Raging Bull League Plate Champions!
A significant number of the squad for this match have played all their club rugby together since they were U8’s and this victory on home turf was the icing on 11 seasons of success and wonderful memories.
We knew that this would be a tough year – losing in the first 8 league fixtures of the campaign was testament to that but for many of this squad it is not in their nature to give up - typified by last years comeback from 19-0 down to win the League Vase Final.
So the second half of the season brought 8 wins from 13 and flashes of the scintillating rugby that this group of players are capable of at their best. Whilst not reaching those heights in this final the team showed that dogged determination not to lose that has been so characteristic over the years.
Junior Colts Joe Jackson and Jordan Hegarty were added to the squad of 20 that has seen us through this season and they combined well for Jordan to go over for the final try of the match. Other scores came from 2 fine individual efforts from Jonny Lee and Elliot Barton and a forwards engineered try, Elliott Morris getting the touch down, with Jonny Lee adding 3 conversions.
It was rumored that Marple had brought back a number of University based players for the Final and their play in the first half certainly belied their league status with the 9, 10 and particularly 12 causing Sandbach numerous problems. However in second half, despite conceding territory to Marple for periods, Sandbach tightened their defence and never really looked like conceding any further scores.
For those who have been around for each of those seasons since the U8’s, winning the League Plate on Sunday was the 27th Trophy you will have collected - a staggering statistic!
Hoping that you all continue to enjoy your rugby, at Sandbach of course, and with thanks for making this final season together another memorable one.
Squad: Elliot Barton , Oliver Corbett, Elliott Morris, George Cooper, Rory Toft, Thomas Hutchinson, George Hopley, Joe Watts, Alex Stubbs, , Nick Watts, Mike Lightfoot, Jonny Mills, Hugo Fairlie, Adam Lancaster-Bartle, Henry Jones, Jonny Lee, Fred Joyce, Tom Shaw, Lewis Stenson, Luke Houghton, Joe Jackson, Jordan Hegarty.