Rugby Lions - Match reports, 2003-04

Match Report - also see picture gallery

Rugby Lions produced a scintillating display of rugby to completely over-run Preston Grasshoppers, who were on the same points as Rugby before the game. They outscored the visitors by nine tries to one.

The support play and lines of running were a joy to watch with both forwards and backs contributing equally to produce the best performance I have seen this season. (I missed the Hull Game). With Tommy Turner and Peter Glackin both unavailable due to injury and illness, Lloyd Warner made a welcome return to Lion’s colours at fly-half, and went on to have an excellent game. The early exchanges were fairly even with Toby Handley seemingly targeted by the referee for crooked feeding at the scrum. Lion’s superior mauling led to the opening try on nineteen minutes with Sam Overton claiming the score. New father of twins James Hawken missed the conversion. Despite the visitor’s having a clear size advantage up front, the superior technique of the Lion’s pack gradually achieved the ascendancy, despite a yellow card for Alex Nash for entering a ruck from the side. After Preston were penalised following a Lion’s lineout five meters from the visitor’s try line, the ever alert Toby Handley took a quick tap and dived over for Lion’s second try. This time Hawken made no mistake with the conversion.

Half Time: - Rugby Lions 12 Preston 0

Rugby started the second period well, and a chip and chase by Toby Handley was denied a score by a defender just getting to ball first and scooping the ball over the dead ball line. The 22 drop out was ran back by Matt Goode who ran straight through an attempted tackle and freed Michael Rust in front of the shed. He fed James Hawken who drew a defender and slipped to ball to Alex Nash to scamper over for a lovely try. The four try bonus point was in the bag soon after when Preston conceded a penalty five metres from their line after some desperate defending. Rugby spurned the penalty and opted for a scrum. This proved to be the correct decision after Tristan Prosser-Shaw was driven over the line. Hawken converted to make the game safe at 24-0 after 51 minutes. The best was yet to come, however, as Lion’s played with a freedom seldom seen this season. A great run by Ade Hales was halted just inside the visitor’s 22, but tremendous support play from Alex Nash allowed Lloyd Warner to jog over for Lion’s fifth try. Hawken converted for a 31-0 lead. Sean Brady made it six, minutes later after picking up from the base of a ruck, and crashing over the line. The conversion was missed to leave the score 36-0. Ade Hales, who was limping and clearly suffering from the injury he picked against West Park St.Helens, still had far too much pace for Preston and struck fear into their defence every time he had the ball. The fact that he failed to stop Preston’s giant wing Russell Flynn from crashing over the line is a little more forgivable in these circumstances. His try was converted to at least get the visitors on the scoreboard. Their relief was short-lived however, when Stuart Riding popped up at centre 30 metres out. His tactics were not subtle – he just barged four or five players out of the way before diving over in the corner. Hawken expertly converted from the touchline. Ade Hales had the final say in the game by scoring two lovely converted tries to complete an emphatic victory.

Man of the match

Stuart Riding

Match preview

by Dennis Keen

Preston Grasshoppers Preview

Last season Rugby Lions lost the first game between the two clubs but won the second. This season they once again lost the first encounter, so will history repeat itself and will they win this one? Rugby were leading for a large part of the game at Lightfoot Green in September, but contrived to lose it in the closing stages. As was the case in 2006/07, both teams have generally been within a few points of each other in the league table this season. Currently both have exactly 40 and Rugby is placed above Preston by virtue of a slightly less negative points difference.

So, how to find a difference between them as far as results are concerned? Both clubs have played the same eight other clubs in the league, four at home and four away. How did they fare then?

Away: v Bradford & Bingley (PGH win, RL lose): v Caldy (PGH win, RL win): v Fylde (PGH lose, RL lose): v Leicester Lions (PGH lose, RL lose).

Home: v Harrogate (PGH lose, RL win): v Hull Ionians (PGH lose, RL win): v Macclesfield (PGH win, RL win); v Tynedale (PGH lose, RL win)

Hoppers playing record away from home in this comparison is 50% win against Lions 25%, but their playing record at home is 25% win against Lions 100%.

With this ‘form calculation’, though it did not actually exist at the time of the September game being played, a win for Preston would have been successfully predicted. Using the calculation for Saturday’s game at Webb Ellis Road a win for Rugby is indicated. However rules have exceptions and there are rather too many potentially overriding variables to consider, important ones such as ‘motivation’, and less important ones such as, ‘what did the players have for breakfast’

So, boiling it all down your guess is as good as mine, but let us hope for an entertaining afternoon’s rugby whatever the result.

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