Doncaster Rugby Club

Yorkshire Three

Doncaster Phoenix 1^st XV 22 West Leeds 7

This was an excellent first match of the campaign by the phoenix who are once again keen to push for promotion to Yorkshire 2.  The pack this year has been strengthened by the return of Ollie and Morris (benching this week) and of course Peter Atkinson who has taken up his father's berth in the front row.  Peter is his Dad's son (unlike Ben) and is keen to help move the Phoenix up the leagues.

West Leeds were also up for the fight and had the best of the early exchanges with both second rows making inroads into the phoenix defence.  However,  the stronger they came the stronger they were forced back by some ferocious phoenix defence with Oliver, Taylor and Burton to the fore.

The firs half looked destined to be nil-nil until phoenix broke strongly down the right and from the ruck 5 metres out, Dan Fielding dived over for the first score of the game.

The second half was an open affair with both sides affected by the sweltering conditions at the phoenix velodrome.  The first score was essential and by this stage the phoenix fitness had started to take the stranglehold on the game.  The try came in the form of an excellent score by Shandy Lowcock on hand to sneak over in the corner.

At 10 nil the game was not yet in the bag and coach senior turned to bring on man mountain Al Kaihau and big hitter Dan Morris.  The substitutions proved inspired as both brought energy and power to the game.  Shortly after this Germaine took a quick tap and beat 5 defenders to go over closer to the sticks.

Unfortunately the referee reached for his yellow card when Oakley was over exuberant in his defensive commitment for the third time.

With only 14 on the pitch, West Leeds started to fight back and managed to scramble the consolation try before Phoenix stole the affair with Lowcock’s second try of the day ably supported by Ben Miller.  The try was converted by Jazz.

Coach Senior was comfortable with a solid performance where solid defence won the day.  Next week Phoenix travel to Baildon for another tough encounter-one step at time.

Yorkshire 3 2^nd XV League Table

West Leeds 28 Doncaster Phoenix 32

Phoenix 2’s matched their 1^st XV win after coming back from a 23- 0 deficit to take the points and achieve the double.

The side was a mixture of youth and experience with the former including the likes of Jacques, Nithsdale, Foster and the latter including Farley, Noble, Millar and Nithsdale ably shepherded by Crowe and Skidmore.

On a day right for rugby for the first thirty minutes it was all the home side and they proceeded to notch 23 points -courtesy of their eagerness around the fringes and Phoenix’s 1^st day back – with no reply.

It wasn’t until the thirty minute mark that the first glimmers of any breakthrough came when Noble broke blind to pop to Farley who broke the defensive line blind and charged thirty metres. From here the pack opted to pick and drive and retain the ball. From an ensuing battery of the Leeds line the ball was spun and Farley barged over for a 23-5 score on half time.

From here Phoenix had unlocked the door and applied pressure namely opting to pick and drive with fly half Noble and inside centre Farley (this is not a printing error!) banging the ball back to the pack. From a scramble Leeds clearance there was a resultant line out which the home side took and passed back to the fly half, however the impressive Smith was on hand to charge down the kick and Foster dived on the ball in goal.

The next score came from more of the same and this time when the ball was sent to Farley he broke the defensive line and went over with Millar converting.

From here Phoenix gained the ascendancy and the game plan was pick and drive and retain possession in the pack and around the fringes which saw a brace of tries for Crowe and a try for Noble which meant Phoenix took a 32-23 lead and the only consolation the home side had was a try two minutes from time.