Beverley RUFC Win Merit League Division Title

Beverley 2nd team finished a great season in style with one of their best performances & deservedly won the Merit League Division 1 Final against Ionians Buccaneers 40-5.

Beverley’s strength has been in its ability to recycle the ball quickly and this was the game plan going into the final. Beverley chose to play into the wind after winning the toss and from receiving the kick off did exactly what they set out to do. Punishingly strong carries from Dave ‘Train’ Brant and Manu Kirkwood helped Beverley power up the pitch and Chris Bradshaw flattened Ionians winger & fullback to go over the line and open the scoring in the first play of the game.

Beverley kept the pressure on and another break from Bradshaw and quick ball saw Rich ‘Cowely’ Campbell beat the fullback to score in the corner. When Ionians did get their hands on the ball they never really looked threatening, not due to a lack of ability but because Beverley’s defence was outstanding. Skipper Rob Vaux & Martin Shaw saw ruck time as just another opportunity to hurt the opposition, not always within the laws of the game! Ionians missed a couple of attempts at kicking penalties only to see Pete Wilson shine again in yet another line out, Beverley set up a punishing driving maul that Ionians could not deal with and marched Beverley up the pitch.

It was a driving maul that got Beverley the next try with its anchor man Dale ‘Chav’ Hodgson steering the maul over the line. Rob Smith was having an excellent game at fly half and the backs moves were a joy to watch, often creating massive holes in the Ionians back line that even Bradshaw could squeeze through. Bobby Howdle and Rob Smith linked up perfectly and another great backs move and Campbell scored his 2nd try in the corner to finish off the first half 20-0.

The 2nd half started much the same but with the wind, slope & score in Beverley’s favour, on the rare occasion that Ionians did have the ball they struggled to get out of their own half and it was never long before Bev won it back. Rob Smith capitalised on an Ionians dropped ball, beat a number of players and ran over half the pitch to score a try he then converted. This gave the opportunity to start using the players off of the bench, who came on desperate to help continue the onslaught.

This was exactly what they did and Alex ‘Denz’ Campbell used his lightening pace to chase a brilliantly placed kick that bounced into his hands perfectly and he left the opposition for dust and scored shortly after coming on. Ionians could not deal with Beverley’s driving maul, opting instead to attempt to collapse it.

It was this that leads to Vaux receiving a yellow card and a trip to the sin bin for his Irish dancing impression on an Ionians player who had ended up under the dominating Beverley pack by unsuccessfully dragging a maul down. Ionians frustration was showing and they awarded two penalties that Rob Smith converted to bring the score to 40-0.

Ionians didn’t give up and there stocky winger broke through and was heading for the Beverley line only for Tom Shires to come out of nowhere to put in a great try saving tackle that saw the big Ionians player taken away in an ambulance with a suspected dislocated shoulder and knee. Ionians did manage to score a consolation try a little while later with a break from there Centre.

This only spurred Beverley on and wave after wave of attacks lead to Vaux being held up over the line. The resulting scrum was dominated by the Beverley pack and they came very close to being awarded a penalty try in the last seconds of the game due to Ionians breaking from the scrum too early as they were driven back at a rapid rate. The final whistle went and the celebrations began.

Beverley RUFC 2nds won the Merit League in 2011,were runners up in 2012 & have won again in 2013.

They have played 26 games this season winning 20 and drawing 2 and it is undoubtedly time to compete in a higher league next season. It has been a great season for all the teams in the club.

Photo by Zoé Blackledge