Sedgley Park Tigers 42 - 31 Sheffield RUFC

Team Selection for Saturday 24th August 2024

15. George Castledine
14. Cameron Catleugh
13. Jamie Flint
12. Will Smith
16. Chris Hooper
10. Callum Posa
9. Elliot Fisher

1. Aaron Lonsdale
2. Rhodri Campbell
22. Jake Hicklin
4. Archie Crapper
5. Dom Parsons (Capt.)
6. Alex Fawdry
7. Jason Hignell
8. Ryan Burrows
Replacements: -
Matt Adcock
Will Burden (New)
Ieuan Cooke
Matty Drennan (New)
Teddy Geering
Angus Hughes
David Moores (New)
George Rogers
Thomas Thorpe (New)

Sheffield travelled to Whitefield in North Manchester and Sedgley Park (Tigers) RUFC who completed their first year back in National One with a 9th place finish. Sheffield took a squad of twenty-four players for the match, with 14 forwards and 10 backs. Including one returning player in George Castledine, 4 newcomers and one regular player from the 2nd team, Teddy Geering.

Sheffield started the match really well and put SP Tigers under considerable pressure, but SP Tigers defence was exceptional and all efforts wee repulsed by the home team. SP Tigers did however, find their way to Sheffield’s 22-metre zone, but were themselves kept at bay by some exceptional defence from the Sheffield fifteen. With the match now in the second quarter an error from Sheffield gave SP Tigers possession, and with a couple of penalties, excellent field possession, which SP Tigers converted to a try on twenty-four minutes. Their fly half added the conversion and the home team led by 7 points to nil. Sheffield returned to the fray with renewed purpose, and a sustained period in Sedgley’s 22-metre allowed centre Will Smith to burst through the SP Tigers defence to score under the post after thirty minutes. Elliot Fisher added the conversion to tie the scores at 7 points all. The majority of the energy appeared to be with the visitors, and once again Sheffield managed to open up the SP Tigers defence and a break down the left wing and a smart pass to right wing, Cam Catleugh saw him score Sheffield’s second try after thirty-four minutes. Elliot couldn’t add the conversion, but Sheffield led by 12 points to 7, which id how the half finished.

The second half started after a fairly long break, and unfortunately, Sheffield were immediately caught out. The ball was moved very smartly from right to left, where the SP Tigers winger skipped past the Sheffield defence to score out on the right. Once again Sedgley’s fly half demonstrated his kicking skills and nailed the conversion to take SP back into the lead at 14 points to 12 with only two minutes or so gone. However, Shefield bounced back strongly and they were soon back on the attack in Sedgley territory and opened up their defence down the left again, and some smart interplay saw scrum half Elliot Fisher go over for Sheffield third try. He could not convert his own try, but Sheffield were back into the lead after forty-seven minutes at 17 points to 14. At this point Sheffield began to make changes to the line-up and they possibly became a little disconnected and SP Tigers began to get some momentum. A Sedgley attach down their left side saw Ryan Burrows aggravating the Referee’s patience when adjudged to have not rolled away at a ruck and was yellow carded. Sedgley took full advantage and went over for their third try, which was again converted to give Sedgley Park a 21 point to 17 lead after fifty-six minutes.

Sheffield made a few more changes and were soon back on the attack, and for yet another time opened Sedgley up down their right side, and again some smart interplay saw replacement centre Will burden go over by the posts. Callum Posa added the conversion and Sheffield sneaked into the lead once more, at 24 points to 21 after sixty-four minutes. Ryan Burrows returned to the fray from the sin-bin, but Sedgley went up a gear and started to gain the ascendancy, particularly in the area of driving mauls, leading to tries on sixty-seven and seventy-five minutes, both converted to take the lead again at 35 points to 24. Sheffield found the energy to fight back and just two minutes later found that gap again down the Sheffield left side, with the happy recipient being Ryan Burrows for Sheffield’s fifth try. Callum Posa added the conversion to reduce Sedgley Park lead to 35 points to 31. However, Sedgley were to have the last hoorah with match going into overtime. They bashed their way over the line again out on Sheffield left and once again converted to take the final score out to 42 points to 31.

This was an extremely competitive match, played in very good spirit, from which Sheffield can take a great deal of pleasure despite the loss. They played with skill, purpose and great endeavour, a very, very good performance.