Hugo Ellis’ hat-trick saw Rosslyn Park to a storming 47-14 win against a competitive Canterbury at the Rock. Craig Holland grabbed two tries while Ben Howard finished off the win with a debut score.

It was Canterbury who took the early lead, Dan Smart finishing off a move from the line-out four minutes in. But Park were level four minutes later through Dan Laventure’s drive, Harry Leonard converting. And the home side were leading on 16 minutes, Ellis leading from the front to finish a blistering counter-attack.


Hugo Ellis under pressure

Holland got his first try at the Rock in style on 20 minutes, running around Canterbury’s defence. And his second came with two minutes to half time from Jack Gash and Joe Munro’s quick thinking at a penalty.

Canterbury repeated the first half by getting the first score after the restart, Jamie Dever finishing a maul on 50 minutes. But the momentum did not last long, Ellis working with Holland with some quick hands for his second try two minutes later. And the captain’s hat-trick was complete on the hour, eluding the visitors’ defence at the scrum.

Canterbury dominated the last 10 minutes after sin-bins for James Freeman and Harry Leonard, who was involved in a spat with sin-binned Royce Cadman. But Howard’s counter-attack try left the visitors with nothing to take home.

Park face their second London derby of the season as Blackheath visit the Rock next week. Club battled with relegated Championship side Richmond at Well Hall and finished 19-20 in a close-fought battle. Kieran Power will hope his side can repeat their victory over the south-east London club from January this year.

Stats - Rosslyn Park
Tries: Laventure 8, Ellis H 16, 53, 62 Holland 20, 38, Howard 80
Conversions: Leonard 9, 17, 21, 54, 63, Holland 80
Penalties:
Sin Bins: Freeman 73, Leonard 77
Team (15-9/1-8): Henry Robinson (Ben Howard 49); Nick Scott, Henry Cheeseman, Joe Munro (Robinson 63), Craig Holland; Harry Leonard, Jack Gash (Russell Weir 60); Paul Doran-Jones (Ali Wade 40), Karl Gibson (Tom Vaughan-Edwards 51), Stewart Maguire (Doran-Jones 60); Sam Twomey, Dan Laventure; Mike Macfarlane, Arthur Ellis (James Freeman 40), Hugo Ellis © (Ellis A 63)

Attendance: 600
Referee: Jonathan Cook
HT: 26-7
Star Man: Henry Cheeseman – Rosslyn Park

Warren Muggleton @WMuggleton

images: David E Whittam

September 22, 2019