Banbridge Rugby Club - Northern Ireland

From early in the game Bann struggled to win both their scrum and lineout ball. Sam Boyd and Collie Hamilton did a good job to secure the ball at the back of the scrum whilst it was retreating at pace. However this meant a real lack of go forward ball for the backs. Despite losing most of their own lineout ball, Bann managed to keep pressurising ‘Hinch, and were to go 0-6 ahead with two well struck penalties from Francois Viljoen.

Eventually however Bann buckled under pressure and conceded a converted try, which gave ‘Hinch a 7-6 lead. Bann then managed to defend their line very well from continuous assaults from the stronger ‘Hinch side before breaking out to win a penalty, which Viljoen again converted, to put Bann ahead 7-9.

The score remained unchanged for some time, and looked like it may finish that way, until the Bann pack, after some great defending, conceded an easy try to the ‘Hinch No 8. Although unconverted, the try gave the home side a three point advantage with only 7 minutes to play
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Bann fought their way back up the pitch and were to be awarded two more long-distance penalties. Viljoen was unlucky not to convert at least one of these kicks, with the ball actually bouncing of the crossbar.

In their efforts to throw everything at the opposition in the dying minutes, Bann conceded a penalty, which ‘Hinch duly converted, to leave the final score 15-9 in their favour.

Thanks are due to Andy Fulton for stepping in at the very last minute to replace Andy Craig.

Although this set-back will knock the Thirds off the top of the league, there is still a lot of rugby to be played before promotion is decided, and Team Manager Andy Duke is confident that the team has what it takes to finish first!

Next week Bann return to Ballynahinch to take on their 3rd XV in the Crawford Cup. Hopefully the return of Jelly and Nelson to the pack will give the team the lift they will need if they are to progress to the next round.