Bill Beaumont County Championship
Staffordshire v Cheshire Report
Bill Beaumont County Championship Division 2, Pool I, Round 2, 2024
Staffordshire 33 Cheshire 36
Battling Staffs just failed to hold on against Cheshire at Hartwell Lane, home of Stoke on Trent RUFC on Saturday, but the 2 bonus points gained, gives Staffs a good chance of progressing to the semi final stage as best runners up in the 3 pool, Division 2 level of 12 counties.
The starting line up consisted of players from 9 clubs with the front row of Jack dace, Lichfield, James Davies, Burton and Tom Dodd, Stoke. At lock was captain, John Kirwan, Burton and Josh Bailey, Stoke. On the flanks were debutant Jake Bailey, Stoke, and Cal Oakden, Sandbach with Adam Ellis, Bridgnorth at No.8.
Ben Pitt, Walsall and Chaz Bunting, Burton, were at half back, and the centres were Adam Nunney, Walsall, and Will Tretheway, Ashbourne. Jerry Qasenivalu, Stafford and Tristan De Jager, Burton, were on the wings with Will Midwinter, Leek, at full back.
Luca Di Giovanni, Burton, Levi Powner, Newcastle and debutant Ollie Powell, Leek, were the 3 front row replacements. Macauley Green, Tamworth, Ben Almond, Trentham, Luke Brough, Bridgnorth and Xavier Hill, Tamworth made up the bench.
On a glorious afternoon on the outskirts of the Potteries, Cheshire made the short trip in confident mood having won handsomely at Alnwick last week against Northumberland by 24-60.
Staffs win at Kendal against Cumbria by the slenderest of margins, 25-26, meant this game could be a group decider, so plenty of expectation on the players and they didn’t disappoint.
Cheshire were out of the blocks early with swift passing and slick movement and scored the opening try on 5 minutes through No.8 James Oliver. The conversion missed. 0-5.
Staffs hit back with their first score 5 minutes later with a break on the right with Xavier Hill chipping through and Midwinter gathering before passing to Jake Bailey to score. Ben Pitt converted, and Staffs led 5-7 on 16 minutes. This came after the unfortunate Will Tretheway was injured following two superb tackles on 10 minutes.
Cheshire lost two backs to injury on 4 and 10 minutes, reducing their options for the remainder of the game but on 25 minutes, scored their 2nd try from a line on the right. The powerful drive saw Tom Akehurst crash over. Again, the conversion missed but Cheshire led 7-10.
Staffs struck back on 30 minutes as the quick rucking inside the Cheshire 22, led to Chaz Bunting darting up the blindside to score. Ben Pitt converted superbly, and Staffs retook the lead at 14-10.
As the half reached its last play, Staffs increased their lead with Qasenivalu and Midwinter combining to set Tristan De Jager up for a try on the left. This conversion missed, as the half time whistle blew, with Staffs holding a 19-10 lead, having played uphill against the breeze first half.
Staffs took the game to Cheshire at the beginning of the 2nd half and on 50 minutes scored their bonus point try through hooker James Davies as he gathered the ball at the back of the lineout maul and crashed over. Pitt’s conversion was good, and it was 26-10.
Only 4 minutes later and Cheshire struck back, after their forwards started driving the ball up the middle. The rucks close to the Staffs line proved too strong for the defence and the converted try moved Cheshire closer at 26-17.
3 minutes later and Adam Nunney was yellow carded for a deliberate knock. Cheshire’s Harry Oliver took a quick tap and went in unchallenged for a try with Nunney still walking from the centre of the field. The conversion missed but at 26-22, it was game on.
Then Cheshire’s Tom Metcalf was yellow carded for a deliberate knock on 61 minutes. The Staffs lineout a minute later led to a driving maul before James Davies peeled off blind and sprinted in for his 2nd and Staffs 5th try of the match. Ben Pitt converted, and Staffs led 33-22.
On 69 minutes, Cheshire scored their 5th try with another quick tap, this time from scrum half Jack Leech, who sprinted in unopposed. The conversion was good, and the score changed to 33-29.
At this point, the game was halted as the ambulance arrived to collect Cheshire’s Rory Atwill, who had suffered an injury in the 1st half. Hopefully Rory is recovering, and we wish him well.
A 15 minute break ensued before restarting badly for Staffs as Jerry Qasenivalu was carded for a deliberate knock on. The referee was consistent on this all game.
As the match reached its finale, Cheshire pressure was ramping up, but Staffs defence was holding, when an 84th minute clearance kick inside Staffs 22 was charged down by Harry Hughes, who won the foot race to score. The conversion was good, and Cheshire took the lead at 33-36.
Still Staffs had time to win the game with a 5-metre scrum opportunity but were penalised and Cheshire played out the last minute before despatching the ball into touch.
It had been a tremendous game for the neutral and nail biting for the partisans and a great advert for county championship rugby and no-one can be disappointed with the performance from Staffs’ squad. Every player gave 100% and they live to fight another day as results elsewhere went in their favour with respect to 2nd place positions in the other 2 pools.
Next Saturday, Staffs host Northumberland at Lichfield. Kick off is 3pm. Please come and support the squad as a 5 point win guaranteed the best runners up spot and a place in the national semi-final.