Staffordshire 38 v 38 East Midlands
BILL BEAUMONT SENIOR MEN COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION 2 POOL 2
Staffordshire win through to County Championship semi final with an away tie at Devon this Saturday, June 7th, 2025. The venue is still to be advised, so watch out for the news.
Staffordshire’s men’s squad had a difficult 3 games to play with the opening 2 being away from home.
Starting with a fixture against Warwickshire at Broadstreet on May 17th, the men in green held off a late challenge from the home side to win 19-27. Scoring 4 tries gave them a bonus point win and although East Midlands defeat of North Midlands by 40-32, gave them a slight lead in the table, there was still plenty of rugby to be played.
The following Saturday, May 24th, Staffordshire was on the road again, this time to Droitwich, to face the North Midlands. In a tremendous defensive display, Staffordshire held the home side to no score whilst scoring another 4 tries for a bonus point win at 0-22. East Midlands, at home for the 2nd time, beat Warwickshire by 31-7 and thus came into the final group game against Staffordshire, knowing that it was the Pool decider with both clubs on 10 match points separated only by 2 points difference scoring points.
The home game for Staffs was at Stafford on Saturday, May 31st, and an epic was served up by the players of both sides.
Wast Midlands took the lead inside 2 minutes when a Crossfield kick was caught by the wing who scored in the corner. The fly half converted, and it was 0-7. On 15 minutes, Staffs hit back with a driving maul try from the back of the lineout as James Davies (Burton) crashed over. Fly half Benny Elliott (Newport) kicked the conversion to bring the scores level at 7-7. Staffs conceded a kickable penalty on 24 minutes allowing East Midlands to retake the lead at 7-10 and on 31 minutes extended their lead with a try from the outside centre, who knocked off would be tacklers to score on the left. Again, the conversion was good, and East Midlands increased their lead to 7-17. Staffordshire held their line for the remaining few minutes, and half time came with both sides looking to stamp their mark on the final 40 minutes.
It was Staffs out of the blocks as the half started, scoring their 2nd try after a minute’s play. A penalty and then a lineout on the right, led to another driving maul and James Davies went over for his 2nd try. Benny Elliott converted, and the East Midlands lead reduced to 14-17. That lead ended 6 minutes later when Elliott kicked a penalty, and it was 17-17.
On 50 minutes, the East Midlands fly half was yellow carded for an accumulation of team offences and Staffs struck a minute later with a try from wing Luke Brough (Burton) after a nice move from the Staffs backs right to left. Elliott converted again and Staffs led for the first time at 24-17.
On 58 minutes, a powerful 5 metre scrum had the Staffs pack back against their goal post and the referee awarded a penalty try and a yellow card for prop Ollie Powell (Leek). 24-24.
On 65 minutes, East Midlands retook the lead with a move in the backs from left to right as the full back went over. The conversion was good and East Midlands led 24-31.
4 minutes later and Staffs were back level with some great handling and offloads allowing centre Adam Nunney (Walsall) to score on the right. Elliott converted and it was 31-31.
On 73 minutes, Nunney was yellow carded, and it may have handed the initiative back to their visitors, but Staffs dug deep and on 76 minutes, wing Josh Humphreys (Cannock) cut in from the left and scored. Elliott converted again and Staffs led 38-31.
Right at the death with Nunney back on the pitch, East Midlands probed inside the Staffs 22 and after a few forward drives the blindside flanker went over under the posts. The conversion was good, and the referee blew his whistle for full time with the score level at 38 all.
The draw gave 3 match points to both teams with East Midlands topping the group on points difference but both progress to the Division 2 semi finals where East Midlands travel to Pool 1 winners Cheshire and best runner up Staffordshire travel to Devon. Both gams to be played June 7th with the winners playing at Twickenham on Sunday June 22nd with a 3pm kick off.
Staffordshire’s 31-man squad is made up of players from 12 clubs as follows:
Ollie Rowbury (Moseley Oak), Luke Brough (Burton), Jamie Loska (Stoke on Trent), Alex Nesbitt (Burton), Josh Humphreys (Cannock), Benny Elliott (Newport), Chaz Bunting (Burton), Jack Dace (Lichfield), Tommie Collingwood (Burton), James Davies (Burton), John Kirwan (Burton), Josh Bailey (Stoke on Trent), Keifer Laxton (Burton), Macauley green (Burton), Adam Ellis (Bridgnorth), Ed Brown (Burton), Carl Williams (Longton), Jack Ward (Veseyans), Jack Neal (Stoke on Trent), Cal Oakden (Sandbach), James Milan (Burton), Alex Fitzmaurice-James (Newcastle), Will Midwinter (Leek), Adam Nunney (Walsall), Ben Pitt (Walsall), Ollie Powell (Leek), Corbon Clarke-Selby (Walsall), Simon Weaver (Walsall), Lewis Dunleavy (Leek), Tom Hayes (Leek), Joel Hine (Leek),