Sheffield Tiger RUFC 28 - 32 Sheffield RUFC

Team Selection for Saturday 9th September 2023

15. Ieuan Cooke
14. Cameron Catleugh
13. James Flint
12. Will Smith
16. Chris Hooper
10. Callum Posa
9. Elliot Fisher

1. Ben Whitney
2. Ianto jones
3. Twm Jones
4. Archie Crapper
5. Dom Parsons
6. Alex Fawdry
7. Matt Adcock
8. Ryan Burrows

23. Reece Bartlett
22. Will Booth
21. Jason Hignell
20. Jonny West
24. Alfie Kimpton

The disappointment of the loss at home last week to Leeds Tykes in an exciting, but frustrating match saw Sheffield travelling up the road to Dore Moor and Sheffield Tigers who distinguished themselves with a more than creditable draw away at Fylde. Sheffield would travel with an only slightly changed side from the Tykes match. The backs were unchanged in the starting line-up, but with one change on the bench, with Alfie Kimpton replacing Moses Liwaliwa. The starting line up in the pack saw the return of loosehead prop, Ben Whitney, with Aaron Lonsdale moving to the bench originally, but he was a late withdrawal due to illness, and he was replaced on the bench by Will Booth. Archie Crapper also came into the second row to replace Charlie Flinders.

The early exchanges saw the two teams feeling each other out, with both sides throwing in a couple of knock-ons and penalties given away, a missed penalty kick to touch. However, a penalty given away be Tigers just inside Sheffield’s half allowed Sheffield to kick to touch close to Tigers 22-metre. The lineout secured Sheffield were able to slide through the first line of Tigers defence. The ball fell to Twm Jones who found the path to the try line open and scored a few metres out to the right of the posts. Elliot Fisher kicked the conversion, and Sheffield, playing up the slope had a 7 point to nil lead after just six minutes. Tigers were then to suffer the loss of flanker and replacement hooker, Louis Townsend to injury. A few minutes later Sheffield were penalised at a scrum giving Tigers fly-half, Mark Island a chance at kicking a goal, which he happily accepted, 7 - 3 to Sheffield after twelve minutes.

Two consecutive penalties saw Sheffield with a lineout close to Tigers try line. The ball was secured and Sheffield were on the attack. A smart switched inside ball saw the door to the try line open and winger Chris Hooper breezed through to score Sheffield’s second try. Again, Elliot Fisher added the conversion and Sheffield led by 14 points to 3 after eighteen minutes. However, Sheffield were guilty of letting Tigers back into the game. Having secured the ball at the restart, a forward pass gave Tigers a scum inside Sheffield’s half, followed by a penalty for offside at the scrum. Unusually, Mark Island’s kick for goal went awry and the score stayed the same for moment or two. However, Sheffield offered up another penalty for another offside and on this occasion, Mark Ireland had no difficulty in converting the opportunity, to reduce Sheffield’s lead to 14 points to 6 after Twenty-five minutes.

Sheffield restarted and Tigers won the ball and pushed back to halfway, but unfortunately for them the ball was knocked-on. Sheffield broke from the resulting scrum down the left side and once again, winger Chris Hooper found both the space and the pace to get over the try line for his second and Sheffield’s third try. Elliot Fisher failed with the conversion, but Sheffield lead was out to 19 points to 6 after twenty-nine minutes. The game was now looking like it was going into ping-pong mode. Sheffield soon found themselves under pressure at a lineout when the ball was overthrown and Sheffield were deemed to have given up two quick penalties. Tigers had a lineout just inside Sheffield’s 22-metre and Sheffield were caught short of numbers out on the right and wing Lewis Tayloe went over in the corner. Mark island could not add the conversion, Tigers had reduced Sheffield’s lead once again. On this occasion to 19 points to 11 with thirty-four minutes on the clock, and despite the endeavours of both teams, neither could add to their tally before half time.

The second half saw Sheffield kick off and they were immediately awarded a penalty for Tigers having taken a chancing player out off the ball. Sheffield elected to kick to touch in the corner. The ball secured from the lineout Sheffield moved in field and then somehow, Elliot Fisher found another hole in Tigers defence and darted through to score under the posts. However, in delaying his kick for the conversion he found it was charged down and Sheffield lead was only increased by five points and not seven to 24 points to 11 after forty-three minutes. Mark Ireland had the chance to reduce the lead once more with a penalty on forty-eight minutes, but again he failed with kick and the score was unchanged. However, Tigers were to start there best period of the match when Mark Island kicked over the Sheffield defence to his left wing, James Norman who glided in at the corner for Tigers second try. Mark Island added the conversion from the touch line and Sheffield’s lead was a narrow six points at 24 points to 18 after fifty-four minutes.

A chance did come Sheffield’s way just a minute or two later when they had a penalty in front of the post, but following an interchange with the referee the penalty was reversed and the opportunity had passed. A series of exchanges over the next few minutes eventually led to Sheffield flanker, Alex Fawdry being given a yellow card and a 10-minute rest, off the pitch. Tigers took full advantage of the extra man and moments later hooker, Will Archer went over just to the right of the posts. Mark Ireland added the conversion and Tigers took the lead for the first time in the match at 25 points to 24 after sixty-five minutes. Sheffield came straight back when Tigers were awarded a penalty on their own 22-metre, but they followed Sheffield lead and got the penalty reversed. Elliot Fisher kicked the penalty and Sheffield retook the lead by 27 points to 25 after sixty-seven minutes. Pong-pong mode had been reestablished and Tigers had a further penalty kick at goal within a minute and Mark Ireland converted for Tigers to go ahead once more at 28 points to 27.

The restart saw Tigers knock-on and Sheffield with s scrum deep into Tigers territory. A penalty quickly came Sheffield’s way, resulting in a lineout just outside Tigers 5-metre line. Sheffield secured the ball, but he move came to an end when Tigers were adjudged to have knock-on in the tackle and Sheffield had a lineout close to centre field and not too far out from the try line. Number 8 Ryan Burrows looked to break left and found Tigers defence totally missing, allowing the opportunity to crash over the line. Again, Elliot Fisher’s attempted conversion was off target, but Sheffield had secured a narrow four-point lead at 32 points to 28 aft and then had to endure a very. Very nervous last seven minutes or so. Tigers were both determined and desperate to score again, but knowing a penalty would neither win them the game or get them a four try bonus point, and so they went out to try and score a late try. However, their endeavours fell on the wrong side of the referee and two penalties allowed Sheffield to keep them very much at bay. One last chance did however, come in Tigers direction when Tigers stole the ball at the line out from the second penalty, and were able to mount an attack. However, Sheffield were able to steal the ball back at a breakdown and from that moment the ball went very much ‘up the jumper’ and Sheffield were able to close the match out at 32 points to 28, crucially having scored five tries and securing a bonus point.

Scoring: -

Up-coming fixtures: -