WALES
TORFAEN TIGERS roared back to the top of the Championship table with a resounding 46-16 victory over DYFFRYN DEVILS at the Jungle.
The Tigers made their customary slow start to the game and after six consecutive sets they were punished for indiscipline, the Devils 6-0 in front after Damien Rowe scored their opening try.
That was to prove to be the only time they led during the game as the Tigers sprung to life scoring through Grant Hetherington and Matthew Davied with captain Daryl Carter converting the latter.
The Devils then scored again as Dan Roberts reacted quickest to a loose ball to level at 10-10.
Torfaen scored twice more through prop Scott Morris and back rower Owain Tudball with a conversion from wing Blaine Groves to make the half-time score 20-10.
After the break it was almost completely one sided as the Tigers stepped up a gear with second tries for Tudball and Morris and one for Dan Horseman, with a goal apiece from Carter and Groves before Tudball crashed over to complete his hat trick.
The Devils then grabbed a late consolation through Aled Price before Hetherington danced over for his second with the last play of the game, Carter again adding the extras.
NORTH EAST
A second half super show saw JARROW VIKINGS overcome WINLATON WARRIORS 42-16, the home side’s greater organisation and speed at the play the ball proving to be the difference.
James Nicolas and Barry Walker gave the Vikings the early ascendancy with tries inside the opening nine minutes but Mark Thompson and a Martin Pluska goal coupled with a Martin Healbeck try edged the Warriors in front.
Phillip Wall and prop Mark Walker hit back in quick succession, John Coutts landing both goals to make it 20-10 at the break.
Winger Walker went over for his second a minute into the second half but Healbeck responded with his double.
Wall’s brace edged the Vikings into safe territory and Walker completed his hat trick, Ben Wilcock completing the try scoring and Coutts landing his fourth goal.
NORTHALLERTON STALLIONS put up a brave fight but went down 40-28 at home to impressive WALLSEND EAGLES.
In a scrappy opening twenty minutes, it was the visitors who made the most of their opportunities, opening up an eighteen point lead with tries from William Evans, Chris Prior and Alan Stephenson, plus conversions from Olly Gilmore and Liam Stephenson with two.
Northallerton got on the scoreboard when James Park stepped round two tacklers and raced in from 30 meters, Don Payne converting.
A further Wallsend try by Jimmy Baldwin, converted by Simpson made the score 6-24 at half time.
Stallions opened the second half scoring, Park crossing for his second try but Wallsend extended their lead to 10-34 with tries from Steve Elms and Simpson, who converted his own effort.
A resolute and determined Northallerton side continued to work hard and a sustained spell of pressure was rewarded when Adam Gardener collected a Payne kick to race in and score and convert his own try and James Fitch burst through and offloaded to Matt O Sullivan, who sent Park racing clear to complete his hat trick.
Eagles scored next, an Austin Philips try, converted by Simpson the host’s never say die attitude was rewarded when Gardener crossed wide out and Payne converted from the touchline.
Man of the match for Northallerton was hard working prop forward Kevin Quigg.
SOUTH WEST
SOUTH DORSET GIANTS finished their league season on a massive high with a last play 44-42 win against the league leaders and last years champions DEVON SHARKS.
In what can only be described as one of the best rugby games played at Monmouth Avenue in many a year, the healthy-sized crowd were treated to fifteen tries in total.
The game got off to an auspicious start with only frantic defending preventing the Sharks from scoring inside the first minute.
Once the home side had gathered their composure and started to string some good phases of play together, ably led by ex-professional star and current Bath coach Brad Davis, impressive Isaiah Bobo scooted in between the posts.
A few minutes later a fantastic break allowed Davis to show the class and poise he has displayed throughout his career for Castleford and Wakefield to score.
With Tim Peplow adding both extras the Giants were in a commanding position. Sharks showed champions form and hit back with scores from Mark Molyneux and Olly Hill.
Giant's winger Dan Brown was the next to cross after a huge pass from Davis but back came the Sharks when some heroic defending from the Dorset based side could not prevent influential loose forward Russell Morris crashing over on the last tackle.
Undeterred, there was just time enough for Peplow to kick a penalty for the hosts.
The larger Devon team were starting to make inroads into the Giants defence and were rewarded with further scores from Molyneux and their halves Wood and McCarthy.
Giants re-grouped and showing their unquenchable spirit, it was no surprise when Bobo collected his second and Dan Brown added two more.
With a seemingly unassailable lead, they committed the cardinal sin of trying to score on every play and when it broke down Sharks centre James Hill went 60 metres to score tying up the game at 36 a piece.
With instructions from the coaching staff of Anthony Cowburn and Dave Allan to go for a drop goal, play broke down again and when James Wood added his second, once more from sixty metres, both of them had their heads in their hands but crucially the kick was missed.
With Davis galvanising the troops for one last push for glory they won the short kick off and with time practically up threw the ball wide at first to skipper Craig Barter and then Brown who at the last minute off loaded to Bobo to complete his hat trick tumultuous celebration from the ecstatic.
