Wales 16 Scotland 23
By Ian Golden at Sardis Road
Scotland pulled off a shock win win over hosts Wales in Pontypridd in the Student Home Nations at Sardis Road.
The result means that the hosts need to beat England by 45 points or more in the tournament’s final game on Sunday to win the title.
Good Welsh defence kept Scotland out in the first minute after an error gifted the Scots a set on Wales’ ten metre line from kick-off.
Wales were also denied an early scoring chance after Rhys Davies’ early effort was chalked off for double movement.
Scotland took the lead on five minutes when Jake Seymour scored in the corner. Matthew Hogg missed the conversion.
They looked to increase their lead but Jordan Duncan was held up over the line and Patrick Noutch was pushed into touch.
However they did increase their lead on 16 minutes through Seymour again in the same place with again the conversion missed.
Hogg went over for Scotland’s third try but again couldn’t convert so the score remained on 12-0.
Wales broke their duck on 22 minutes after Rhys Gant found a gap to dive and score. Fraser Stroud converted.
Gant was unlucky not to get a second, the referee had already blown for a knock-on before he reached the line.
Scotland took advantage and from a length of the field set, Seymour claimed his hat-trick try with Hogg’s goal attempt hitting the post.
They increased their lead four minutes into the second half after Nick Glohe ran through and Hogg converted.
Both teams looked for another try. Aled Davies thought he’d scored but was held up over the line, then James Bartlett prevented another Scotch try when he beat his opposite number Patrick Noutch to the ball.
Wales were next to score, Rhys Davies with a well-earned try and Stroud with the conversion.
They got another back, this one from Jarad Hinnem but the conversion was missed, leaving Scotland with a 22-16 lead.
Wales only needed a draw to give themselves a credible chance of winning the tournament so in essence, they only needed one more converted try, but handling errors prevented their chances.
Scotland sealed the game with five minutes to go. Luke Westerman was held up over the line but Hogg kicked a drop goal on the final tackle of the set before attempting a penalty from 40 metres that went wide.
WALES
1 Rhys Gant (Educ8)
2 James Bartlett (Cardiff Met University)
14 Brandon Aviet (Coleg Y Cymoedd)
4 Aled Davies (Liverpool John Moores Uni)
5 Conor Harding (Hartpury College)
23 Matthew Morgan (Coleg Y Cymoedd)
7 Fraser Stroud (Cardiff and Vale College)
8 Dafydd Rees (Manchester Met University)
9 Macauley Harris (Cardiff and Vale College)
10 Dewi Billingham (Leeds Beckett University)
11 Rhys Davies (University of South Wales)
3 Jarad Hinnem (University of South Wales)
13 Ashley Bateman (Coleg Y Cymoedd)
Subs:
12 Lloyd Selby-Smith (University of South Wales)
17 Ryan Griffiths (Wigan Warriors Sports College)
18 Billy Forrester (West Cheshire College)
20 Tom Seldon (Swansea University)
Tries: Gant (22), R Davies (58), Hinem (65)
Goals: Stroud 2/3
SCOTLAND
1 Archie Andrade (Maltings College, Halifax)
2 Patrick Noutch (Carlisle College)
3 Jake Seymour (Leeds Becket University)
4 Murray Mitchell (ICAS Students)
5 Jordan Parry (University of Sheffield)
6 Matthew Hogg (Newcastle University)
7 Douglas Chirnside (Oxford Brookes University)
8 Mark Cordeaux (Sheffield Hallam University)
9 Jordan Duncan (SRUC Elmwood)
10 Nick Glohe (University of Newcastle NSW)
11 Charlie Emslie (Furness College)
12 Niall Hall (Dundee College)
13 Luke Westman (Illawarra TAFE)
Subs:
14 Elliot Campbell (Gen2 Furness Skills Centre)
18 Daniel May (Halifax Elite Rugby Academy)
20 Alex Paterson (Heriot-Watt University)
17 Jack McMillan (Halifax Elite Rugby Academy)
Tries: Seymour (5, 16, 40), Hogg (20), Glohe (44)
Goals: Hogg 1/6
Drop-goal: Hogg (75)
Referee: James Jones
Half-time: 6-16
England 80 Ireland 0
By Ian Golden at Sardis Road
England, who made just one change from their win over Scotland two days’ ago and saw off sturdy efforts from the inexperienced Ireland side to win 80-0.
