White Rose miss final despite big finish

YORKSHIRE finished the group stage in grand style with a nine-try haul against a valiant Eastern Counties, who ran out of steam in the final quarter.

The unbeaten White Rose side racked up 42 points without reply after the break and narrowly missed out on a trip to Twickenham by just a single bonus point.

But John Feeley’s men will feel satisfied with another impressive display.

Hull Ionians fly-half Callum Irvine chipped through and collected with ease for the opening score early on but the visitors hit back when Tom Jackson took advantage of some slack defence to ease over.

Irvine was on hand again midway through the half, this time forcing his way over from close range, for a 14-5 advantage.

Despite Yorkshire’s dominance in the set-piece Eastern Counties kept pace, first through a fine solo effort from Fetuli Paea and then replying to Jake Brady’s try for the hosts with a sniping effort from scrum-half Harry Brown to make it 19-15.

The first score after the restart came on the hour mark. Lewis Minikin open-

ing the floodgates with the first of four tries in 11 minutes – Jamie Broadley and Simon Frewin snatching a couple before Minikin claimed his second.

At 47-15 the visitors were down and out and late tries from flanker Josh Burridge and the ever-present Pete Swatkins rounded it off.