Championship Round 19 Review
Action and reaction from Round 19 of The Championship.
A rollercoaster season took another twist this weekend, with Doncaster Knights stunning Ealing Trailfinders in West London and Cornish Pirates putting Jersey Reds to the sword to take control of the title race. Elsewhere, Ampthill closed the gap on sixth-placed Hartpury with a one-point win in the West Country, Coventry avenged their Round 9 defeat to London Scottish at Butts Park Arena, and Bedford Blues climbed to fifth in the table with a bonus-point victory at Nottingham. Here’s a look back at how the action unfolded on a memorable weekend in The Championship. [photo credit: Rod Wetton Photography]
Hartpury University 20-21 Ampthill
After Hartpury’s away win at Dillingham Park early in the season, Ampthill were eager to get their own back on Hartpury with an away win this weekend. Ampthill’s Joshua Bragman opened the scoring against his former club, stroking over a penalty seven minutes into the game. But it was Hartpury who scored the first try when the ball was worked wide to Tommy Mathews to score in the corner. The visitors hit back with a seven-pointer 10 minutes later as a chip through was gathered by Bragman to score. He converted his own try to give Ampthill a slender three-point lead going into the second half. Hartpury had their share of possession in the second half, but the penalty count was piling up, and Wil Partington, who took over kicking duties after Bragman left the field injured, slotted two penalties within 10 minutes of each other to put Ampthill into a nine-point lead. A flurry of scores for Hartpury followed. First, their pressure forced a penalty, which was knocked over by James Williams to bring the hosts within six points with less than 20 minutes to go. Inside centre Jack Tovey then scored after a well worked lineout in Ampthill’s 22. Two minutes later, it was Aled Ward who crossed the whitewash, and, with both tries unconverted, Hartpury had a slender 20-16 lead in the final minutes. Ampthill’s Harry Seward had also been sent to the bin, meaning the visitors had their backs to the walls and Hartpury were in control. The away side piled the pressure on, however, and numerous penalties allowed Ampthill possession in Hartpury’s 22, before Ollie Stonham crashed over the line with the pack behind him in the last play of the game to give his side the four points.
Coventry 62-12 London Scottish
After losing to London Scottish earlier in the season, Coventry were determined not to let the Exiles side do the double over them, and came away with a bonus point win in an impressive 50-point win at Butts Park Arena. Making his 100th appearance for the club, Coventry fly-half Tony Fenner opened the scoring with a simple penalty 10 minutes in. 15 minutes later, the penalty count took its toll on Scottish, with David Halaifonua receiving a yellow card. The man advantage was used instantly by Coventry, who scored two tries a minute apart. Senitiki Nayalo bundled over from close range and then Josh Barton sniped around the fringes of the ruck and scored from almost 60m out. Chances came for Scottish inside the Coventry 22, but they couldn’t capitalise on the pressure. Before half time, a brace from second row Adam Peters gave the home side a 29-point cushion at the break. Scottish started the second half intently, but a loose pass saw Coventry spring back into action, hacking the ball through for Rob Stevenson to score. Immediately from the restart, the visitors got their first points on the board. Replacement Brian Tuilagi broke through the line, making 50 metres before passing to Dan Nutton who touched down under the sticks. Scottish kept Coventry at bay for 10 minutes, but a penalty allowed the hosts to kick to the corner, and Jordan Poole scored from the resulting maul. Coventry were nearly in for another score, but Nutton’s near intercept was deemed a deliberate knock-on, and the nine faced 10 minutes in the bin. Once again they took advantage of the yellow card, scoring in the corner two minutes later through Stevenson. The hosts scored twice more in the final moments, but Scottish fans found a reason to cheer when Leo Fielding’s miss pass put Sam Baker over in the corner in the 75th minute. After some brave but ultimately unfruitful performances, Coventry put on incredible show for the home fans this weekend.
