Beverley Braves Maintain 100pc Start With Win Over All Blacks

Beverley Braves U14s continued their 100% record at home to Hull All Blacks. As has been the case with recent encounters between the two teams it was very close until the Beverley Braves pulled away in the final quarter of the game to wrap up a 44-18 victory.

Things started well for Beverley when after a number of early mistakes by both sides, Marcus Walker received the ball from a scrum drew the defender before putting Will Wallis in the gap to make it 4-0 after two minutes. Six minutes later and a carbon copy of the first try saw Walker and Wallis combine again, which with Jack Turner’s conversion saw the Braves into a 10-0 lead.

Anyone who has seen encounters between these two teams lately would write All Blacks off at their peril and within twelve minutes, they had the lead with two quick fire converted tries to make it 10-12. The situation could have been much worse when another All Blacks break looked like a certain try only for full back Ben Hodder to pull off a great try saving tackle and force the error to regain possession – the importance of this tackle to the result should not be underestimated.

With time, ticking away in the first-half good handling along the line saw Wallis become provider passing to Archie Murdoch, who had a relatively simple task of dotting the ball down over the line. Just two minutes later the Braves were back on the attack and the Walker-Wallis show resumed with a long pass from the former creating space for the latter to score, with Turner’s conversion, it was 20-12 at half-time.

Beverley started the second half the stronger. With the forwards making good yards – particularly George Bennett-Teare, Kai Johnson, Ethan Rowbotham and Will Swainston – the All Blacks were on the back foot allowing half backs Lewis Egan and Walker the space to weave their magic. Egan took the line on well but also put on a tremendous effort in defence, topping the tackle count.

The first try in the second half came out of pretty much nothing, left wing Harry Vorwerg taking the ball before switching back inside the bamboozled defence to race under the sticks. Walker’s conversion making it 26-12. Supporting Egan in defence was the hard-working Ollie Loney and Ollie Gresswell both of whom also took the ball up well when required as well.

Next followed a strange passage of play and for this writer only the third time in 40+ years of watching the game a penalty was awarded for a voluntary tackle. The confused Bennett-Teare, who the harsh penalty was awarded against, now has his name in my mind alongside legends Lee Crooks and Martin Offiah the other two recipients of a penalty for a voluntary tackle. Amid the confusion, All Blacks took their opportunity to score and bring it back to 26-18. Beverley was, however, a little more assured in the second half, underlined by both Tom Cohen and William Kirkup dealing with a tricky kick offs well and great distribution from Rowbotham, who made the switch from second row to hooker.

With All Blacks now within eight points, the Braves needed something special and when the kickoff bounced into touch, the resulting scrum set up the position for Johnson to pick up from the base of the scrum and crash over next to the sticks, with the conversion it was 32-18 and with 15 minutes remaining victory was in sight for Beverley.

Moments later, Egan switched the ball back inside with a delightful pass to Johnson, who looked all on to get his second but the ball was stripped, from the resulting penalty Swainston took the tap and forced his way over in the left-hand corner. Walker converted from the touchline to make it 38-18.

The team performance continued with Ryan Deane having a great day in defence, despite having to switch positions several times whilst Tom Baker in only his second game was unlucky not to score off one of many direct runs.

With time ticking away Beverley served up what will probably be the try of the season. From acting half-back Turner fed the ball to Walker in the Beverley 20 who in turn slipped it to the supporting Wallis to charge down field before off loading to the supporting Murdoch.

The ball found its way to Vorwerg, who was eventually hauled down 10 metres inside the All Blacks half, a quick play the ball paid dividends though as Kirkup scooped up the ball ran across the field before passing to Walker, who once again drew the defender and put Wallis into the gap to score. Turner added the extras.

Final Score: Beverley Braves 44 Hull All Blacks 18