U18s Match Report - Ripon vs Rotherham, Yorkshire Cup

A huge win for the Colts to go into the last four of the Yorkshire Cup for the first time.
There was nothing easy about this game, both teams quite equally matched and well up for the game. Ripon started well and were unlucky not to get an early try when good handling got the ball out to Miles Naylor who looked to be in, only to be taken into touch at the last moment. Rotherham mounted their own attacks and Rip defended well on their own line twice before the first try came from Lucian Wray, collecting the ball well inside his own half and breaking the line to outpace the defence and score under the posts. Sam Pillar slotted the conversion over to give Ripon a 7-0 lead at half-time.

The second half was again close both teams having good chances, Jack Baldwin going close, as did Joe Middlemiss. Rotherham’s eight was causing problems and the forwards had to work hard at the breakdown, Rotherham got a try back with twenty minutes to go, a strong run down the touchline to score in the corner, 7-5

Going into the last five minutes Rotherham pressed Ripon back into their own twenty-two, but this Ripon side never defend better than on their own line, time after time the tackles flew in Britton and Heaton making some big hits. Pressure usually brings a penalty eventually, hopefully a knock-on when you’re defending but in this case offside against the
defence, all looked lost when the ref blew up right in front of the posts, we seem to have lost so many times in the dying seconds but this time luck was on our side as the kicker sliced the ball wide.

Final score Ripon 7-5 Rotherham Loads of positives from the game, and through to the Semi Finals.