Hill’s heroes get one over their noisy neighbours

EMOTIONAL Richmond rugby director Steve Hill rated his side’s first Championship victory as better than promotion after they outfought fierce derby rivals London Scottish in a Friday night thriller at the Athletic Ground.

Hill choked back the tears after Rob Kirby’s 77th minute three-pointer sunk Scottish, with the full-back’s unerring accuracy from the kicking tee and a try-double from Ronnie McLean breaking the ‘home’ side’s hearts.

“This surpasses promotion,” Hill told The Rugby

Paper. “There’s huge history between the two clubs and for too many years we’ve been looked at as the poor relation, but there was unbelievable commitment out there.

“For a bunch of guys, half of whom were at work until 3 o’clock, to get on a train here and put in that 80 minutes against full-time pros is outstanding. This game meant more to us than them and it’s a victory we’ll enjoy.”

Intense early pressure from Scottish culminated in Jason Harries slipping in winger Craig Holland for the opening try.

Scottish continued to dominate but Richmond worked their way into the contest and were rewarded on 21 minutes when, encouraged by the excellence of scrum-half Sam Stuart, McLean smashed his way over the line.

Kirby nailed a fine conversion to nudge Richmond ahead and the visitors were in clover ten minutes later when Stuart’s quick tap caused panic in the home ranks, enabling Ed Coulson to find McLean for his second try.

Again Kirby converted from the touchline but Richmond butchered the restart, enabling Scottish to build pressure. Holland looked set to bag his second try after a lineout drive, but superb cover defence denied him.

Richmond’s reprieve was short-lived, though, as Scottish came again and Peter Lydon’s neat offload sent Ben Rath to the line.

Richmond led 14-10 at the break but Scottish emerged revitalised and, with Lydon running hard and the forwards turning the screw, they mounted wave after wave of attacks which Hill’s heroes dug in to somehow resist.

Lydon slotted a penalty, then edged Scottish ahead. But the clinching try they required failed to materialise and Richmond made them pay when Kirby smashed over his winning kick to send their fans into raptures.

Scottish boss Peter Richards lamented: “Well done to Richmond, they wanted it more than us. We were fresh and ready to go after a week off but this was our worst performance so far.”