Sheffield RUFC 71 - 19 Huddersfield RUFC

Team Selection for Saturday 18th November 2023

15. Alfie Kimpton
14. Cameron Catleugh
13. James Flint
12. Will Smith
11. Christian Hooper
10. Callum Posa
9. Elliot Fisher

1. Ben Whitney
2. Ianto Jones
22. Jake Hicklin
4. Archie Crapper
5. Dom Parsons
6. Charlie Flinders
7. Jason Hignell
8. Ryan Burrows
Replacements: -
23. Reece Bartlett
24 Aaron Lonsdale
3. George Rogers
21. Alex Fawdry
17. Jonny West

Following last Saturday’s hard-fought victory at home to Fylde RFC, Sheffield were once again at home, this week to Huddersfield RUFC, who are somewhat struggling to raise their game to the level they have been used to over many years, and are currently propping up the rest of the league. Sheffield would only make one change to the team that played last week, with Matt Adcock dropping out to support his partner who is expecting their first child, Alex Fawdry returned to the squad on the bench after a week away.

Unlike last week, Sheffield got off to the very best od starts, and against a team so obviously lacking confidence, they were able to prosper on the scoreboard at regular intervals. The scoring got off to a start after just seven minutes when scrum half, Elliot Fisher found the Huddersfield try line at his mercy after a rampage by hooker Ianto Jones. This season has seen Elliot somewhat below his scoring record of last season, but this opener was to be a foresight of what was to come. Elliot converted his own try and Sheffield led by 7 points to nil. Just seven minutes later, it was Fisher who would once more find the try line, after the pack overturned a scrum on Huddersfield’s five-metre line. Again, Elliot added the conversion to take the lead out to 14 points to nil. The third Sheffield try followed with just seventeen minutes gone with centre, Jamie Flint dotting down wide out on the left. His first try. I think, since before the Covid break from play. Fisher again added the conversion to take the score to 21 points to nil.

Huddersfield were then to stage a recovery. They secured the ball from the restart and were immediately on the attack in a very lively fashion, taking play close to Sheffield’s try line, where a penalty given up be the home team allowed them a lineout close in. The immediate threat seemed to have been averted and Huddersfield were pushed back, but a searing break from flanker Tom Hayward, leading to a try for prop forward Harry Whitfield. Centre, Ethan Myers added the conversion and Sheffield’s lead was cut to 21 points to 7 after 21 minutes. The remainder of the half was very much in Sheffield’s favour, with tries for Elliot Fisher again, his third on twenty-nine minutes, and wing, Chris Hooper on thirty-three minutes, both converted by Fisher, to take the score at half-time to 35 points to 7. This Fisher try coming with several outrageous dummies, before he could sprint clear to score.

The beginning of the second half did not improve for Huddersfield, with Sheffield securing the ball from the restart and smartly moving the ball through the hands via Cameron Catleugh, Jamie flint and Chris Hooper before Elliot Fisher scored his fourth try in the corner with less than one minutes gone. The conversion was missed, but the lead was now out to 40 points to 7. However, much as they had in the first half, Huddersfield bounced back, aided by a couple of silly penalties given up by Sheffield, giving Huddersfield a line out close to Sheffield’s try line. The lineout secured, Huddersfield’s pack went to work and their number 8, Lewis Quinn went over in the right corner. Ethan Myers was off target with the conversion, but the score was now 40 points to 12 after forty-six minutes.

Sheffield restarted and secured the ball care of a leap from Jamie Flint, and Sheffield were on the attack once more, with Elliot Fisher adding his fifth try. The conversion was missed again, but the lead was now 45 points to 12 after forty-eight minutes. The pressure was still firmly on Huddersfield and further tries were added by centre Will Smith and Chris Hopper on fifty-five and fifty-seven minutes. Elliot Fisher converted the first of the two tries and the score was now 57 points to 12.

The pressure did not lesson and a further try for Sheffield was added on sixty-four minutes by Elliot Fisher, his sixth of the day. Elliot added the conversion and the lead was out to 64 points to 12 after sixty-four minutes. As the match rolled toward a conclusion, Huddersfield were to bounce back again. Once again, a couple of back-to-back penalties saw Huddersfield with a lineout just five metres out from Sheffield’s try line. They again secured the ball and drove for the try line for Harry Whitfield to score his second try and Huddersfield their third. Ethan Myers added the conversion and the score was now 64 points to 19 after seventy minutes. One might have thought the scoring would now be complete, but there was one last throw of the dice from a Sheffield perspective. With the time on the clock almost in overtime, Huddersfield kicked, somewhat aimlessly. Sheffield secured the ball and moved it smartly to the wing and to Chris hooper, who evaded several defenders before sprinting free to score his third try, wide out on the left in the corner. Jonny West took over the kicking duties and converted from the touch line to take the final score to 71 points to 19.

Huddersfield RUFC Team: -
15. Finlay Stewart; 14. Jacob Senior; 13. Lewis Workman; 22. Ethan Myers; 11. Max Horsfall; 10. Joe Potter; 9. Simon Wilson;
1. Callum Thompson (Capt.); 2. Henry Moore; 3. Harry Whitfield; 4. Luke Pearson; 5. Thiu Barnard; 6. Leighton Davis; 7. Tom Haywood; 8. Lewis Quinn;
Replacements: -
16. Andrew Rollins; 21. Sam Mann 18. Darren Neilly; 19. George Hinchcliff; 20. George Collins:

Scoring: -

Up-coming fixtures: -