The Nuns travelled to South Warwickshire for a first ever meeting with Shipston-On-Stour RFC for a Warwickshire Cup semi final. Shipston sit at the top end of level 6 and came into the match looking to test themselves against a higher division Nuneaton side. The Nuns made a number of changes from their last league game with a new front row of Jack Iles, Louis Addleton and Ryan Marsh, Rudi Reid coming into the back row and then in the back line, Tom Smitham, Tak Chawadya and Ben Kirby all came back in.

The game kicked off in front of a boisterous crowd under the lights and it was the host that came out of the traps fastest. They scored their first try after 6 minutes from a back peel off a line out 7m out which was converted. Moreton then received a yellow card 2 minutes later for a tip tackle and then, the hosts extended their lead with a further converted try after they moved the ball across the pitch from a line out 10m out. 10 minutes gone and the Nuns were 14-0 and a man down.

After the initial surges from the hosts the Nuns got into their rhythm and in the 13th minute from a lineout in the 22m the ball was recycled through a couple of phases and then Reid crashed through two tacklers to cross for a try. Brindley converted to bring the score to 14-7.

The Nuns then pulled level in the 19th minute when Beverley picked off an attacking pass to intercept and then run in from 50m out unchallenged. Brindley added a simple conversion to leave the score 14-14. Unfortunately Iles went off with a shoulder injury to be replaced by Darker.

From the kick off the Nuns put the ball straight out on the full giving the hosts a line out 25m out. They moved the ball into midfield with which their centre cut through the Nuns defence to score and move them back in the lead 21-14 after 23minutes.

The Nuns got themselves back into the game and managed to keep possession and territory for a sustained period. Eventually they cracked the home defence when Wood picked a short pass from Moreton to cross the line. Brindley failed with his conversion but the score was now 21-19 after 33 minutes.

As the half drew to close, neither side added to their score.

The second half started with Shipston playing down the slope and they took advantage of it with some probing kicks. From a scrum 5m out they kept on some pressure to work a try in the corner that went unconverted but extended their lead to 26-19 after 45 minutes.

Beverley crossed for his second try of the game when the Nuns built some good phase play. Keep the ball alive with some neat offloads and stretching the defence they moved the ball down the short side through some quick hands for him to cross in the corner. A well struck conversion brought the scores level at 26 all after 54 minutes.

Shipston got themselves back in the lead on 60 minutes with a penalty kick from in front of the posts to lead 29-26.
With the game in the balance and both teams looking to attack it was the Nuns that took a handful of control.

Firstly, Smitham stepped over from a close ruck to score an unconverted try on 69 minutes. Then Bennett-Allcock raced over for another after a midfield break through the centres. Brindley’s conversion took the lead to 29-38 after 73 minutes.

The Nuns just had to shut the game out now and they managed to do that until the last minute when Shipston crossed for a final try which was converted leaving a final score of 36-38 to the Nuns and a repeat of last year’s final against Broadstreet.

Post match, head coach Huw Thomas added “Great to get through to another County Cup Final and that was a really tough test from Shipston. We knew very little about them but they posed us plenty of issues and pushed us all the way. We were confident we could score tries and needed to be a bit more accurate in our defensive play tonight. Great to get some of the youngsters more experience of Cup rugby and now look forward to getting a side together for the Final with a group of players in Belgium on tour the same weekend!”

1 Jack Iles 2 Louis Addleton 3 Ryan Marsh 4 James Moreton 5 Tom Aherne 6 Rudi Reid 7 Arron Skyrme 8 Martin Wood 9 Tom Smitham 10 Lucas Brindley 11 Travis Bennett-Allcock 12 Tom Eales 13 Harry Beverley 14 Tak Chawadya 15 Ben Kirby; 16 Toby Dearden 17 Dave Darker 18 Sam Wallis 19 Benji Mitchell 20 Ryan Preston 21 Charlie Smith 22 Huw Thomas