The Nuns wrapped up the 2024/25 league campaign with another good performance and victory on the road at Bromsgrove on the weekend, securing a 25-21 success. It was an 11th win of the season for the Nuns and their fifth win in the last six games. The win sees them also finish the season in 6th position which they will be happy with having been promoted back into the league last summer.

There were changes to the side from last week’s Cup match with Ben Dawes and James Redman returning at props, Ben Haywood in the second row and Zeb Gibson into the back row. In the backline came Tobias Trafford and Nemani Rayabo. Points on the day came from tries for Ben Kirby, Rayabo and Travis Bennett-Allcock, whose 25th try sealed his spot as the division’s top try scorer, with Lucas Brindley adding two penalties and two conversions.

The game was played in breezy conditions but the sun was shining and the pitch was baked from the recent dry weather. The hosts set the early pace and won themselves what looked an easy penalty kick at goal but the ball kissed the outside of the posts and went wide. Not put off, Bromsgrove continued to pressurise the visitor’s defence which stood up to the task.

The Nuns started to get themselves into the game as time approached 20 minutes using the wind to pin Bromsgrove back and also successful with some 50-22 kicks to give them good attacking positions. A couple of times some minor inaccuracies allowed Bromsgrove to clear though.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 25th minute. The ball was secured from a lineout 25m out and, after a few carries by forwards and backs the ball was taken to the opposite touchline. Rayabo broke clear near a ruck and as the defence thought they had closed him out he got a lovely off load away to Kirby to score in the corner. Brindley struck a clean conversion from wide out to give the Nuns a 0-7 lead.

And just a few minutes later the Nuns extended their lead. From another 50-22 kick they had a line out just in the Bromsgrove 22m. After the ball was secured and moved a centre field penalty was awarded. A scrum option was taken, with the forwards on top of this department, and then from a backs strike move Bennett-Allcock sliced through for the try. Brindley’s conversion made the score 0-14 after 29 minutes.

Bromsgrove got themselves on the score sheet for the first time in 34th minute. After a number of surges forward a slipped tackle allowed their man to break clear 15m out and score under the posts. Conversion added and the score was now 7-14.

Just before half time the Nuns got the last points of the half when, from a scrum penalty, Brindley stepped up to knock a penalty over from 40m out, 7-17 after 38 minutes.

The half finished with the Nuns pushing the hosts back off their own ball at a scrum to earn another penalty and kick the ball off for the whistle.

The second half started in a positive fashion for the Nuns when they earned a penalty off the kick off. Bromsgrove disagreed with the decision and were marched back a further 10m. This allowed Brindley to kick his second penalty of the game to extend the lead to 7-20 on 42 minutes.

The Nuns then failed to clear properly from the kick off and allowed the hosts to come back on the attack. From a tap penalty they worked the ball before a player cut through on an angle to score near the posts. With the conversion added the score was now 14-21 after 44 minutes.

The Nuns came thundering back with a third try. Bennett-Allcock made a 30m break up to the 22m and then Rayabo was fed the ball on the touchline on the 22m. He grubbered the ball through, ran around the defender to re-gather and with the defence coming across dived over to score a lovely individual try in the corner. The difficult conversion was missed but the lead extended to 14-25 after 48 minutes.

From the kick off, the Nuns dithered at a ruck and were then turned over which allowed Bromsgrove to come back on the attack. They went through a number of phases edging closer to the try line and eventually scored a converted try. The score was now 21-24 after 52 minutes.

As the second half progressed both sides had spells of pressure and opportunities to score. Bromsgrove out a foot in touch whilst scoring in the corner and then the nuns blew two glorious chances later on.

Firstly, after a break through the middle by Preston he couldn’t get the pass to Trafford to hand with a 20m run in available and then later the forwards mistimed a set move from a line out leaving another excellent opportunity begging.

With the clock running down Mitchell was given a yellow card for a ruck offence but Bromsgrove couldn’t use the extra man to effect.

The game finished with a penalty against the home side for crossing. Wilson tapped the ball and then sent it off the pitch for the final whistle.

A win for the Nuns that was fully deserved, against 3rd in the league. Built around a dominant scrum display, gut’s and determination in defence and three well taken tries by the backs.

Next up is a Warwickshire Cup final on the same weekend as a club tour to Belgium.

Post match, Head Coach Huw Thomas added “That was one of our best performances of the season and I’m delighted for the players. To finish the league with such conviction and a number of good wins has shown how much we have progressed as a squad this season. The forwards were dominant at set piece and the backs looked really dangerous at times with ball in hand. One more week to go and we will get a squad together for the Cup Final whilst the rest of the players enjoy a well deserved tour to Belgium.”

1 James Redman 2 Louis Addleton 3 Ben Dawes 4 Ben Haywood 5 Tom Aherne 6 Benji Mitchell 7 Zeb Gibson 8 Rudi Reid 9 Tobias Trafford 10 Lucas Brindley 11 Travis Bennett-Allcock 12 Ryan Preston 13 Harry Beverley 14 Nemani Rayabo 15 Ben Kirby; 16 Ryan Marsh 17 Arron Skyrme 18 Joe Wilson