Cup success after time called early on high scoring showing

BURBAGE RFC enjoyed a rout against Coventry Saracens in the Warwickshire Cup with the ref calling time 20 minutes early to save the visitors further embarrassment.

Final tally was 69-8 with almost 50 of the winning points coming before the half-time break.

Just one team was fielded against Coventry Saracens due to availability issues such as injuries, illness and work commitments.

However, the strength of the team named showed just how far Burbage have come in the last 18 months.

The game started with a fast pace with Burbage creating some structured phases for the ball to be whipped wide and the first score to be registered inside of five minutes.

This was to be the theme of the day where Burbage managed to amass a points tally of almost 50 before the break and the opposition could only reply with an unconverted try and penalty.

The game overall was fairly stop-start with the referee making his own debut at senior level and with the added pressure of being assessed in his mind.

As the referee began to build confidence the game seemed to flow more with Burbage running in try after try with no reply from the opposition.

There were some excellent phases of play between the backs and forwards and on occasion the handling, line running and power was so crisp and defence so splitting that it could be difficult to pick which players were backs and which were forwards. Stand-in fly-half Andrew Redman kicked the ball out of hand excellently and constantly put Burbage in the right areas of the pitch.

Michael Dickins and Adam Groocock showed their dynamic running power which proved unstoppable, allowing Dickins to score a hat-trick of tries and scrum half Tom Cox was instrumental linking backs and forwards and helped himself to a brace of tries.

Meanwhile Eggy confirmed the cliché “don’t judge a book by its cover” by scoring the try of the day with a backs move that parted Coventry Saracens wide open for him to burst through and run over the last defender to score under the posts to topoff a man-of-the-match performance.

Coach Andrew McHardy said: “First team selection would prove tough if players continue to turn out performances like this on a consistent basis. Thank you to Coventry Saracens who never gave up and showed great team spirit throughout. We wish them all the best in the coming season.”

Final score was 69-8, the ref calling the game with 20 minutes remaining.