Post by Jamie Crawford on Mar 16, 2021 12:36:25 GMT
Hartpury College preview
sponsored by Twenty Four IT Services (www.twentyfourit.co.uk)
Round 3, ALPAS Arena Friday 19th March (added) KO 19.30
(2nd addition, our website has KO @ 19.45, The RFU & their website says 19.30. it could be either but it's better to be ready for 19.30!)
The Knights have recorded two wins from their first two games out of a shortened season of just ten games. Therefore, they’ve already won 20% of their games, only Ealing Trailfinders and the Cornish Pirates have also done that. Now Hartpury lie in wait at their ALPAS Arena home hoping to rust and stiffen the Knight’s armour to lessen their movement on the pitch. Hartpury have both won and lost a game but they have won a try bonus point in the process, so they are three points behind us. A Hartpury win would see them leapfrog the Knights even if we score a losing bonus point because their points difference is already 12 higher. Of course, we would stay above them in the event of a draw.
Hartpury were surf-sharing on the crest of the wave with Ealing Trailfinders after the first game this season. They were top of the Championship, above the Cornish Pirates courtesy of their bonus point after beating Richmond 38-15.
Hartpury tries against Ealing were scored by Ben Foley (Left Wing), Aled Ward (Blindside Flanker) and James Williams (Centre) in the first half. Foley then scored a brace just after the whistle blew to start the second half (40 & 43 mins respectively).
Foley & Williams scored on their return debuts for the club.
Hartpury stated in the review on their website, “If not a complete performance, this was certainly among the better efforts from the Red & Blacks since promotion from National 1, four years ago. If anything, the final score-line does not quite reflect the dominance in almost every aspect of the match…”
Hartpury fielded three Dual Registered players in the match day 23; Joe Howard and Olly Adkins, both age-group internationals were part of the healthy contingent currently on loan from near neighbours Gloucester Rugby, plus lock Ehize Ehizode had played a smattering of games while on dual-registration from Bristol Bears.
Both Howard and Adkins progressed to Gloucester from Hartpury.
Last weekend saw Hartpury travel to Goldington Road to lose 33-25 to Bedford Blues to leave them fifth in the table with Saracens sandwiched between us. “It was a frustrating night for Hartpury at Goldington Road, as they failed to fire until deep into the final quarter of the match. A late surge brought the Red and Blacks two tries and had them within touching distance of an unlikely result, but eventually the team travelled home empty-handed.” (harpuryrfc.co.uk). The loss has left Hartpury on a five-match losing streak. Indiscipline was a major factor in game, as seems to be the case for all teams across Championship after such a long time without playing. The first score for the Red and Blacks was when Ben Foley was able to stroll in for his fourth try of the new season. This followed a calamitous error from the Blues when a long pass was fumbled to allow Foley to scoop up and score. “Back-up scrum half, Calum Waters, introduced some much-needed energy and suddenly runners like George Simpson, Robbie Smith and James Williams were starting to find some space. Replacement hooker, Nick Selway, was the first to benefit – his first try for the club – after a well-worked lineout drive and when Aled Ward repeated the dose a few minutes later, to drag Hartpury within five points, a surprise turn-around was not beyond the imagination.” (hartpury.co.uk). Foley has scored four tries in two games, a player to be wary of.
Don’t forget to watch the live stream available at: www.championshiprugby.co.uk/live-streams
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
Added 18th Mar - Hartpury Uni are the third top try scorers in the Championship with eight tries to their name. Ben Foley is the top individual with four, as many as the Knights have scored in total.
sponsored by Twenty Four IT Services (www.twentyfourit.co.uk)
Round 3, ALPAS Arena Friday 19th March (added) KO 19.30
(2nd addition, our website has KO @ 19.45, The RFU & their website says 19.30. it could be either but it's better to be ready for 19.30!)
The Knights have recorded two wins from their first two games out of a shortened season of just ten games. Therefore, they’ve already won 20% of their games, only Ealing Trailfinders and the Cornish Pirates have also done that. Now Hartpury lie in wait at their ALPAS Arena home hoping to rust and stiffen the Knight’s armour to lessen their movement on the pitch. Hartpury have both won and lost a game but they have won a try bonus point in the process, so they are three points behind us. A Hartpury win would see them leapfrog the Knights even if we score a losing bonus point because their points difference is already 12 higher. Of course, we would stay above them in the event of a draw.
Hartpury were surf-sharing on the crest of the wave with Ealing Trailfinders after the first game this season. They were top of the Championship, above the Cornish Pirates courtesy of their bonus point after beating Richmond 38-15.
Hartpury tries against Ealing were scored by Ben Foley (Left Wing), Aled Ward (Blindside Flanker) and James Williams (Centre) in the first half. Foley then scored a brace just after the whistle blew to start the second half (40 & 43 mins respectively).
Foley & Williams scored on their return debuts for the club.
Hartpury stated in the review on their website, “If not a complete performance, this was certainly among the better efforts from the Red & Blacks since promotion from National 1, four years ago. If anything, the final score-line does not quite reflect the dominance in almost every aspect of the match…”
Hartpury fielded three Dual Registered players in the match day 23; Joe Howard and Olly Adkins, both age-group internationals were part of the healthy contingent currently on loan from near neighbours Gloucester Rugby, plus lock Ehize Ehizode had played a smattering of games while on dual-registration from Bristol Bears.
Both Howard and Adkins progressed to Gloucester from Hartpury.
Last weekend saw Hartpury travel to Goldington Road to lose 33-25 to Bedford Blues to leave them fifth in the table with Saracens sandwiched between us. “It was a frustrating night for Hartpury at Goldington Road, as they failed to fire until deep into the final quarter of the match. A late surge brought the Red and Blacks two tries and had them within touching distance of an unlikely result, but eventually the team travelled home empty-handed.” (harpuryrfc.co.uk). The loss has left Hartpury on a five-match losing streak. Indiscipline was a major factor in game, as seems to be the case for all teams across Championship after such a long time without playing. The first score for the Red and Blacks was when Ben Foley was able to stroll in for his fourth try of the new season. This followed a calamitous error from the Blues when a long pass was fumbled to allow Foley to scoop up and score. “Back-up scrum half, Calum Waters, introduced some much-needed energy and suddenly runners like George Simpson, Robbie Smith and James Williams were starting to find some space. Replacement hooker, Nick Selway, was the first to benefit – his first try for the club – after a well-worked lineout drive and when Aled Ward repeated the dose a few minutes later, to drag Hartpury within five points, a surprise turn-around was not beyond the imagination.” (hartpury.co.uk). Foley has scored four tries in two games, a player to be wary of.
Don’t forget to watch the live stream available at: www.championshiprugby.co.uk/live-streams
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
Added 18th Mar - Hartpury Uni are the third top try scorers in the Championship with eight tries to their name. Ben Foley is the top individual with four, as many as the Knights have scored in total.
