If Loughborough started the sharper, Rosslyn Park finished the stronger in a tremendously entertaining match, enjoyed by a good crowd that included England Coach Eddie Jones..

Fly half Owen Waters slotted over a penalty on two minutes, but could not add a conversion to centre Gair Currie’s try five minutes later.

Stung into action, prop Stewart Maguire galloped over for Park two minutes later, fly half Harry Leonard converting for 7-8.

The visitors were still throwing everything at Park and on 13 minutes full back Will Edwards went over for Loughborough, converted by Waters for 7-15.


Henry Robinson leads the attack

It took only six minutes for Park to pull that one back through centre Andrew Henderson, but Leonard’s conversion attempt hit the post, bounced onto the crossbar and back out again. Five minutes later Maguire crossed for his second try to put Park in front at 17-15, but the conversion attempt again hit the post.

Loughborough still refused to go away and scrum half George de Cothi added his name to the scorers list, Waters adding the extras for 17-22.

Park had the final say in a thrilling first half with flanker Harry Hudson crossing for a fourth try and the bonus point. Leonard converted for a 24-22 interval lead.

The lead was extended only a minute into the second half when a well-worked rolling maul saw Hugo Ellis touch down. Leonard got an unusual hat-trick with a third conversion attempt hitting a post.

Still Loughborough refused to surrender. Waters added a penalty on 46 minutes, then Edwards grabbed his second try, converted by Waters to re-take the lead at 29-32.


Hugo Ellis powers on

Park were now looking the stronger side, but it took 10 minutes before scrum half Jack Gash sniped a try after a strong forward drive on the hour. Leonard converted and then added a penalty for 39-32 with eleven minutes to play.

In the last minute Will Kaye scored by the corner flag to get his side within two points but the conversion looked - and proved - impossible and Park could bank five league points.

Park: Robinson; Aspland-Robinson, Henderson, Grove, Kohler; Leonard; Gash; Nwakor, Vaughan-Edwards, Maguire; Spivey, Boyle; Frampton, Hudson, Ellis
Bench: Lilley, Wade, Inglis, Weir, Reay
Park scorers: Maguire (2T), Henderson (T), Hudson (T), Ellis (T), Gash (T), Leonard (P, 3C)

Rosslyn Park Forwards Coach, Kieran Power, said, “As a coaching teaming we're really pleased with a 5 point win against a well drilled Loughborough side - but also disappointed with some of the errors that made the game go to the wire.

“In retrospect if we had controlled our possession a little better and reduce some individual errors we would of been fully in control for the majority of the game.

Next Saturday Park visit Birmingham Moseley, where a win could see Park leapfrog the Midlands side into fourth place. Power said, “As a squad though we have had a successful January and achieved the goals we set for ourselves, but we will dust ourselves down on Tuesday, review the game set new targets. We know that a huge defensive improvement is needed for our trip to Moseley next week”.

Charlie Addiman

Images: David Whittam

January 30, 2017