Ealing Trailfinders 17-25 Doncaster Knights
Doncaster Knights stunned Ealing Trailfinders and denied the hosts a losing bonus point to extend their lead at the top of the Championship. The Knights opened their account when Sam Olver chipped over the Ealing defence for Maliq Holden to collect and score to put the visitors up by seven with 13 minutes on the clock. Ealing hit back with their own chip kick in the 25th minute, when Craig Hampson kicked the ball to space on the right wing, which was acrobatically caught by David Johnston to tie up the game. Olver edged the Knights in front moments later with a penalty, coinciding with Ealing’s Rayn Smid being sent to the sin bin for a deliberate knock-on. Seconds before the halftime whistle, Holden grabbed his second of the day, receiving a long pass from Billy McBryde to dot down and extend the lead. In a mirror-like incident of Smid’s yellow card, Doncaster’s Kyle Evans was sent off for 10 minutes due to his own deliberate knock on just moments into the second period. Trailfinders quickly took advantage and raced into Doncaster’s 22. Max Bodily directed a looping ball to Luke Daniels on the left wing, who touched down unopposed to cut the gap to five. Olver continued his fine form off the tee, and added three to the Knights’ lead a few minutes after Ealing’s score. With 74 minutes played, Smid made amends for his earlier transgression with a powerful carry and score, setting up a dramatic finish in the capital. The final salvo came when Ealing went on the attack in Doncaster’s 22, and McBryde intercepted a loose pass and ran the length of the field to score and secure an emphatic win that blows the title race wide open.
Cornish Pirates 21-17 Jersey Reds
Cornish Pirates prevailed in a tight game against Jersey Reds at The Mennaye to move up to second in the table and take control of the title race with two games in hand over first-placed Doncaster Knights. Jersey hit Pirates hard and fast, racing to a 14-point lead within the opening 10 minutes. Tom Pittman put a kick through which was gathered by Macauley Cook, and minutes later Dan Barnes scored after Olowofela broke through, finding James Elliott who slipped the ball to Barnes to score. Pirates responded with their own try on the 20-minute mark, as Tom Channon held the ball at the back of the maul and the pack powered over the line. After the try, the Reds were back on top, forcing a number of penalties out of the Pirates, resulting in a sin bin for backrower Matt Bolwell five minutes before halftime. Scott van Breda managed to slot a penalty for Jersey before the halftime whistle, extending their lead to 10. The penalty would be the last points Jersey got for the day, as Pirates came out renewed in the second period, and, 10 minutes in, Channon scored his second from another dominant maul from the hosts. Pirates were much improved in attack, and a number of pick and goes gave Tom Kessell room to burrow over the line. With the conversion added, Pirates now had a four-point lead heading into the final 10 minutes, and might have thought they had tied the game up when Robin Wedlake scored, but it was called back for a penalty a few phases prior. The hosts held on to see out a resilient fightback win and set up a potentially decisive clash against Doncaster Knights in two weeks' time.
Nottingham 22-47 Bedford Blues
Both Nottingham and Bedford Blues have made a habit of producing thoroughly entertaining games recently, and this round’s fixture was no different as the visitors secured a bonus point win at Lady Bay. The game started with a flurry of tries and The Archers struck first when a strong driving maul allowed Charlie Thacker to dart under the posts. Bedford fired back immediately when loosehead prop Joey Conway broke through a number of challenges to reach the line. Nottingham then scored instantly once again, spreading the ball wide to Morgan Bunting after going hard with the forwards. Bedford scored their second with 20 minutes played as Dean Adamson got over the line from short range. On the stroke of halftime Conway got his second, powering through the tackle once again to reach the whitewash. Adamson then scored his second 10 minutes after the restart to give Bedford their bonus point. Nottingham’s Jack Stapley was shown a yellow card for the penalty count in the build up to the try. The Archers won a penalty from the restart, kicking their way into Bedford’s 22, where hooker Archie Vanes grasped the ball and scored from the back of the maul. Bedford began to pull away after that, beginning with Conor Tupai’s try shortly after the 60-minute mark. On 70 minutes, the Blues seemingly had the win in the bag when Reuben Bird-Tulloch raced clear from halfway and Bedford reached 40 points. Adamson then banked his hat-trick when Jordan Onojaife stole possession and fed Will Maisey, who shipped the ball to the Blues flyer in plenty of space to put the seal on an enthralling game and secure a well-earned bonus point win for the visitors.