Rushden run riot again
For the fourth week running Rushden & Higham scored over 70 points with an emphatic win over Copeswood in the third round of the Junior Vase.
Rushden were forced to make late changes with Steve Anige and Gareth
Griffiths pulling out due to illness. Paul Seabrook made his seasonal bow and Ian Stenson came into the side as cover.
However these late changes didn't affect Rushden's rhythm as they picked up where they left off last week with a try within the opening five minutes.
From a scrum, the ball was moved out wide where Ade Hill made the incisive break before off-loading to Dan Sharp who had a simple run into the line. Sharp missed the conversion.
Rushden supporters were expecting a bucket full of tries flowing this great start to the game.
Unfortunately it wasn't to be as Copeswood's bigger pack tried in vain to stamp their mark on proceedings with pick and drives.
As has been seen so far this season Rushden's impressive back row tackled everything in sight and nullified Copeswood's only attacking weapon.
Rushden were awarded a penalty in the middle of the park and a quick tap and go by Chris Jackson saw play taken into the 22. Copeswood then again infringed at the ruck and from the resulting tap penalty prop Jamie Robinson scored the first of his three tries.
The third and fourth scores epitomised the way Rushden have been playing rugby so far the season with the ball being moved between forwards and backs at pace.
Sharp cut an incisive line after some outstanding interlinking from the
forwards and backs down the blind side. Unfortunately he couldn't quite squeeze over the conversion.
The fourth try was scored by second row Ben Howe and was a real treat as Rushden broke from their own 22 through the backs.
Chris Lee appeared on the opposite wing to take the move on before feeding Terry Carter who was held up short. Quick recycling allowed the backs to create a one-on-one for Darren Pickard whose speed and strength were just too much for the Copeswood fullback. Sharp stepped up and slotted over the conversion.
On the stroke of half-time, openside flanker Ollie Francis – who had another outstanding game – benefited from supporting a break from Hill to score under the posts, leaving Sharp the easy task to pop over the conversion.
The second half was much the same as the opening period with Rushden's superior pace, power and skill proving too much for Copeswood.
Robinson added two further tries to give him a well-deserved hat-trick. Both were superbly converted from out wide by Sharp.
Not to be outdone centre Jack Kirby scored two tries in the space of two minutes.
Pickard scored his second after a set scrum move allowed him again to
demonstrate his pace with a run in from the 22.
Kirby completed his hat-trick with Copeswood tiring fast as Howe stole a ball from a lineout which was passed down the back line.
Pickard collected his second try of the game as he took a simple pass from Hill following a set backs move to make it 78-0.
With 10 minutes left on the clock the game had to abandoned after the Copeswood number 15 appeared to break his ankle after a ruck collapsed which diluted the Rushden celebrations.
Man of the match: Dan Sharp.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Kettering
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -1 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 5 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: -6 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South east
