New Season Hopefuls

A bright sunny afternoon at the Bury RUFC ground off Radcliffe Road, offered ideal
playing conditions for this friendly encounter. Rossendale U14s Captain Bradley
Watts organised his team as Rowan Hopkinson got the game underway with a high
ball giving his team time to follow up and immediately put pressure on the catcher.
There followed an intense period of play, both sides tackling fiercely each trying to
gain the upper hand. The ferocity of the tackling, particularly from newcomer Tom
Moore, playing his first competitive game for Rossendale, Elliot Newell and Haig
Howarth led to several knock on’s and a series of scrums.
Last year the Young Stags of Rossendale acquitted themselves well at the set piece
and forwards coach Jack Robbins will have been pleased at their performance today
as they consistently pushed their opponents off the ball to win valuable possession,
Nathan Waddington sharp as ever at Scrum Half, quickly brought his back line into
the game and their impressive handling, moving the ball speedily out to the wing
where Toby Mansley on the right and Rowan Hopkinson on the left both took their
chances to threaten the Bury try line and only determined defence by the home
team kept them out.
As possession switched back and forward from one side to the other gaps began to
appear in both defences until Bury finally broke the deadlock tacking possession just
inside their own half and finishing the move down their left wing to get the first
points on the board just on the ten minute mark.
Rossendale responded sharply as Bury fielded the kick off Josh Beeken and Noah
Taylor followed up and forced a knock on giving the visitors the put in at the scrum.
The front row, Tyler Johnson, Reece Howarth and Sam Ashworth bolstered by
second rows Will Winton and Noah Taylor gave a massive shove ensuring clean
possession for Nathan Waddington who passed out quickly to Brad Watts who drew
his man before offloading to Haig Howarth. Haig ran straight to take out another
defender and passed well out of the tackle to Ieuan Dwyfor-Jones who forced his
way through two defenders and accelerated down the left wing with only the full
back to beat he just managed to ground the ball over the try line as the No:15 made
his tackle.
Eventually Bury proved the stronger side and despite some try saving tackles from
the solid Dan Dunham, Rossendale’s last line of defence, the home side ran in several
more tries, although Rossendale did respond with two of their own through Aiden
Hopkinson who came on for the last ten minutes to replace the injured Tom Moore.
Nevertheless a promising opening match for the boys from The Valley, with all areas
of their game developing well and new squad members all playing their part