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16 Group: Leicestershire 10 Lancashire 14
Lancashire 16s travelled to a part of the country where rugby posts exceed the number of soccer nets and where the ‘union’ game dominates, Leicester where Vipers RFC were the hosts to both the 16s and the 14s.
It was the hosts, playing with wind advantage that took the opening score. Fly-half Tom Collier posed the greatest threat, and with yet another dazzling show and sprint, he gained an opening for Ricky Wickwar to exploit and ground in the corner. David Weston almost pulled off an unlikely touchline conversion but at 5-0, a handy lead had emerged.
Missed tackles in both defences made for a scrappy opening half, but from the visitors’ view, Jamie Harrison’s sprint down the left wing and Robert Froggatt’ workmanlike grafting in the midfield were the highlights of the early encounters. Thomas Banks, at centre, looked solid both in attack and defence and whilst Thomas Brady (joining the squad after an early-morning dash from Murrayfield) produced two spectacular runs towards the Leicester line, he had to thank a Jonathan Edwards cover tackle to prevent another ‘home’ score.
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When it came, Harrison’s try to bring the score level was well worth the wait. Scrum-half James Smith distributed the ball down the line before the winger’s exceptional turn of speed, outrunning three outstretched hands, ended with a touchdown under the posts. Andrew Bushell ensured the lead with a conversion kick in front of the posts.  On 25 minutes, new coach Rachel Brown, a full international for Wales, made the first of her wholesale changes, and the side continued as though nothing had happened. Jack Matthews (for a very promising first appearance at lock), Darren Boswara and Jonathan Cunningham all blended immediately into the side.
Collier and centre Christian Moore continued the home threat, whilst skipper Karl Prior came close to scoring. Leicestershire did touchdown on the stroke of half time, only for referee Tom Gee to rule that a forward pass interrupted the progression towards the line. At the interval, skipper Simon McIntye added to the few blunt words before kick off, with an equally pointed half-time address as again Lancashire rang the changes. Lancashire brought on Michael Garrity at prop and Matthew Birchall on the flank, both for their first 16 Group appearance. Grant Blackshaw took over at full-back, and Daniel Bibby at scrum-half.
.JPG) A lapse in concentration, following the referee spotting the visitors offside in the centre, led to Lancashire defending a line out on their own five-metre line. Poor defence allowed a Leicestershire drive, and suddenly the home side took five points and a 10-7 lead. With a quarter of an hour to go, Bibby moved from 9 to 10 and Michael Ward was replaced. Having given the opposition a torrid time, Leicestershire’s relief at Ward’s replacement was tempered as their fly-half, Tom Collier had to withdraw through injury.
Stuart Hesketh moved to hooker, and his drive took play towards the home ‘22’. Lancashire gained a penalty. Whilst the cries from the touchline called for the three points to draw level with nine minutes remaining, Bibby saw a tap-penalty advantage. The ball found Jonathan Cunningham on the wing, and his sprint to the corner set up a maul for the pack to drive McIntyre over. From the touchline, Bibby goaled a spectacular kick to extend the lead to ensure that Leicester needed more than a penalty kick to win.
The home side gained a series of penalty awards in the dying minutes, play moving from Leicestershire’s 22 down the field to Lancashire’s five-metre line, as the visitors desperately clung onto their four-point advantage. ‘Sin-binned’ well over three minutes into injury time, skipper McIntyre’s walk to behind the Leicestershire posts was as long as it was anxious, but moments later he galloped back to celebrate this group’s first win over Leicestershire in three years, no more than a five-point margin in any of the results. What a cracking game!
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| 16 Group: Lancashire v Leicestershire, at Vipers RFC |
ko 2.00pm |
| 15 |
Thomas Brady |
Urmston GS |
Ashton-on-Mersey |
| 14 |
Jamie Harrison |
Wellacre |
Broughton Park |
| 13 |
Tommy Banks |
St Edward’s College |
Liverpool Collegiate |
| 12 |
Michael Ward |
Our Lady's RC School |
Oldham |
| 11 |
Andrew Fishwick |
Bishop Rawsthorne |
Tarleton |
| 10 |
Andrew Bushell |
Hutton GS |
Tarleton |
| 9 |
James Smith |
St Bedes HS |
Tarleton |
| 1 |
Stewart Hesketh |
Ripley St. Thomas |
Vale of Lune |
| 2 |
Peter Murphy |
St Edwards College |
Liverpool Collegiate |
| 3 |
Simon McIntyre (capt) |
William Hulme GS |
Broughton Park |
| 4 |
Ben Holland |
Hodgson HS |
Blackpool |
| 5 |
Robert Froggatt |
St Matthews HS |
Oldham |
| 6 |
Joshua Campbell |
St Edwards College |
Liverpool Collegiate |
| 7 |
James Newton |
Bolton School |
Bolton |
| 8 |
Jonathan Edwards |
Burscough Priory HS |
Tarleton |
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| 16 |
Michael Garrity |
Cowley Lang College |
West Park |
| 17 |
Darren Boswarva |
Deyes HS |
Ormskirk |
| 18 |
Jack Matthews |
Sacred Heart HS |
Waterloo |
| 19 |
Matthew Birchall |
Bolton School |
Bolton |
| 20 |
Grant Blackshaw |
Montgomery HS |
Blackpool |
| 21 |
John Cunningham |
St Mary's Coll |
Waterloo |
| 22 |
Daniel Bibby |
Standish HS |
Aspull |
TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS
The coach leaves Preston Grasshoppers at 9.00am prompt. A pick up will follow at about 9.45, at the Haydock Thistle hotel off Junction 23 (A580 East Lancs Road). Please note, because the 14s and 16s are travelling together, there is no available space on the coach for other than the players and coaches/managers.
DIRECTIONS to VIPERS RFC
Blaby Bypass, Whetstone, Whetstone, Leicester, LE8 6ND
M1 J21, follow A46 to roundabout at Fosse Park, right onto B4114, straight over next roundabout, next roundabout left, next roundabout right, club on left at end of dual carriageway.
For the AA Route Planner, type in PR4 0AP and LE8 6ND Click here
Players should travel in their red Lancashire (cricket) leisure shirt, or failing that a white shirt and Lancashire County tie (green). The shirt is also to be worn at the post-match meal. The red Lancashire rain jackets and red Lancashire training shirts are required for the pre-match warm up. Don't forget navy shorts and county (surridge) socks.
If anyone is unable to play they should telephone (NOT text) the manager, on 07711 344071 A.S.A.P.
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