Champ Rugby Round 4 Review
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The Match Review: Knights stun Worcester in thriller
Last-gasp Jordan Olowofela try gives Doncaster win over Worcester as Ealing and Caldy continue to set the pace
Doncaster Knights beat Worcester Warriors in the game of the weekend in Champ Rugby thanks to Jordan Olowofela’s last-second try.
That proved the difference in a 34-31 barnstormer, while elsewhere Ealing Trailfinders and Caldy continue to lead the way.
Cornish Pirates are also off the mark and Bedford Blues put on a show in the Bedfordshire derby.
Nottingham hang on against Richmond
Nottingham bounced back from a first defeat of the season to see off Richmond 29-27 but were pushed to the wire by the promoted side.
David Williams kicked things off for the Archers with his 99th try for the club, before James Cherry got on the end of a Gwyn Parks grubber to make it 12-6, Callum Grieve having knocked over two penalties for the visitors.
Cherry got a second try on the stroke of half-time to make it 22-6 at the break at Lady Bay.
George Nugent responded for Richmond in the second half before Cherry completed his hat-trick just after the hour-mark, seemingly making the game safe.
However, Sam Pim and then Greg Kitson got over for Richmond, Grieve converting both tries to make it a two-point game with five minutes remaining.
Richmond could not find a way through at the death though, with Nottingham holding on to secure a third win from their first four matches.
Knights down Warriors in dramatic finish
Jordan Olowofela’s last-gasp try earned Doncaster Knights a stunning 34-31 win over Worcester Warriors at Castle Park.
The teams combined for four tries in the final 10 minutes in a game that looked to be going only one way at the break.
Russell Bennett kicked 17 points to go with a try from Connor Edwards as Doncaster led 22-7 at half-time, Will Trewin having gone over early for Worcester.
The comeback started with a Tim Anstee intercept score, before Jake Garside raced in for their second from a loose ball to make it 22-19.
Garside grabbed another with nine minutes left as Worcester reclaimed the lead, only for Doncaster to respond through Semesa Rokoduguni, put over by Telusa Veainu.
Trailing 29-24, Worcester thought they had won it when Billy Twelvetrees got their fifth try, converted by Tiff Eden for a two-point lead with a minute to go.
But that was enough time for Olowofela to get on the end of Joe Margetts’ beautiful delayed pass and get over for the match-winner.
Hartpury leave it late to see off Chinnor
Late tries from Ethan Hunt and Kier Clark were enough for Hartpury to edge out Chinnor 25-19 for a third win in four.
Robbie Smith showed power and pace to get Hartpury on the board midway through the first half with a fine try, converted by Harry Bazalgette.
Nathan Chamberlain hit back for Chinnor but another Hartpury try and three more points from Bazalgette made it 15-7 to the home side at the break.
A brilliant second from Chamberlain, converted by himself, cut the deficit to a point and that was how it remained until the final 10 minutes.
Ethan Hunt got over for a third Hartpury try, quickly cancelled out by Chinnor, with the lead still just a point.
However, it was Hartpury who had the final say, Clark getting over two minutes from time as they held on for all five points.
Blues make a statement on derby day
Bedford Blues enjoyed themselves as they romped to a 66-12 win away to Ampthill, running in 10 tries at Dillingham Park.
Wingers Ryan Hutler and Dean Adamson grabbed two tries apiece as Blues made it two wins on the spin to move into the top six after four rounds.
They made their intent clear from the start with Archie Benson opening the scoring inside five minutes and they had the bonus point in the bag within half an hour, Hutler racing home to make it 26-0.
Adamson finished off the fifth shortly before half-time and the scoring continued after the break.
Having extended their lead to 45 points, Bedford then conceded twice in quick succession, Kennedy Sylvester and Brandon Jackson crossing for Ampthill.
But the day belonged to Bedford, as Hutler and Adamson scored another try each, along with one for Will Maisey, to go with his eight conversions on the day.
Trailfinders stay perfect at Cov
Peter Sullivan scored four tries for Coventry but they could not live with Ealing, who continued their perfect start to the season with a 66-36 win at Butts Park Arena.
The game was on a knife edge for much of the first half, Sullivan grabbing a 22-minute hat-trick, while Trailfinders managed three tries of their own.
Jordan Holgate got over late in the first half for the visitors, who led 28-22, and his intercept try at the start of the second half proved to be the crucial moment.
From there, Ealing pulled clear, Tobi Wilson adding another to put the game beyond Cov at 42-22.
Both sides continued to attack and there were five tries in the final 10 minutes, including Sullivan’s fourth, but it was Trailfinders who came away with all five points.
Pirates up and running
A frustrating start to the season for Cornish Pirates was put to one side as they recorded a first win of the Champ Rugby season, 38-10 at London Scottish.
Tries from Arwel Robson and wingers Ben Cambriani and Arthur Relton had Pirates in control at 17-0 at the break, helped by some brilliant last-ditch defence at the end of the half.
With Pirates down to 13 after two yellow cards, Scottish got on the board through Murray Bellis, but Alfie Petch brought up the bonus point just after the hour to make it 24-5.
Sol Moody and Luke Ratcliff added further tries for the visitors, although the Exiles did have the final say through Bellis’ second try.
No stopping Caldy
A fourth successive bonus-point success from Caldy allowed them to keep pace with Ealing as they saw off Cambridge 41-24 at Paton Field.
Needing just 26 minutes to bring up a bonus point, they scored seven tries in all, with the Blood & Sand earning a deserved bonus point of their own from their trip to the north west.
Matt Kilcourse brought up the bonus point but Zac Nearchou responded with one of two first-half tries for Cambridge.
In between those, Will Robinson got over for a fifth Caldy try, as they led 29-14 at the break.
England U20s flanker Dan Eckersley got a third Cambridge try early in the second half, but hopes of a comeback were quickly extinguished by Kilcourse’s second try.
Vereimi Qorowale kept Cambridge in it, bringing up their bonus point with a fourth try on 51 minutes, but debutant Reuben Logan, the son of former Scotland international Kenny, sealed the win seven minutes from time when he powered over.
