Sat 22 Nov 2025
Birkenhead Park v WPRFC
22nd November 2025 – Park win narrow game away at Birkenhead Park
Birkenhead Park 20 – 22 WPRFC
This week Park travelled to Birkenhead Park (BHP) for game nine of the season and hoping for a fourth successive win. Park also welcomed a debut for another young player Lewis Owens who joined the club a few weeks ago and got to start the game due to an unfortunate injury to Christian Avis during the warm up. The conditions were fine after some earlier rain and hoping for a good afternoon of rugby.
Park kicked off the game and fielded the box kick from BHP and put in the first few phases of play but lost the ball in contact and BHP had the chance to attack. BHP had the early territory, but Park matched up defensively and got a penalty to release the pressure. The early exchanges were very even and the game was very tight but Park had the first half chance off the back of the scrum on the half way line with Dan Williams linking with Jack Williams and Will Du Randt breaking the line but the last pass to Teddie McCaffery was taken by the BHP cover defence. Park had the first chance of points from a penalty on BHP 10 metre line but unfortunately it was narrowly missed. BHP took the 22 drop out which was picked up by Riewoldt Teabuge who took into contact and made good ground, the ball was recycled quickly to Eli Fakailoatonga who again broke through gain line and got into the BHP 22 and then Jack Williams picked up and passed to Cameron Flanagan who passed inside to Alex De Keyzer who ran a great line and off loaded to Matt Treacy to score a great well worked try with Cameron Flanagan adding the conversion (0-7) on 11 minutes. BHP had some periods of possession and territory but could not break the Park defence, Park also had opportunities, but a few errors stunted our attack. On 20 minutes BHP had the opportunity for a kick at goal from the Park 10 metre line and was successful (3-7). Park were making good ground in attack and were working hard to field the BHP kicking game. On 28 minutes BHP got another penalty 30 metres out following Park indiscipline at the breakdown which was missed. On 32 minutes Park had fielded a kick in their own 22 and Will Du Randt ran the ball and sliced through the line and passed to Alex De Keyzer on the half way line but was tackled, the ball was recycled quickly and passed out to debutant Lewis Owens who took the ball just inside the BHP half and stepped inside and broke the line and then chipped the full back and regathered the ball and slid over for a great Park try with Cameron Flanagan adding the conversion (3-14). BHP got the final points of the half with their first try just before half time following them being held up over the line and then getting a penalty on the Park 22, they took the scrum and again came within a few metres but another penalty gave them another shot and kicked for the corner. They won the lineout and set up a driving maul and scored to end the half (10-14).
Half time score 10 - 14
BHP kicked off the second half and Park ran the ball out with Phil Lynch making a great break from the 22 to the BHP 10 metre line and then got the ball to Lewis Owens who kicked ball through forcing BHP to take the ball and ground it over the line and giving Park a 5 metre scrum. Park worked hard from the scrum, but the BHP defence was good, and Park could not quite get over that line. This was a battle of attrition now with both sides having possession and territory but not breaking the defence. On 53 minutes Joel Gaidan was shown the yellow card which put Park under pressure and BHP capitalised on this and with a penalty got into the Park 22, Park were under pressure and indiscipline from Park with Eli Fakailoatonga shown a yellow and we were down to 13. With two front rows off the pitch, we were forced to go uncontested and with a scrum 5 metres out BHP scored on 55 minutes to take the lead (17-14). Park worked hard from the restart and forced BHP to clear to touch, the lineout was won and Park attacked the BHP defence and winning a penalty for BHP indiscipline which was taken quickly by Jack Williams and taken into the 22 and with another penalty coming Park passed the ball out wide to Phil Lynch who scored in the corner to take the lead (17-19) on 58 minutes. This was going to be a close finish, and the next 15 minutes was a battle with both sides wanting the win the game, but Park had the opportunities but could not quite get over the line and errors were allowing BHP to clear their lines. On 73 minutes Park were under pressure on their own line and indiscipline with Riewoldt Teabuge shown the yellow card and allowing BHP to take the points from the penalty to take the lead (20-19). Park now needed to score points to win the game and they got on to the front foot with strong carries into the heart of the BHP half, with the pressure building BHP were on the back foot and the pressure was turned into points with indiscipline by BHP in their own 22 at the breakdown on 79 minutes and Cameron Flanagan kicked the penalty to take the lead and ultimately win the game (20-22).
This was a hard-fought game with a another very close contest, but Park showed true grit and determination to make it four wins in a row.
Final score: Birkenhead Park 20 – 22 WPRFC
Team: Will Du Randt, Alex De Keyzer, Riewoldt Teabuge, Christian Avis, Teddie McCaffery, Cameron Flanagan, Jack Williams, Dan Williams (Captain), Matthew Treacy, Robin Lowndes, Johdell Akua, Phil Lynch, Conor Lapniewski, Eli Fakailoatonga, Joel Gaidan, Anthony Hopley, Frankie Davenport and Lewis Owens
