Nuneaton 31 Northampton Old Scouts 17

Liberty Way was full of Christmas cheer on the weekend as the Nuns toppled unbeaten Northampton Old Scouts 31-17, whilst also gaining revenge for a 28-27 defeat earlier in the season. In front of a large and loud crowd, the Nuns were able to secure a maximum 5 league points whilst crucially denying the league leaders any points. Tries were scored by Ben Dawes, Takudzwa Chawadya, Ryan Preston and a brace for Martin Wood with Lucas Brindley adding 3 conversions.

The game kicked off with the pitch a little heavy in patches but the sun was out and both teams were keen to move the ball around. The opening quarter saw both teams have a period of play in either half but one telling factor came in the first scrum about 6 minutes in. Northampton were awarded a put in on the Nuns 22m but once the ball was in the Nuneaton 8 drove back the opposition to turn the ball over and gain a penalty. This was a real marker for the hosts and a strength they used throughout the game.

The first points of the game came on 20 minutes. After a succession of scrum penalties in the visitors 22m, Wood picked and carried from a scrum. He was tackled short but Dawes was on hand to pick from the ruck and, with some support, carried the ball over the line to score under the posts. Brindley converted to take the score to 7-0.

The game was mainly played between the 22m lines and both teams were working hard to try and secure the next score but defences were holding tight. The Nuns couldn’t get their timing accurate for the line out but such was the dominance at scrum time that the visitors opted to go for line outs themselves rather than scrum.

The next score came just before the half closed. On 36 minutes, Old Scouts had a scrum near their try line but pressure was asserted. A poor clearance kick was made and struggled to cross the 22m. Stewart Davies ran it back and moved the ball wide. A lose pass seemed to have taken momentum out of the attack but the loose ball was gathered by Ryan Preston and fed inside to Chawadya who crossed near the corner. Brindley added a well struck conversion and the visitors centre was yellow carded in the process, 14-0.

On the stroke of half time some pushing and tugging at a line out maul led to a yellow card a piece for Ben Holmes and an Old Scouts prop.

The Nuns started the second half well and having been awarded a penalty kicked the ball to the corner. Ball was secured and a maul set up which Wood broke clear from to score an unconverted try, 19-0 after 46 minutes.

On 52 minutes the visitors got themselves on the scoreboard. After a break out and kick through the Nuns had a goal line drop out into the wind. Old Scouts returned the ball and went through a number of phases before eventually crossing out wide for an unconverted try, 19-5.
With some confidence creeping in to their game Old Scouts started to some back into the game. Winning some penalties and applying some pressure but the Nuns defence was dogged and holding firm.

The next score came to the Nuns which was a real team effort and secured the try bonus point. From a stolen line out in the 22m, Brindley dummied a kick and set off on a 30m charge past a couple of defenders. He passed the ball on to Elliott Brown who took it to within 10m of the try line. Recycling the ball through forwards and backs the ball was finally moved to Preston who crashed over from a few metres out. Brindley couldn’t add the conversion but the score was 24-5 on 60mins.

Old Scouts came back though and wanted to show why they were top of the league. After gaining a penalty which they sent to the corner from the maul they moved the ball through a couple of pairs of hands for the second row to barge over for a converted try on 65 minutes, 24-12.

The Nuns had the chance to extend the lead on 71mins but a Brindley penalty attempt went wide.

The visitors kept pressing and on 75 minutes after a 15m driving maul went down they moved the ball to the corner for their third try but crucially, the conversion was missed leaving the score 24-17.

The Nuns came back strong and didn’t panic. When a penalty was won they put it to the corner and set up a driving maul. When they failed to cross the line the visitors were awarded a scrum. Having had them under pressure all day the Nuns repeated this sequence. As it came out under pressure near their own line Old Scouts touched the ball down in goal. From the 5m scrum the pack nudged and drove forwards and Wood dropped on the ball for the score, his second, which Brindley upgraded. 31-17 on 78 minutes.

Old Scouts new that a converted try in the last passage would secure them two bonus points and they through it all at the Nuns but the defence held firm and forced a knock on for the final whistle and Nuns win.

After the match, Head Coach Huw Thomas’s added “That was another huge effort from the lads today and they have earned that win for hard work. Our scrum was totally dominant and we also showed at times that we could threaten in a number of areas. Probably the most pleasing thing was to deny them any league points as we try to catch the top of the league. They deserve their break now but we must continue to prepare well for the New Year.”

1 James Redman 2 Augy Clarke 3 Ben Dawes 4 Rudi Reid 5 Tom Aherne 6 James Lloyd 7 Todd Bullions 8 Martin Wood 9 Tom Smitham 10 Lucas Brindley 11 Travis Bennett-Allcock 12 Tom Eales 13 Ryan Preston 14 Takudzwa Chawadya 15 Stewart Davies; 16 Ben Holmes 17 George Wallis 18 Elliott Brown