Hull RUFC 15 - 33 Sheffield RUFC

Team Selection for Saturday 9th December 2023

15. Alfie Kimpton
14. Ieuan Cooke
13. James Flint
12. Will Smith
16. Christian Hooper
10. Jonny West
9. Elliot Fisher

1. Ben Whitney
2. Ianto Jones
22. Jake Hicklin
4. Archie Crapper
5. Dom Parsons
6. Alex Fawdry
7. Jason Hignell
8. Ryan Burrows
Repalcements: -
23. Reece Bartlett
24. Aaron Lonsdale
3. George Rogers
21. Matt Adcock
17. Kaj Douglas

With no match last weekend because of a frozen pitch and the dog-fight win away to Otley the previous week, Sheffield were on the road to Hull RUFC, who came down from National One at the end of last season. Sheffield were to be without fly-half Callum Posa, with the birth going to Jonny West, moving up from the bench. Matt Adcock returned to the bench after his excursion on the right wing at Otley, and Kaj Douglas came into the squad, on the bench, for his first appearance of this season.

Sheffield, having kicked off, were not to make the brightest of starts when Hull kicked back to them and they then were turned over and gave up a penalty, allowing Hull field position just five metres out. However, Hull lineout faltered and Sheffield came away with the ball. However, Sheffield’s kick went straight down the throat of Hull’s fly-half, Reece Dean, who made good ground back toward Sheffield’s 22-metre before Sheffield gave away a penalty in centre field. Reece Bartlett converted the penalty and Hull led by 3 points to nil after four minutes. However, Sheffield’s somewhat shaky start was soon a long way behind them, with Sheffield on the attack and Hull giving up the penalties, one of which was directly in-front of the posts, which Elliot Fisher converted to tie the scores at 3 points all after ten minutes. Sheffield were to keep up the pressure and were happy to take the penalty opportunities, with Elliot Fisher kicking two more penalty goals on fourteen and nineteen minutes to take the lead out to 9 points to 3 in Sheffield’s favour.

The pressure on the Hull defence remained constant and with Hull’s lineout misfiring at almost ever time they had a lineout; Sheffield were able to dominate the possession and territory. Sheffield found themselves with a lineout just five metres out, from which they were able to maul over the try line for hooker Ianto Jones to score the first try for Sheffield. Elliot Fisher added the conversion to give Sheffield a 16 point to 3 lead after twenty-five minutes. Sheffield were then to lose the services of Ianto Jones to injury, but Sheffield would continue to be in charge of the proceedings, and with thirty-two minutes on the clock it was the replacement hooker, Reece Bartlett who would add the second Sheffield try, once again from a driving maul after a lineout close in. Elliot missed the conversion from close to the touch line, but the lead was out to 21 points to 3. However, Hull were to show their attacking prowess almost immediately from the restart. Again, a poor Sheffield kick opened the attacking door, which Hull gleefully ran through. A couple of smart passes and a couple of missed tackles and Hull’s Polish international centre, Peter Hudson-Kowalewicz found himself over the ten-metre line with an open field in-front of him, scoring to the right of the posts. Reece Dean added the conversion and Sheffield’s lead was reduced to 21 points to 10 after thirty-four minutes, which is how the half finished.

Sheffield regained their composure, and started the second half well. A couple of mistakes by Hull lead to Sheffield being on the attack in Hull’s 22-metre zone and with an air of inevitability found a hole down the left wing for openside flanker, Jason Hignell to ad the third Sheffield try, wide out near the touch line. Elliot could not add the conversion, but Sheffield lead was out to 26 points to 10 after forty-six minutes. Sheffield would soon be back to well, looking for that vital bonus point try. Once again, Hull’s dysfunctional lineout gave Sheffield an attacking opportunity and after some good interplay, left wing Christian Hooper went clear to score out on the left. Elliot Fisher added the conversion and Sheffield now lead by 33 points to 10 after fifty minutes.

Although their lineout was a complete mess, Hull suddenly started to get some dominance in the scrum, and Sheffield had to be on their metal in defence to keep a somewhat more confident Hull at bay. We appeared to have entered a period with both terms creating chances, with the defences battering the attacks back. However, with the match in the last quarter, Hull broke away from a scrum penalty and finding just enough space for their number 8, Will Hall to go over wide out in the left corner. Reece Dean could not add the conversion, but Hull had added five points to their tally after sixty-five minutes, with the score at 33 points to 15 in favour of Sheffield. The last fifteen minutes of the match turned into a complete dog-fight with both sides scrapping to make any possession fruitful. Hull did manage to create one exceptional attack that went from inside their own half, before a brilliant Sheffield took the breakaway to ground and for the Sheffield defence to recover and win a penalty on their own five-metre line, and the match came to an end shortly afterwards.

Hull RUFC Team: -
15. Duel Trueman; 14. Jamie Shaul; 13. Peter Hudson-Kowalewicz; 12. Alex Head (Capt.); 11. Harry Gunn-McClean; 10. Reece Dean; 9. James Naylor; 1. Jamie Major; 2. Michael Jobling; 3. Tomas Bairstow; 4. Liam Regardsoe; 5. Kym Russell; 6. David Halaifonua; 7. Jose Uriburu-Gray; 8. Will Hall:

Replacements: -
16. Charlie Beech; 17. Billy Addy; 18. Alec Renouf; 19. David Davidson; 20. Joe Barrett.

Scoring: -

Up-coming fixtures: -