Top Marks all round at Scouts jamboree
Powergen Midlands 2 East
NORTHAMPTON OLD SCOUTS 8 MANSFIELD 53
Mansfield made their mark at the top of the league statistics with another convincing away win. The team maintained their two point advantage and stretched their point’s difference to 346, a hundred points better than next best. Skipper Rutter booted a far from unlucky thirteen points to head the kickers table. Five of the top twenty try scorers wear the Blue and White’s stripes, four of the top six and the top two.
Comics used to recount the tales of the Mighty Wilson running and throwing further, faster and longer than any man in history. The writers forgot to include a mesmerising four try haul at Northampton which crowned an all round team performance to defeat a side that has caused more than their fair share of problems to Mansfield in the past.
A gluepot pitch, slippery ball and rain seemed to rule out a free scoring game but nine tries, eight for the visitors warmed a chilly afternoon. Having kicked off Mansfield quickly saw Wayne Robinson and Storey running from deep to link with their mobile pack. Scouts opening scrums saw the home side in retreat and Roberts, Pritchard capitalising before a determined Arnold stripped ball allowing Kirk and Stringfellow runs deep into the 22.
Rutter drilled a kick from 22 to 22 to snuff out a rare attack and on thirteen minutes Mansfield were rewarded for their pressure with the first points. Good line out ball set up a Mansfield drive; Davies committed the home defence and as the forwards followed up Karl Robinson made the line.
Stringfellow brought the restart back into Scout’s territory, Davies worked the blindside and linked to Roberts before a loose pass allowed a counter attack. Storey’s cover tackle allowed Mansfield a scrum and Rutter drew the defence before floating the ball to no man land. Wilson was the man to muscle his way first to the ball, control the dribble and plunge over by the posts. Rutter’s conversion and a successful penalty gave a fifteen point lead which reflected Mansfield’s control of the game. Taylor twice came close to escaping and with Lindsay and Pritchard dominating the line outs Northampton were struggling to protect their line.
The Blue and Whites allowed their discipline to slip, and having got embroiled in some unnecessary niggles saw Scouts land a penalty and Karl Robinson sent to the sin-bin just before the interval. At the resumption the first scrum saw fourteen man Mansfield withdraw Roberts for Maddocks and what an impact. Mansfield’s scrum moved forward, Rutter chipped, caught and fed Jones who found the gap before slipping Wilson a pass and route to the line. The kick failed to clear ten metres and behind their scrum Robinson and Arnold crashed into the heart of the home defence. Another forward rolling maul and the experienced Louie, the Ox, Maddocks powered though to stretch Mansfield to 27-3.
Maybe it was hesitation, maybe lack of concentration but a ruck on Mansfield’s 22 saw them freeze and a simple run in moved Scouts to eight points. Arnold pressurised the home defence Newbould was on hand to clean up loose ball before Lindsay and Rutter created momentum down the narrow side and Pritchard grabbed the first of his two tries. Rutter defied the conditions and converted despite loosing his footing in the mud.
Before the Mansfield support could enjoy that score they were treated to the try of the game. From midway in their own half quick three quarter ball saw Jones striding into the opposition half, three men were taken out of the equation and the perfectly weighted pass saw Wilson clinically finishing the move. Another Rutter conversion stretched Mansfield clear to 41-8 and Holmes replaced Roberts.
Wilson and Arnold bundled the home full back into touch, Lindsay’s catch allowed Holmes his first run and as Mansfield drove for the line Pritchard scored his eighth league try of the campaign. Buck, on for Davies, skipped clear and freed the backs for runs which had Storey held at the last and Wayne Robinson just forced out on the right. Once more the devastating combination of Jones and Wilson carved open the heart of the home line up and try number eight, Wilson’s fourth, under the posts converted by Rutter took Mansfield through the half century and onto an average of over 33 points per league game.
Five games to go and a very tough run in but promotion is very much in Mansfield’s own hands. Saturday sees the visit of a Newark side who have easily commanded a top half place in their first season since promotion. These local derbies are always tense and intense occasions and Mansfield will need no reminding about Newark’s last visit to Eakring Road when the Kelham Road side comprehensively outplayed them. They must be on their guard to prevent a repetition and stay in front in the promotion race as it moves into the final lap.
It was definitely a game of two halves for Mansfield 3rds in their league game against Lincoln 2nds, as they let slip a 26 point advantage to draw level at 31-31. A commanding start saw a strong Mansfield turn around 31-5 ahead following tries from Crooks, Parker, Hughes, Smith and Smedley, but too many changes at half-time and a much improved Lincoln performance disrupted the home side pattern of play. Lincoln and their Fijian winger 'Buddha, took full advantage and almost snatched the spoils, but Mansfield were able to hold on for a share of the points.
Mansfield U15s continued their winning ways with a hard fought 30-0 victory away at Sleaford. In a closely contested match the Mansfield side gave an excellent display of free flowing rugby coupled with strong and aggressive defence, running in six unanswered tries. Full back Alex Miles opened the account early on, finishing off an excellent forward drive from their own ten metre line, followed by great individual tries from No.8 Aiden McGregor, winger Jack Foster and a close range effort from scrum half Stu Wilson. Mansfield soon regained the upper hand in the second period with the forwards again creating the platform for another classic scrum half try from Stu Wilson. The full squad of 21 all had a run out before 'Man of the Match' Scott Nicholls capped an excellent individual and team performance ripping the ball from a defensive maul to go over in the corner.
Sweet Chariot Tour 2004 comes to Eakring Road
Mansfield has the opportunity to join in England’s World Cup winning celebrations on March 6th. when the William Webb Ellis Trophy will arrive by helicopter for a ninety minute photo call amid celebrations of the links between Mansfield RUFC and local schools.
The World Cup will be there for the start of the Abacus/Sportsmatch Year 7 Schools Festival and the teams will have their pictures taken with it along with Junior sides from the Mansfield area, local club teams and companies. All the kids and spectators will then be invited to watch Rugby World Cup final video in main clubroom before taking in the afternoon Mansfield games.
You have the chance to travel with the World Cup in the official Helicopter!
There are two seats available for auction in the Helicopter with the tour team that will land on the First Team pitch at 9.35am carrying the Cup and you will be able to fly with them. The reserve price for each place is £300. To win one of the places simply follow this procedure:
Place a cheque with your bid amount made payable to Mansfield Rugby Club in an envelope together with the below slip and send it to: Andy Foster, Maguire Training, H1C Mill 3, Pleasley Vale Business Park, Notts.NG19 8RL. All bids must arrive no later than Saturday 21st February 2004 –
The two highest bids will win the seats. Winners will be notified by telephone and the results will appear on the Mansfield Rugby Club web site at www.mansfieldrugby.co.uk which has more details of the day
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