The Reds started the competitive element of the new season with a strong display against London Scottish in the first-ever Premiership Rugby Cup tie for both teams.
Two weeks after scoring eight tries in the pre-season 7-50 win at the Athletic Ground against ‘landlords’ Richmond, the Reds managed another seven tries against the ‘tenants’, shutting out the Exiles and matching the 43-point winning margin.
The home side enjoyed some early pressure which saw the Jersey defence tested at several points, including a 10-minute spell with one man short after Brendan Owen was carded for a deliberate knock-on.
The visiting defence held firm and soon after Owen’s return there were points at the other end as James Elliott, Jordan Holgate, Russell Bennett and Ben Woollett worked a try for wing Pete Sullivan (pictured above) on his competitive debut.
Within 10 minutes there was a second try, Holgate again involved in the build-up alongside Adam Nicol and lock James Scott barging over.
The Exiles stayed within range until the Reds pressed their foot on the accelerator either side of half-time. In the last play, following an overthrown Exiles lineout, Sullivan raced forward to set up Owen for a try down the left flank, and then Elliott added the bonus-point fourth soon after the resumption from Bennett’s pass after the fly-half had made a superb jinking run from well inside his own half.
Forward power enabled the visitors to turn the screw in the final 25 minutes, as replacement James Hadfield powered over twice from driving mauls – Exiles’ replacement Kade Bird was sin-binned during this period – and then fellow impact man Hallam Chapman claimed his fourth try for the Reds to date when he rampaged through from 25 metres out in the 78th-minute. Bennett was successful with three conversions from seven attempts, and the Reds had four points on the board to sit top of their pool alongside Exeter Chiefs and Bath.
Bath are the Reds’ next opponents, with the game at the Rec kicking off at 1pm this Saturday and broadcast live on TNT Sports (formerly BT). Then the Chiefs will be the visitors for the long-awaited home opener at Stade Santander International on Saturday September 23rd (2pm k-o).
Pic by Simon Cooper, snapzman.co.uk
London Scottish (15-9, 1-8): Charlie Ingall; Noah Ferdinand (Will Brown 53), Luke Mehson, Billy Wara (Elliot Haydon 53), Sam Smith; Alec Lloyd-Seed, Jonny Law (Stephen Kerins 53); George Cave (Will Prior 53), Garin Lloyd (Austin Wallis 53), Ashley Challenger (Rhys Charalambous 53), Brian Tuilagi (Kade Bird 21, YC 56), Bailey Ransom (c) (Silas Pill 61), Ioan Rhys Davies, Lewis Barret, Graham Geldenhuys
Jersey Reds: Brendan Owen (YC 3); Ben Woollett, Alex McHenry, Jordan Holgate (Dan Barnes 61), Pete Sullivan (Scott Van Breda 57); Russell Bennett, James Elliott (James Mitchell 61); Greg McGrath (Sam Grahamslaw 46), Daf Hughes (James Hadfield 46), Adam Nicol (Steve Longwell 46), John Hawkins, James Scott (Hallam Chapman 62), Max Argyle, Lewis Wynne (c) (Thom Smith 62), Alun Lawrence
Scorers
Jersey Reds
Tries: Sullivan 16, Scott 25, Owen 39, Elliott 43, Hadfield 57, 72, Chapman 78
Conversions: Bennett 25, 44, 78
Referee: Andy Wigley. Assistants: Veryan Boscawen, Ian Bibey
Half-time: 0-17
Attendance: 384
