Saturday 17th October 2015 Merit League

This week Ripon 2xv played Bradford and Bingley in another Merit League Fixture. With 54 players available throughout the club this week 3 teams were able to be put out with subs! However with a couple of dropouts prior to the game certain players had to play out of position. We even had to ask the 3rd team Captain to play due to lack of backs!

Bradford and Bingley came into the game on the back of a huge win against Yarnbury 3s. This showed in the early exchanges with them offloading and breaking tackles.

Ripon had talked before the game about getting their tackles low, but this seemed to be forgotten when trying to tackle the bigger away side. Around 20 mins the away side managed to get through a couple of tackles and score out wide to make the score 0-5. The conversion was missed.

The rest of the 1st half was pretty even, with the lineout functioning and scrum being solid. Jonty Lister and Will Swires showing why they are pushing for the 1xv with some good work in the set piece. On 30 mins however, Bradford scored another try which was converted. 12-0

With half time approaching the opposition had a scrum in their 22. From this, Marcus Hockey picked up a loose ball and ran towards the try line. A good cover tackle by the fullback failed to stop the offload which went to Matthew Binks for the score.

HT 5 – 12

The second half didn’t start well for Ripon, with tackles being too high and wrong decisions being made. It also didn’t help that the opposition had a 10 with a huge boot! Bradford scored a few more trys which made the score with 10 mins left 5-38.

The last 10 mins showed what the home side could do. With big runs from the forwards and the backs taking the ball on the front foot. Jack Stiddart went on a crash ball from Patrick Whitaker and managed to break numerous tackles. He then managed to bulldoze his was across the line. 10-38.

With the last play of the match, Ripon again pressed Bradford into their own 22. Again a good run by Jack Stiddard was supported by Will Swires who went over near the corner. Patrick Whitaker converted this one.

FT 17– 38

A big THANKYOU to all the guys who stepped up and played for the 2xv today. I must mention Richard Hudson who had to play at Fullback, Ben Gemmell a Flanker playing Outside Centre and Jonny Stores-dale for playing Hooker. Also Mark Hooley for playing for us, even though his 3xv were on the other pitch winning 79-0 in the cup!

MOM Jack Stiddard

Next week we are at Castleford to play a friendly.