First Team
LEICESTER TIGERS 24 NEWCASTLE RED BULLS 36
Newcastle Red Bulls began their PREM Rugby Cup campaign with a bonus-point victory at Leicester Tigers on Saturday, but they were made to work until the end by a resurgent home side.
The Red Bulls led 21-0 at the midway stage and started the game in encouraging fashion with an abundance of territory and possession, Will Rigg making it count on five minutes when he powered over down the right-hand side the opening score.
Brett Connon added the touchline conversion, and he did so again from a more central position on 12 minutes when Harrison Obatoyinbo scored from a sensational weaving run which began inside his own half.
Tigers grew back into the game with more ball-in-hand in the Red Bulls’ 22, kicking a penalty to the corner but failing to convert as Newcastle stole set-piece ball.
An ambitious attacking game plan was in evidence from the visitors as Newcastle ran scrum ball from deep inside their own half, and even when the hosts kicked a 50-22 moments later the Red Bulls once again stole the resulting line-out through Tigers old-boy Cam Jordan.
But it was Newcastle offloading game and support lines which were making the difference, as shown on the half-hour when Christian Wade offloaded to Alex Hearle for a 30-metre run-in.
Connon once again converted to give his side a 21-0 half-time lead, and a rampant Red Bulls side resumed their dominance after the break by kicking a penalty to the right corner and scoring down the other wing.
Even when their driving maul was thwarted the Tynesiders found a way to score, Christian Wade coming infield to play a tip-on to Obatoyinbo, who floated a scoring pass to Kok down the left.
Leicester got themselves off the mark on 50 minutes with an almost identical score as a line-out in the right corner was worked through the hands for Gabriel Hamer-Webb to score down the opposite side – Joe Woodward slotting the touchline conversion.
The home side added their second try just after the hour mark when a line-out in the left corner saw prop Archie van der Flier driven over from the subsequent maul – the heavens by this stage having opened as Welford Road was hit with a barrage of rain.
The see-saw scoring pattern continued as Newcastle were next over, Allan Ferrie scoring with his first touch on his competitive debut as the big Scot hit a super running line from 20 metres out.
Zack Henry added the conversion against his former team, but the Red Bulls were under their own posts on 65 minutes when former Newcastle winger Adam Radwan was most alive to a bouncing ball in the in-goal area.
Late drama as ensured four minutes from time when replacement Charlie Bemand scooped up a bouncing ball to score down the right-hand side, but the missed conversion ensured it remained a two-score game as the Red Bulls held on for the win – Zack Henry’s late penalty increasing the margin.
Leicester Tigers: 15 George Pearson, 14 Adam Radwan (Wilf McCarthy, 71), 13 Will Wand, 12 Joseph Woodward, 11 Gabriel Hamer-Webb, 10 Orlando Bailey (Charlie Myall, 40), 9 Ollie Allan (Charlie Bemand, 57); 1 Archie van der Flier (Tarek Haffar, 62), 2 Samiuela Moli (Jamie Blamire, 47), 3 Joel Sclavi, 4 James Thompson, 5 Cameron Henderson, 6 Osian Thomas, 7 Samuel Williams (Dylan Chessum, 21), 8 Olly Cracknell (captain).
Scorers - Tries: Gabriel Hamer-Webb, Archie van der Flier, Adam Radwan, Charlie Bemand. Conversions: Joe Woodward 2.
Newcastle Red Bulls: 15 Harrison Obatoyinbo, 14 Christian Wade, 13 Alex Hearle, 12 Will Rigg (Chris Harris, 31), 11 Werner Kok (Zack Henry, 57), 10 Brett Connon, 9 James Elliott (Joe Davis, 75); 1 Pouri Rakete-Stones (Tom West, 50), 2 George McGuigan (Ollie Fletcher, 63), 3 Elliot Millar Mills (James Harper, 50), 4 Finn Baker (Allan Ferrie, 61), 5 Cam Jordan, 6 Max Hicks (Ollie Leatherbarrow, 50), 7 Tom Christie (captain), 8 Sam Graham.
Scorers - Tries: Will Rigg, Harrison Obatoyinbo, Alex Hearle, Werner Kok, Allan Ferrie. Conversions: Brett Connon 3, Zack Henry. Penalties: Zack Henry.
Referee: Harry Walbaum.
