Sat 16 Nov 2024
WPRFC v Crewe & Nantwich
16th November 2024 – Park put on a show at home in a great win
WPRFC 35 – 11 Crewe & Nantwich (C&N)
This week Park welcomed Crewe & Nantwich (C&N) to Stade de Burrows Hill in the first encounter of this season. With C&N in ninth position on 15 points, a good win would put us level with them in the table and show our week-on-week improvement.
Park kicked off the game and immediately went on the attack with the forward pack taking on the C&N defence, Park moved the ball well and got into the C&N 22 with strong direct carries and with only 3 minutes on the clock Gary Dykes saw an opportunity with no guards around the ruck and picked up and scored the first try of the game with Cameron Flanagan adding the conversion (7-0). This was the start that we were looking for. C&N restarted the game, and Park fielded the ball and set up their attack, with quick ball from the ruck the Park forward pack made ground with every carry and Cameron Flanagan saw an opportunity for territory a kicked a great 50:22 to get us into a good position. The lineout worked well to Anthony Hopley at the front but unfortunately, we lost the ball in the first ruck and C&N cleared to touch. We won the lineout on the 22 and set up again to attack, we went wide quickly off first phase ball and then recycled quickly with strong carries in phase 2 and 3 and then went wide with the ball going to flanker Phil Lynch on the left wing who broke through a couple of tackles and scored our second try on 7 minutes with was unconverted (12-0). On 11 minutes Park indiscipline gave away a kickable penalty and C&N took the points (12-3). The game settled down after the first 11 minutes with Park in the driving seat and certainly dictating the game, but C&N were no pushover and defended well. Park came close on 15 minutes with a nice break from Dan Williams who was brought down 7 metres out and again a few minutes later when brother Jack Williams made a break but were penalised for crossing. We continued to dominate the game with strong carries from the forward pack but could not get over the line and C&N were quick to jackal at every ruck so needed to tighten up. The one part of the game that was struggling was our scrum and C&N took advantage of this on 23 minutes with a scrum penalty on our 22 which they kicked to close the gap (12-6). Unfortunately, on 30 minutes a yellow card for Tom King put us down to 14 but Park rallied and kept C&N out with strong defence and great counter rucking. The last points of the first half came from the boot of Cameron Flanagan from a penalty to finish the half (15-6). C&N finished the half strongly against 14 men, but Park stayed strong in defence and didn’t concede any points during the yellow card.
Half time score 15 - 6
C&N restarted the second half and Park continued their dominance in attack and were looking dangerous on every play with great running from both the forwards and the backs with slow great interplay between Tom King and Dan Williams. C&N indiscipline were costing them territory and Park took advantage by pinning them down in their own half. On 50 minutes, C&N indiscipline gave Park an opportunity which we kicked for the corner with lineout working well they set up a driving maul which went to ground 5 metres out and Ross Morrin picked up and powered over to score try number three which was unconverted (20-6). 5 minutes later C&N had some field position and took advantage of their dominate scrum and earned a penalty and also a yellow card for Hanre Coetzee and C&N capitalised on the one man advantage and off the back of the scrum they went the short side and scored in the corner to score their first try (20-11). Park took the restart and spilled ball by C&N gave Park an opportunity which they took through Gary Dykes and attacked the C&N line. Park went wide quickly and earned a penalty which Dan Williams took quickly and was brought down on the 5-metre line, but the ball was lost, and C&N cleared the ball. Park regrouped and attacked again through Dan Williams who was tackled high and had the penalty which he took a quick tap and showed his strength to power over and score our bonus point fourth try which was converted by Cameron Flanagan (27-11). Park continued to dominate many parts of the game and were rewarded on 71 minutes with a penalty right in front of the posts which Cameron Flanagan kicked to extend the lead (30-11). At this point, the game was very much in the bag and Park defended every play that C&N threw at them and on 73 Tom King got straight over the ball in the tackle to earn a penalty. Park kicked for territory and had a lineout on the C&N 22, the ball was won cleanly, and Park attacked the middle of the field, quickly recycling the ball to Tom King who powered over the gain line and recycled again to Josh Gledhill who took the ball into contact. Park took another phase in and again recycled quickly to Tom King who drew the defender and passed to Chris Twigg who ran a sweet line straight through the defence at short range to score our fifth try and put the game beyond C&N.
In summary this was a great team performance and another big improvement, Park showed the home crowd what they are capable of in a well-earned win at home with great rugby from the whole team.
Final score WPRFC 35 – 11 Crewe & Nantwich (C&N)
Team: Will Du Randt, Chris Twigg, Jack O’Neill, Jack Williams, Jack Fenner, Cameron Flanagan, Richard Hart, Dan Williams (Captain), Phil Lynch, Gary Dykes, Josh Gledhill, Anthony Hopley, Hanre Coetzee, Tom King, Ross Morrin, Jacob Halstein, Tom Dodson and Bruce McGrogan
