Game ended early as Burbage Titans cruise to 68-0 whitewash over Birstall

A STRONG Burbage Titans side secured a massive victory against a big Birstall side, who couldn’t handle the attacking prowess of the Titans.

Last season’s Titans captain, Tom Cox, lead the side in the absence of current captain Craig Lakin.

Cox was instrumental throughout, running excellent lines from 12 and putting his side on the front foot time and time again.

Burbage started brightly and scored their first try very quickly.

A tap penalty on the opposition’s five-metre line gave second row Adam Jardine a chance to crash over for a score.

Outside centre Mike Moore showed excellent pace to ghost past his opposite number and run in from the halfway line to give Burbage a bigger lead.

Julian Parrin was next to get in on the act. Julian scored two quick tries, the first of which was an excellent individual try.

Geoff Johnson, playing hooker for the first time, caught the ball from the kick off and bounced off a couple of would-be tacklers with ease.

Johnson, AKA Pumba, went to ground and the ball was shipped out wide where full back Parrin chipped over the defence and raced in to touch the ball down.

Harry Robinson added his stamp on the game, with another excellent individual score for Burbage.

Young Harry, in his first season of rugby, ran with frightening pace down the wing, bouncing off tacklers and juggling the ball in the process, before dotting down in the corner.

Jardine then added his second with a pick and go from a couple of metres out, pirouetting and diving for the score.

Shortly after, Jardine completed his hat trick, after captain Cox expertly put him in a hole with a perfectlytimed pass.

A couple of changes were made at half time, but Burbage started the sec- ond half as they ended the first.

Burbage scored five tries in a very short second half, with the referee blowing the final whistle 20 minutes short.

Captain Cox was the first to get over the try line in the second half, bursting through a gap in his own half, showing excellent pace to get to the line ahead of the Birstall defenders.

Young Cameron Samuel, introduced at half time for his debut, was next to score.

Cameron has trained excellently over the summer, but has had to wait to get on the pitch due to his age.

He turned 17 last week and scored on his debut.

Unfortunately, his dad and coach, Jimmy Samuel, was unable to see his excellent finish due to being called back on to camp to work.

Samuel Jnr caught the ball just outside the 22, ran round his opposite winger, bounced off the covering fullback and stepped inside to dot the ball down.

Flanker Kieran O’Hara then came close to getting on the scoreboard.

An excellent run from prop Michael Dickins saw him offload expertly to his team and work mate O’Hara.

Unfortunately, O’Hara couldn’t gather the ball cleanly and knocked on.

It didn’t take O’Hara long to avenge for the mistake by cutting an excellent line and galloping home like a Gazelle from 40 metres out.

Will Ladbury then joined in the scoring, with two quick tries.

Ladbury jinked and stepped his way to the line to score in quick succession, with the second try signalling the end of the game at an emphatic 68-0 to the Titans.

There were a number of excellent performances in the game.

Tom Bromley was excellent throughout.

A fantastic debut from the man that hasn’t played rugby in three years.

A constant nuisance at the breakdown and some massive hits from the young man.

Nathan Wakelin controlled the game brilliantly from scrum-half.

In his first year of senior rugby and first season in seven years, Nathan has fitted in very well at Burbage and will certainly grow into a great player for Burbage.

Cameron Samuel had a fantastic debut and scored a brilliant try, only eight days after turning 17.

There will be much more to come from this young man.

Mike Moore, showed excellent pace throughout the game.

First season back after three years out of the game because of a broken ankle, Moore has now injured his other ankle.

Ligament damage will see Mike miss at least three weeks of action.

Geoff Johnson played his first game back after a foot injury.

Pumba played out of position and was strong throughout the game, with his trademark hits and powerful runs.

Charlie Ladbury played his first game of the season and controlled the show at 10.

Linked the forwards and backs excellently and put in some shuddering hits that a back row would have been proud of. Man of the match – This was a tough decision, but was handed to Tom Bromley and Nathan Wakelin, who despite not playing for a number of years between them, ran the show.