It was left to Tim Peplow to seal the game with high pressure kick that never looked liked missing. Allan said, “I was exhausted and I didn't even play.
I have been a member at Weymouth for over 25 years and I can't remember a game as good as that one.
44-42 and fifteen tries speak for themselves but it was more than that with some heroic defending and some great hits, especially from the Leatham brothers and props Liam Berry and Tony Worle.
This year the team have gone on to do some great things culminating in today’s efforts.
Having quality like Brad Davis of course helps but it was from a one man team, indeed people like Joe Gibson and sixteen year olds Luke Savage and Lewis Allan can all be proud of their efforts this season because it was a massive squad effort.”
EXETER CENTURIONS ran up a record score without getting out of second gear against NORTH DEVON RAIDERS at Grace Road.
Their 74-8 victory was the perfect repost after last week’s drubbing at East Devon Eagles and it all but confirms Exeter’s place in the play offs in two weeks’ time.
Despite missing several key players, including new father Ben Cowley, Exeter set the tone in the opening minute.
Centurions’ short kick off was gathered by hard-working prop Pete Lovell, who made good yardage to set up field position and Alex Stevens powered in to score with the game less than a minute old.
Gargantuan teenage prop Will Norton crashed through to register on 10 minutes and half back Brent Ryan added another score two minutes later.
Raiders hit back with a fine try from debutant hooker Ben Sanderson and for a time the sides went toe to toe in a scrappy midfield engagement.
Both teams added a further try before the interval, with Exeter leading 22-8 at the break, Stevens converting all bar his own try.
The second half was all one-way traffic. Exeter added nine further tries, dominating the encounter despite brave resistance from the Barnstaple outfit.
Brent Ryan ended with four in total, two from full-length breaks.
Alex Ford bagged a brace, and set up one of Andy Alderman’s two tries with a superb offload in the left corner.
Matt Coldrey also picked up a couple with Alex Stevens adding his second late on for a personal tally of 26 points, a club record.
It could have been more, Stevens having a try disallowed, and Dan Mountstevens taking on the kicking duties with the final two successful conversions.
The result means Exeter need to avoid a 40-point defeat in next week’s home match against South Somerset Warriors to finish in third position and so qualify for a shot at a first Grand Final appearance.
Their opponents in the play-off, though, are still unknown after Devon Sharks suffered a surprise defeat against the South Dorset Giants.
That result means that Sharks will need to beat East Devon Eagles by a 20-point margin next weekend if they are to claim the League Leaders title and with it the automatic route to the Grand Final on August 8th. Centurions will travel to either Exmouth or Torquay, to play team finishes second after that showdown.
MIDLANDS
With the first team off duty, BIRMINGHAM BULLDOGS ‘A’ took centre stage and duly put in an effective performance against a game but rather lightweight COVENTRY BEARS II.
There was plenty to admire in Brum’s play, though they eased up somewhat in the closing stages.
Early on, both sides were rather error-prone but a penalty award to Birmingham set them on their way, prop Mike Tate driving over from the re-start after the touch finder, full back Danny Bancroft goaling well.
Stand off Travis McIntyre then broke the home line some 40 metres out and made it to the posts for a try which Bancroft converted.
Bulldogs were dominant at this stage and good right to left handling saw centre Rafael Guimaraes outflank the home defence down the left touchline and cut in for a try which Bancroft goaled comfortably.
Coventry started to find some rhythm and put together a good attacking set which failed with a knock-on after the fifth tackle.
No such problems for Brum, as winger Glenn Farnham again found space on the left to give the visitors a comfortable-looking 22-0 lead at the break.
Bulldogs picked up where they had left off at the start of the second half as Farnham crossed for his second try which was pretty much a duplication of his first.
Coventry continued to compete and a deep touch finder penalty took them to the home line where loose forward Craig Benningwood went over from acting halfback.
However, Cov mishandled the re-start, the scrum giving Birmingham an attacking set that ended with hooker Greg Stewart diving over from close range, Bancroft converting.
Then a determined run from Guimaraes saw him shake off his would-be tackler to cross wide on the left for his second try which Bancroft gaoled well.
A lead of 34 points at this stage was pretty well impregnable and Bulldogs seemed to take their foot off the gas. To their credit, Coventry took full advantage.
A storming run down the right by Chris Holman almost took him over, but a terrific tackle by Stewart halted him inches short.
But a scrum for Bears led to stand off Mike Smith going over close to the posts, right wing Holman goaling.
From the kick off, a fine counter-attacking set ended with Holman making it over the line, his try goaled by left winger Tawanda Chipadza.
Finally, Benningwood went over straight from the base of a scrum for his second try which Chipadza converted to complete the scoring.
NOTTINGHAM ‘A’ were 42-6 winners over TELFORD RAIDERS, thanks to a blistering start.
An early Nino Volino try and two to Phil Artley set the Outlaws on their way, Tim Doyle and Ian Law among their other try scorers.
For Raiders, stalwart loose forward Pom Tutt went over in the last minute.
