Ealing finish off with perfection
EALING registered six tries – five worked from lineouts – to sweep aside Doncaster and claim a perfect record in the Trailfinders Challenge Cup.
Doncaster contributed two tries off the back of a lineout which gives a sense of the sort of game played out under clear skies in west London.
It wasn’t a classic but it was comprehensive. With a win up in Doncaster, as well as the double triumph over Saracens home and away, Ealing head into the Championship kicking off in two weeks with more than just hope of securing promotion to the Premiership.
“We’re in a really good place,” Ealing director of rugby Ben Ward said. “We’ve grown as a team. We have a huge amount of inner belief in where we’re at and where we want to go. You don’t often get too many chances to lift a trophy in rugby. To come away with the trophy will give us a lot of confidence.”
Ealing’s opening two tries were products of a set-piece but were brought about in different fashion. On seven minutes David Johnston stepped up from full-back to exploit space in the midfield. Realising that Doncaster were expecting the rolling maul the ball was swiftly sent down the backline to catch the defence unaware.
Nine minutes later, manof-the-match Guy Thompson emerged with the ball as Ealing’s trusted wedge provided a portent of things to come as it powered over Doncaster’s line.
George Roberts rumbled over from close range just past the half hour mark as the Knights pack took advantage of the extra man after Will Davis was yellow-carded for collapsing the maul. The accuracy of Sam Olver’s boot narrowed the gap to the half-time score of 14-10 in favour of the Trailfinders.
Ealing began the second half in control and four minutes in set up another maul. As the backline piled in to support it was fly-half Steven Shingler who splintered off the right and dived over unopposed. His success from the tee put him in a unique club of players who have converted their own rolling maul try.
Bobby de Wee’s deliberate knock-on saw ref Sara Cox send him to the sin-bin but the numerical disadvantage did not curtail Ealing’s momentum. They maintained control and when the South African lock returned he helped Alun Walker over from an unstoppable maul.
The game opened up slightly as the benches were cleared. Ealing’s centres Jack Tovey and Pat Howard combined as they began to see more ball. Doncaster defended well, denying substitute Shaun Malton three metres out but could do nothing about the long reach of James Cannon who made the game safe with just over ten minutes to play.
The pick of the nine tries was a consolation for Doncaster’s Kyle Evans. The otherwise quiet winger ran a scything line against the grain and cantered unimpeded through Ealing’s wall to dot down with a first-phase score.
But Ealing rightly had the final say. Almost as a homage to the move that brought them glory in this pre-season competition, Malton found the ever present Cannon in the lineout and helped drive over for a try that will send a clear message to those with their hands on the levers of power in English rugby.
As Thompson notched his second of the day, Ealing paid testament to the promotion-relegation system.