Sat 7 Mar 2026
WPRFC v Birkenhead Park
7th March 2026 – Park win narrow game at home to Birkenhead Park
WPRFC 26 – 25 Birkenhead Park
This week Park welcomed Birkenhead Park (BHP) to Burrows Hill for the return fixture and hoping to do the double after a tough win away in November. With BHP 7th in the league and Park in 8th, this was going to be another fiery and tough encounter. The conditions were fine and dry and hoping for a good afternoon of rugby.
Park kicked off the game playing away from the clubhouse and showed their intent to play quick and wide early to use our strength and pace. The first quarter of the game was a tough encounter with both sides defending well and trying to expose the opposition in the wide channels. BHP had the first opportunity on 15 minutes after a 5 minute period in the Park half on the fringes of the 22 and they showed their ball retention with many phase of play but took a chance with a long looping out to their right winger who took the 35 metres out and scored in the corner (0-5). Park restarted the game with BHP taking the ball a box kicking which Park tapped back into the hands of Jack Williams and then through the hands to Lewis Pickering who made good yards and recycled the ball on the BHP 10 metre line, the ball went first receiver Eli Fakailoatonga who threw a long pass to Alex De Keyzer who finished a great try 40 metres down the left side to score a great try under the posts on 17 minutes with Cameron Flanagan adding the conversion (7-5). This was going to be a tough game, but Park worked hard in game and were rewarded again on 26 minutes after a good period of play in the BHP 22 when we were awarded a penalty 5 metres out and went for the scrum. The scrum was good and Jack Williams passed Lewis Pickering in the centre who took the ball to the line and passed to Riewoldt Teabuge who ran a great line slicing through the defence to score under the posts with Cameron Flanagan adding the extras (14-5). With both sides working well through the phases, it was a battle and it would be down to a mistake or moment of magic to take this game. Just before half time it was BHP who took their chance with a good period of play in the Park 22 and after a series of forwards carries again, they went with a long pass out to their right winger who scored in the same corner from close range (14-12).
Half time score 14 - 12
BHP started the second half and within 2 minutes took a narrow lead with a penalty following Park getting caught holding on (14-15). The next quarter of an hour was an arm wrestle, but park worked hard to get field position and territory and 56 minutes we had a period of sustained pressure in the BHP 22 and with a penalty on the 5-metre line we kicked to the corner to take the lineout. The lineout was taken cleanly and a driving maul set up but the maul went to ground and Phil Lynch saw an opportunity and picked up and scored our third from a few metres out to take the lead with Cameron Flanagan adding the conversion (21-15). The game was still very much in the balance, but Park showed their intent with good rugby, but BHP defended well and were not going to just roll over. On 65 minutes Park were in again with our bonus point fourth try following period of pressure in the BHP 22 with some powerful carries by our pack to get on the front foot and allow our backs to run at the defensive line. It started with a scrum just inside the 22 which we won and caried in six phases and then we went wide with great passes through the whole back line and the final pass from Dan Davenport to Riewoldt Teabuge who used his speed and strength to score in the corner (26-15). With 15 minutes to go it now was a case of Park closing out this game to take 5 points and we continued to attack when the opportunity was these, but BHP were not going to give us an easy ride. On 75 minutes a Park lineout on the 22 which went awry and BHP capitalised on the loose ball and piled forwards only to be held up over the line. Following the goal line drop out BHP field the ball and took a couple of phases in to contact and then they were awarded a scrum and then a penalty which they took quickly with two phases in to contact and then went wide and wing on the right side scored in the corner but did not get the conversion (26-20). With minutes left on the clock this was going to be a tense finish and BHP took their chance with the territory advantage they saw that we were narrow in defence and with a cross field kick to the right hand side the winger collected the ball and scored with the conversion to win the game, fortunately for Park the kick was from the touch line and BHP missed the conversion and game was ended (26-25).
This was a hard-fought game with a another very close contest, but Park did enough with two tries in each half to take the win.
Final score: WPRFC 26 – 25 Birkenhead Park
Team: Will Du Randt, Alex De Keyzer, Riewoldt Teabuge, Lewis Pickering, Dan Davenport, Cameron Flanagan, Jack Williams, Dan Williams (Captain), Robin Lowndes, Johdell Akua, Phil Lynch, Joseph Hickey, Ross Morrin, Eli Fakailoatonga, Joel Gaidan, Conor Lapniewski, Joshua Gibbins and Harry Dodd
