Wirral RUFC 24 - 25 Sheffield RUFC

Wirral RUFC 24 - 25 Sheffield RUFC

Team Selection for Saturday, 19th March 2016

15. Joe Cribley
14. Rupert Broadley
13. Rob Conville
12. Tom King
11. Owen Smith
10. Andy Hodgson
9. Josh Bird

1. Tommy Marples
2. Sam Whitworth
3. Dan Rylance
4. Dave Clayden
5. Dom Parsons (Capt)
6. Matt Adcock
7. Tom Womack
8. Connor Mitchell
Replacements
16. Tobi Amemakin
17. Joe Carrington
18. Ali Womack

Sheffield travelled to Wirral RUFC more in hope than expectation. Wirral had not lost in their last ten outings and neither had they lost at home all season, so the task of overturning these two records was quite daunting, made no easier without our regular back row pair of doctors, Alex Fawdry and Jonny France.

The match did not get off to an auspicious start for Sheffield, with 'not off the bus' syndrome being immediately apparent when Wirral fly half, Craig Harvey was allowed to waltz through the defence to score under the posts with less than a minute on the clock. The try was converted and Wirral looked set to maintain both their records with some ease. However, today's team had other ideas and after a couple of handling errors from the home side and a couple of penalties, Sheffield found themselves up in the Wirral 22 and for a moment it looked like centre Tom King had scored from a quick tap penalty, but referee Simon Park decided he had been held up over the line. From the resulting scrum, play broke left and outside centre, Rob Conville, went over out wide. Joe Cribley could not add the conversion, but Sheffield were back in the match at 7 points to 5 with just seven minutes gone. Wirral made an immediate attempt to regain the initiative and were pressing hard, but after a number of failed attempts to break through Sheffield's defence in the centre, through out a long speculative pass, which looked as if they would out flank the defence on Sheffield's left. However, left wing Owen Smith read the situation to perfection intercepting high above his head whilst running between the Wirral outside centre and right wing and after a couple of fumbles, gained control to run in under the posts. Joe Cribley added the conversion and with eleven minutes gone Sheffield had a 12 points to 7 lead.

The battle raged with neither team taking any real control of the proceedings. However, Sheffield had on a number of occasions managed to hold Wirral up in the tackle to gain vital turn over ball, and from one such incident and the resulting scrum, Sheffield moved to the ball to the right to find right wing Rupert Broadley in space on half way. He rounded two despairing Wirral tacklers before showing great strength to get over in the corner despite the very committed attention of the Wirral full back. Joe Cribley failed with the conversion, but Sheffield now had a healthy lead at 17 points to 7 with 28 minutes gone. Wirral were however, never just going to role over and just six minutes later struck back when a ploy they had used on a number of occasions of bringing their blindside flanker, Chris speed, into the line very late between the fly half and inside centre, worked like a dream, leaving the flanker a free run in under the posts. Craig Harvey converted and Sheffield's lead had been cut to reduce the lead to 17 points to 14. Sheffield kicked off, Wirral failed to secure the ball and moments later Sheffield's fly half Andy Hodgson was able to score just to the right of Wirral's posts. Incredibly, Joe Cribley missed the conversion, but Sheffield had increase their lead again, to 22 points to 14, a far from unassailable lead, which is how the half finished.

The second half continued much as the first, with neither side being particularly dominant, but living of the scraps provided by the others mistakes. Then with 57 minutes gone, Wirral replayed the ploy which brought their second try in the first half, with flanker Chris Speed, entering the line late out side his fly half. Sheffield fell for it a second time and Speed crossed the Sheffield try line, unopposed once again. Craig Harvey added the conversion and Sheffield's lead was a very slim one point at 22 points to 21. Four minutes later Sheffield were adjudged to have erred on half way, holding on at the tackle. Wirral's full back, James Annetts came up to the plate and converted, leaving Sheffield in deficit by 24 points to 22. The battle raged again and eventually the dam burst, with Sheffield's Tommy Marples being sent to the sin bin with Wirral's Craig Harvey joining him. A minute later Sheffield's Owen Smith had to be replaced after particularly heavy tackle, which meant Rupert Broadley had to return to the field with Ali Womack switching from the right to the left wing and with a scrum to come, Tobi Amemakin also had to return to the fray. Sheffield pushed on up to within striking distance of the Wirral 22 and were awarded a penalty. Joe Cribley stepped up to take the kick and Sheffield's travelling supporters, and players, all held there breath with Joe having so far only converting one of his four kicks at goal. However, the ball sailed beautifully between the posts and Sheffield had a slender lead at 25 points to 24 with 75 minutes gone. Wirral came back hard but Sheffield managed to hang on and by keeping their discipline were able to close out the match and win an excellent victory away to second placed Wirral, and also secured another four try bonus point to close the gap in third place.

Scoring:-

League Table