A tough day on the road in Kent, but with Sheffield recovering to bring home two bonus points from our first match in National One.

Tonbridge Juddians 31 (5 Tries) – 26 (4 Tries) Sheffield RUFC

Sheffield made an early start to get down to Tonbridge Juddians in good time for the 3:00pm kick-off. However, some interesting decisions by our bus driver took us off on a somewhat diverse route and the journey took almost six hours, with the team arriving at 2:20pm, leaving the warm-up somewhat on the short side.

Our team saw some changes to that of last season with the introduction of new recruits: Cuchulain Livingstone (Winger & Fullback), Barney Goatley (Centre), Josh Kent (Second Row), Will Henshaw (Backrow) and Sinjin Broad (Scrum Half). Sheffield remain without some regular players through injury, with Archie Crapper, Josh Reed and Cammy Catleugh.

Despite the torturous journey, Sheffield were to open the scoring with eight minutes on the clock, following a knock-on from the home team and two quick penalties to give Sheffield a lineout close in from which a driving maul allowed flanker Will Henshaw to touch down wide out on the left. Callum couldn’t add the conversion, but Sheffield had a slender 5 point to nil lead.

However, Tonbridge were soon back into the match with scrum half, Connor Lloyd going over near the posts after Sheffield lineout close to halfway, was overthrown and Tonbridge secured possession. Lloyd converted his own try to take TJ’s in to a 7 Point to five lead after fifteen minutes. Sheffield bounced back quickly from a line out on TJ’s 22-metre, with Chris Hooper scampering over under the posts. Callum Posa added the conversion and Sheffield retook the lead at 12 points to 7, with twenty minutes played. The restart soon saw Sheffield in possession and on the attack and an overthrow at a lineout from TJ’s allowed Will Henshaw to charge off through TJ’s defence, unfortunately ending with a knock-on. TJs broke from the resulting scrum and this saw right wing Jack Walsh power over in the corner on the right. The conversion was missed and the scores were tied at 12 points all after twenty-four minutes.

The remaining fifteen of so minutes of the half saw TJs in the ascendancy, allowing them to accumulate two for the tries, with Harrison Sims going over for the first on thirty-two minutes, converted by Connor Lloyd. Left winger, Tom Mannix added a fourth try with thirty-six minutes on the clock. The conversion was missed, but TJs now led to the break by 24 points to 12. The start of the second half was no better for Sheffield, with TJs maintaining their hold on proceedings for Jack Walsh to add his second try and TJ’s fifth. Connor Lloyd added the conversion and with just eight minutes of the second half gone, they had a 31 point to 12 lead.

This appeared to bring Sheffield to life and the momentum was soon very much with the visitors. With intense pressure closing in on their try line and giving up a series of penalties, we saw their second row shown a yellow card. Moments later, Will Smith smoothed his way through the defence to score Sheffield’s third try on fifty-six minutes, close to the posts. Callum Posa added the conversion, reducing TJs lead lead to 31 points to 19. Despite intense pressure from Sheffield, TJs defended stoutly and kept the attack out, until a further penalty saw Sheffield with a lineout close in on the left. The ball secured, the pack went to work and the dam broke, with replacement hooker, Will Archer going over wide out on the left. Calum knocked the conversion over from close to the try line and TJs lead was down to 31 points to 24 with seventy-four minutes gone.

The intense pressure remained on the home side and Sheffield looked more than capable of scoring again. With the game now close to a conclusion a pass by Sinjin Broad to winger, Cuchulain Livingstone, mysteriously went into touch, when the door to the try line was very, very open. The ball was definitely touched by a TJs player, and whether it was a deliberate knock-on or came off another part of his body, the subsequent lineout should have been Sheffield’s, however, the incident appeared to have been missed by both the referee and AR, and TJs had the lineout and were able to kick out to close the match. Given the difficulties of the journey, two bonus points on the road is not a bad return, but a draw or even a win was very much on the cards.

Match Officials: –
Referee: – Alan Chandrachud
Assistant Referees: – Rebecca Piddlesden; Gavin Scott