Sudbury make great start

Sudbury got a flying start to their league campaign when they travelled to Ruislip, coming away with a convincing 51-27 win and the all-important bonus point, writes Don Reekie.

Sudbury kicked off in good conditions and took play into the Ruislip half where the backs attacked with Shaun Smith taken into touch metres short of the line.

The Blues poached the Ruislip lineout and shipped the ball across field for Jonny Taylor to cross the line after two minutes of play.

The home side were awarded a penalty 30 metres out and opted to kick which gave them their first points, but the Sudbury backs were using the width of the pitch to maintain the pressure and Smith crossed the line.

Sudbury were enjoying the lion’s share of possession and were disrupting the opponent’s lineout, in the scrums they were causing some problems but were not dominating, just taking their own ball cleanly. Dan Harding was next to score under the posts with his first try for the club with another good backs move and a couple of missed tackles from the home side.

The bonus point came on the half hour through Jake Sumner with a darting run but Ruislip were still looking dangerous with ball in hand and were beginning to shorten their game to let the big boys do the work. Sam Maile added to the Sudbury total but Ruislip rallied just before half time and forced Sudbury to defend for the first time in the match, the pick and drive through several phases saw the forwards cross the line for the first time in the match to give a half time score of 8-29.

Ruislip started the second half in the same vein and the forwards soon scored again after six phases of play but the Sudbury forwards replied with a try of their own, Harry Watkins claiming the points. Committed defence from Sudbury frustrated the Ruislip attack but Sudbury was inevitably being penalised for being offside in their efforts at the breakdown. From a penalty lineout the Ruislip forwards used three phases to cross the line again and Sudbury looked a little rattled, Sudbury used a couple of their replacements and fresh legs brought new impetus, Maile crossed for a second try and Charles Jackson touched down after a break by Smith with 10 minutes to play.

Ruislip were not done when from a breakdown on the centre line the centre picked up and showed a clean pair of heels to everyone on the pitch.

Sudbury got the last word, again with a good backs move, for Smith to cross the stripe.

Three conversions by Tom Summers helped the total, but an injury to Fraser Beckett that could see him out until the new year, took the edge off what was a great start to the season.

* Halstead Templars travel to Brightlingsea on Saturday for their first game following promotion to Greene King IPA Eastern Counties 1 South.

* Hadleigh (hosting Bury St Edmunds III) and Sudbury II (at Colchester III) will compete in the same division.