Rotherham Academy 22-12 Yorkshire U20

U21s IN ACTION
By Stefan
January 9 2006

A CRACKING result and a top-rate performance. That’s the verdict after an outstanding victory and superb team effort at Clifton Lane.

Two excellent tries by prop forward Sam Walsh and one from lock forward James Waterhouse, paved the way to an emphatic win over the County's elite.

Openside Greg Burnham was in outstanding form throughout the game and together with Tristan Laga at blindside - returning after a long enforced lay-off following a nasty pre-season ankle-break - made a massive impact on the game.

Their contributions were threefold: aggressive rucking, clever spoiling and terrific defence; they frustrated the visitor's efforts and denied them a useful platform from which they could win the game. Burnham’s and Laga's efforts typified an extraordinary team commitment that lasted the entire game.

Having weathered Yorkshire's initial onslaught, Rotherham deservedly led 8-0 at the break, and then produced even more momentum in the second half, resisting a Yorkshire fight back and adding 14 further points to emerge 22-12 victors.

The Rotherham pack survived an awkward opening and then started winning useful ball. Fly-half, Phil Dale, opened the scoring on 20 minutes with a penalty kick from in front of the posts given for a ruck infringement after a period of pressure near the Yorkshire line.

A catch and drive move from outside the 22 eventually led to Rotherham's first try, after a number of phases, Sam Walsh was driven over to give the home side an 8-0 lead at the break.

Rotherham’s positive and crisp first-half effort, better than expected, gathered more momentum 1 minute after the break. The forwards, on the attack, won possession near Yorkshire’s posts and eventually the lock from Aylesbury, James Waterhouse stormed over for his first try in Rotherham colours, converted by Dale, to stretch the score to 15-0.

Yorkshire responded with a catch and drive try on 46 minutes before Rotherham's big prop forward Sam Walsh scored his second try of the day. Collecting the ball in open play about 10 metres in front of the posts, he turned on the gas and charged over the whitewash bamboozling the entire visiting defence on 56 minutes. The Dale conversion gave Rotherham an unassailable 22-5 lead.

At this stage Craig West's boys were in control. Rotherham’s tackling and defence were solid, so much so that Yorkshire's powerful pack were prevented from scoring a try on numerous occasions when they assaulted Rotherham’s line. They kept them out until deep into added time when a series of tired looking missed tackles handed the visitors a try in front of the posts in the final move of the game. The conversion made the final score 22-12.

TEAM:
15. Charlie Spon-Smith; 14. Michael Kirkwood, 13. Gareth Morley, 12. Peter Lewis, 11. Dave Bolton; 10. Phil Dale, 9. Alex Drage; 1. Sam Walsh, 2. Jonny Larby, 3. Jamie Kilbane, 4. James Waterhouse, 5. Hugo Mitchell-Heggs, 6. Tristan Laga, 7. Greg Burnham, 8. Dave Cauldwell.

REPLACEMENTS:
Andrew Enevolvsen, Martin Dodds, Tom Bullough, Chris Ross.

SCORERS:
S.Walsh (2T), J.Waterhouse (T), P.Dale (P2C).