After surviving the early storm from the hosts, during which they conceded a penalty, Rugby at last got their hands on the ball and the backs showed what they are capable of. The set pieces were always going to difficult for the Lions, and it soon became evident that the game plan was for quick ball to give the backs every chance. James Hawken equalled the scores with a penalty from the touchline after Hoppers were penalised for killing the ball at a ruck. A typical darting run following a quick tap penalty from Toby Handley got Rugby into the home 22, and the ball was spun out to Dominic Wareing who was playing at centre. He ran around his opposite number to touch down under the posts for Lion’s first try, which was converted by James Hawken after 23 minutes.

Back came Preston, and seven minutes later, a slick pass allowed centre Oliver Moore to slice through and touch down for a try near the uprights. This was converted by Paul Bailey to even the score at 10-10. A drop goal from fly half Boshoff ended the first half scoring to give the home side a slender lead.

Half Time: - Preston 13 Rugby Lions 10

Ade Hales came on at the start of the second half replacing Tim Douglas with Dom Wareing reverting to centre. Early pressure from the home side lead to another penalty from Bailey, which extended their lead to six points. Lions responded immediately and great work from Toby Handley led to a trade mark try from him to regain the lead for Rugby on 57 minutes, following Hawken’s conversion.

Preston then applied severe pressure on Rugby’s try line and for the second week running Lion’s conceded a debatable penalty try for dropping a maul. This time, however, no yellow card followed. Bailey converted to re-instate Hopper’s six point lead. Despite this, Lion’s supporters were not downcast and were convinced that the way they were playing they could get back into the game. As it happened, this was as good as it got for Preston who fell away badly from here in.

Straight from the restart, some determined runs from several Lion’s players freed James Hawken to dive over gleefully with ten minutes to go. Agonisingly his conversion attempt hit the upright to leave Lions still one point behind. It was one-way traffic now, and after a Preston player was binned for killing the ball five metres from their try-line, an inside pass from Glenn Bond allowed Matt Goode to scamper over and score. Again, James Hawken hit the upright, but Lions had the lead at 23-27. An interception from Stuart Riding on Lion’s 22 allowed Matt Goode to give Ade Hales some room down the right wing and he left the defence in his wake to score in the corner and seal the victory. The conversion attempt from Hawken drifted just wide. Lion’s were so much on top now, that they were even pushing Preston back in the scrum, and in injury time, Dom Wareing went over in the left corner for his second try and Rugby’s sixth.