It means that England need a win or draw over Wales on Sunday at Sardis Road in Pontypridd to win their fourth consecutive title.
Will Jubb went over in the sixth minute to give England the lead. Ben Stead’s conversion attempt went wide.
Lewis Fairhurst sprinted over 50 metres from kick-off to double the lead with Stead’s conversion making it 10-0.
Ryan Langton twisted his way over for England’s third before winger Lee Rigiste broke away for the fourth. Stead converted both making it 22-0 on 20 minutes.
Five minutes’ later Lewis Fairhurst made a clean break to touch down under the sticks for the next try with Stead converting.
Ireland did well to stop Registe from scoring his second in the final tackle of the next set but it was brief respite. On their next attack, Alex Clegg was sent over in the corner and Stead converted.
Registe eventually did go over again for an unconverted effort, four minutes before the break to put the score onto 38-0.
But there was still time for Matt Chrimes to score just right of the sticks with Stead converting again giving England a 44-0 half-time lead.
Registe took just three minutes to get his hat-trick try after the teams returned. Stead’s conversion brought up the 50.
Harry Chapman broke from half-way to score England’s tenth try which Stead converted.
Ireland should have broken their duck on 55 minutes but their winger Mark Woods was unable to ground the ball after catching it high when standing in the goal area. One of a few opportunities they had to score during a short period in the second half, only their lack of experience failing them in the end.
However England eventually got another on 64 minutes, Chapman with enough downward pressure on the ball to score his second of the game. Stead converted well.
Luke Stephens broke free for the next England try on 69 minutes and Bass followed him over six minutes later. Stead converted both.
And as Ireland tired, Matt Chrimes had an easy run for England’s 14th try of the day with Stead kicking his 12th goal as the final whistle sounded.
ENGLAND
6 Lewis Fairhurst (Edge Hill University)
18 Lee Registe (Leeds Beckett)
3 Jason Bass (Newcastle University)
16 Matthew Chrimes (Leeds Beckett University)
19 Alex Clegg (Northumbria University)
7 Kieran Smith (University of Hull)
21 Ben Stead (University of Gloucestershire)
33 Lewis Taylor (Loughborough University)
23 Will Jubb (University of Hull)
10 Daniel Gover (Coventry University)
11 James Mason (University of Gloucestershire)
24 Marcus Stock (University of Sheffield)
25 Ryan Langton (University of Hull)
Subs:
9 Luke Stephens (University of Gloucestershire)
8 Conner MacCallum (Manchester Met Uni)
32 Alex Ford (University of Exeter)
14 Harry Chapman (Loughborough University)
Tries: Jubb (6), Fairhurst (9, 25), Langton (15), Registe (19, 36, 43), Clegg (30), Chrimes (40, 79), Chapman (47, 64), Stephens (69), Bass (75)
Goals: Stead 12/14
IRELAND
1 James Millar (Ulster University)
2 Mark Woods (Ulster University)
3 Ciaran Howard (St Mary’s University)
4 Matt Connolly (IT Blanchardstown)
5 Conor Creaby (IT Blanchardstown)
6 Dean McMahon (Athlone Institute of Technology)
7 Bradley Sheridan (University of Warwick)
8 James Foley (Institute of Technology Carlow)
9 Jonny Mooney (Belfast Metropolitan College)
10 Paul Bolger (University of Gloucestershire)
11 Roy Stanley (NUI Galway)
12 Matt McKelvey (Belfast Metropolitan College)
13 Rory Wise (Oxford Brookes University)
Subs
14 Ryan Guilfoyle (NUI Galway)
15 Peter Ryan (Coventry University)
16 Adam Malone (University of Limerick)
17 Matty Coulter (Belfast Metropolitan College)
Referee: Ellis McCarthy
Half-time: 44-0