U15 v Derby B (at Worksop)

1st Worksop Invitational Trophy.

Report by Colin Harriman

Mansfield versus Derby games are always hotly contested games and this was always going to be a game played at a 100%.

The game was very even for the first 10 minutes with much backwards and forwards play before Derby managed to push over the line for a converted try.

At 15:58 Josh Elizaga won a Derby lineout and the ball was shipped out at pace into the oncoming arms of Blair Holland who scored a try with Regan Hubbard converting to even the score.

Derby didn’t panic and within 30 seconds had scored a try with a narrowly missed conversion.

At the 19 minute mark, Mansfield picked up 2x injuries Josh Kinta and Simon Burrows. Simon Burrows had a dramatic nose bleed and was taken off pitch for treatment.

26:12 and despite repeated requests for Derby to keep a tunnel in the lineout the Referee gave Mansfield a penalty which Blair Holland took as a quick tap allowing Sam Potts to make his trade mark try with Derby players hanging off of him. Regan Hubbard again converted cleanly taking the Half Time score to Mansfield 14 – 12 Derby.

Just short of 5 minutes into the Second Half and Blair Holland scores another try with arm aloft as he crosses the line but unfortunately Regan Hubbard narrowly misses conversion.

Shortly after this Derby, under pressure in their own 22, give away a penalty and Regan Hubbard decides to take a long distance penalty but again, the right upright defeats him by millimetres.

52:12 Josh Elizaga instigates a rolling maul which winds on for 22 metres before Derby threw everything into a spirited defence and held up a try.

54:12 Huw Stacey comes off from a strong wing role on for Mansfield goes our pocket rocket Jack Hodkins.

56:19 and Blair Holland scores another try which makes his second hat-trick in 2 consecutive games. Jake Brough steps up and converts with accuracy.

57:42 if Mansfield had thought that Derby were going to lie down and give the game up they would have been really wrong as they scored another well worked try and conversion to bring the final score to...

Mansfield 26 – Derby B 19.

A fantastic game played by the teams in Great Spirit.

Man of the Match went to Josh Elizaga who as a recent convert to rugby is going from strength to strength.

Honorable mentions go to Blair Holland for his hat tricks, George Holloway for his speed and tenacity in a tackle and James Sims-Waterhouse who’s scrummaging is coming on in leaps and bounds.

A marvelous show of sporting behaviour and a testament to Rugby after the usual clapping off the pitch both sides do when Mansfield passed the Derby team jogging in a warm down the Derby team gave the Mansfield team a further round of clapping and cheers. This shows that the Derby team have great character, sportsmanship and are obviously lead by an excellent band of coaching staff and parents.

During the awards ceremony Jack Harriman stepped up to receive the trophy as team Captain before pictures and celebration.

Thanks to Worksop RUFC for hosting their 1st Invitational Cup Match and we look forward to our junior teams contesting it over the years.