Coventry in the groove for double triumph

ained unchanged for the rest of the half with both sides making handling errors in the testing conditions.

Tolmie’s first try – in between two McBride penalties – and Fenner’s conversion took the score to 14-9 midway through the second period.

Cov’s now dominant scrum earned a penalty try before Tolmie added two more, the first from a line-out drive and the second from close-range forward play, with Fenner completing a 100 per cent return with the boot.

Coventry 59 Colchester 7 Coventry backed up their success with a nine-try victory over Colchester, who enjoyed notable periods of pressure but had to wait until the final play to make land their try.

Callum MacBurnie finished off a sweeping move for Cov’s first try inside two minutes, Rhodri Adamson converting, and they added five more to lead 38-0 at end of the 30-minute first half.

Alex Smit darted over for the second, and it was followed by scores from Will Maisey, Matt Price, Tom Poole and Smit again, three converted by Adamson.

James Pritchard completed another long-range move four minutes into the second period after Colchester lost possession when pressing hard, Adamson converting, and Cov pulled further clear with converted tries from Sam Harry and Dan Rundle before Jerome Awesu powered over from close range for a consolation try for the visitors, James Crozier converting.

Colchester had opened the afternoon’s proceedings at Butts Park Arena with a hard-earned 21-7 win over Bury St Edmunds, scoring three tries to one.