thank Nathen Homer 1st team captain & Scott Chedgzoy 2nd team captain for all their hard work throughout the season, and all the sponsors supporters for all the commitment, this year’s success would not be possible without all involved on the field and behind the scenes.
I am the proudest Chairman in the whole Staffordshire County and am now looking forward to continue the hard work again next season”.
Report & Pictures (C) 2014 Rugeley rugby club & JWP.