Photo By Nick Meredith.

By John Wilkinson, Coventry Telegraph.
March 25 2014

It looked all over bar the shouting inside the first 20 minutes as Cov, with first use of the wind, scored three tries and raced into a 25-7 lead.

If Coventry had taken a few steps forward in their previous four games, this was definitely a backward one with a hole from a shot in the foot.

It looked all over bar the shouting inside the first 20 minutes as Cov, with first use of the wind, scored three tries and raced into a 25-7 lead.

Tynedale were like rabbits in the headlights and unable to cope with Cov’s direct running – led by Will Hurrell, who terrorised the home defence – and dominant scrum putting the hosts under pressure from the first whistle.

Cov weren’t nearly so clinical in the second quarter and an error in an attacking position let in the hosts for a breakaway try, but a Cliffie Hodgson penalty from just inside his own half sent his side into the break with a 28-17 lead and the advantage stretched out to 35-17 when Jacques Le Roux scored his second try of the game.

Cracks were beginning to appear, however, and a knock on led to Tynedale’s third try just two minutes later. The shape of the game changed, Cov were the ones on the back foot, and their hosts needed no further bidding.

Two penalties, two kicks into the left corner, and two 12-man line-out drives produced trademark tries for centre Ben Frankland, and one successful conversion was enough to complete the recovery.

It should never have happened. Maybe it was a case of too much, too early for Cov, but they clearly took their foot off the pedal, moving away from the patterns that had got them in front so comfortably, and against a team battling to avoid relegation, it is a dangerous thing.

Hurrell was held up over the line in the opening minute after Tynedale knocked on from the kick-off, but the first score was not long coming with Cov moving the ball right and then back to the left from a line-out for Chris Locke to touch down.

Hodgson missed the conversion, but atoned two minutes later with a penalty from all of 48 metres and while Tynedale responded with a try by David Nelson and Gavin Beasley’s conversion from their one cohesive move of the opening spell, Cov were quickly back in their stride with a second Hodgson penalty before his conversion of a Le Roux try following a quickly taken line-out.

Click here for more on this article.

Tynedale 36 Coventry 35 by John Wilkinson.

Discussion started by Unofficial Coventry Rugby (IP Logged), 25/03/2014 19:35

Unofficial Coventry Rugby
25/03/2014 19:35

What do you think? You can have your say by posting below.
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.

Reply Quote Report

Goto: Forum List•Message List•Search• Log In

Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

We record all IP addresses on the Sportnetwork message boards which may be required by the authorities in case of defamatory or abusive comment. We seek to monitor the Message Boards at regular intervals. We do not associate Sportnetwork with any of the comments and do not take responsibility for any statements or opinions expressed on the Message Boards. If you have any cause for concern over any material posted here please let us know as soon as possible by e-mailing abuse@sportnetwork.net