The first home game of the season for the 1stXV ended with 8 try’s for the black wave and another bonus point.
Right from the off S&L were on the front foot, Louis ‘the try machine’ Trimble opening up the casuals defence with the first phase of the game, bursting through and making 30 meters. A penalty quickly followed, the boot of Jay Manson putting S&L deep inside casuals 22. With the forwards winning their lineout ball, Ellis Brown crashed over for the first try of the game. Jay Manson adding the extras for a 7 point lead.
At the restart S&L gave away a couple of penalties, finding themselves on their try line. With a bigger pack, casuals opted for the scrum and eventually muscled their way over for their opening score. Slotting the conversion to level the score.
The next 5 minutes were an arm wrestle, with both teams making errors, relinquishing possession and giving away penalties.
Losing their own ball near the casuals 22, S&L regained possession after Brandon Wall turned over his opposite number, setting free Connor Jenkinson to side step past two defenders. Jenkinson grubbered through, upon collecting his own kick he was brought down two meters from the line, but brilliantly found support runner Tansley Naylor who dived over for the score. Jay Manson once again adding the extra 2. 14-7.
S&L now really applied the pressure. Numerous offences by the visitors, Casuals found themselves once again pinned back in their 22, facing another S&L lineout.
Josh Ruddick finding his intended target, a short driving maul was unstoppable as Louis Trimble dotted down for his first of the day. Jay pulling the conversion. 19-7 the score.
Deja vu with yet more infringements by the increasingly frustrated casuals, S&L had yet another line out in a great field position. Winning their own ball and after some slick handling through the backs, Trimble raced over for number 2. Manson missing the Conversion leaving the half time score 24-7.
S&L started the second half as they’d finished the first, by scoring, yet another neatly worked line out drew in casuals Defenders. Kieran Manson hopped skipped and jumped his way passed the would be tacklers and straight under the posts for a cracking score. His brother Jay seemingly finding his kicking boots again after slotting the conversion for a 31-7 lead.
From the restart, one of the best solo tries you will see all year, it could only have come from Mr Try himself, Louis Trimble. One catch, one pass, one line, 15 men beaten and sprinting over 60 meters. Trimble navigated his way through, cruising past every defender to finish off in a sensational fashion. Manson just missing the conversion attempt leaving S&L leading 36-7.
Casuals then found their feet, holding on to the ball for a number of well executed phases. Massive crunching tackles, from Ellis Brown and Kieran Manson in particular, stopping any hard running line casuals threw at the black wave. Eventually the pressure paid off for casuals, as a handling error lead to their second score. Taking the extras to make the score 36-14.
S&L were soon back on top of the game. Sitting pretty inside casuals 22, the forwards took charge and set up a driving maul that was quickly recycled and moved along the line until Captain Devon Rilley picked a hole in the defence, causally strolling over for the score. This time, no doubt with the conversion, Manson knocked it over in fine style and extended the lead to 43-14.
Casuals did not give, despite the score line and extremely hot conditions, they fought to the end. Crossing the try line for their 3rd score of the game after a well worked lineout caught the black wave defenders napping. 3 from 3 from the casuals kicker left the score 43-21.
The black wave wern't finished however, with more of same intense pressure they were back in the familiar position, inside casuals half with a line out to come. An over thrown ball was collected by Tansley Naylor. Marching through the defenders he delivered a well timed pass to Connor Jenkinson, who in turn feed Hayden Miller and he flew over in the corner for his first try in black. Manson added his fifth conversion of the afternoon, ending the game with a score of 50-21.
It was another great performance for all the boys, two bonus point wins to start the season and scoring tries for fun.
A doubleheader this weekend with both the 1sts and 2nds playing at home, let’s flood the sidelines and bring the noise!
