Rugby Union round-up: Rampant Doncaster Phoenix return to winning ways

Doncaster Phoenix got their National Three North campaign back on course with a resounding 94-5 victory over Stockport at Castle Park.
James Wright gets the third of his three tries against Stockport. Photo: FSP ImagesJames Wright gets the third of his three tries against Stockport. Photo: FSP Images
James Wright gets the third of his three tries against Stockport. Photo: FSP Images

Despite fielding their youngest ever side at first team level, Phoenix ended the day with 14 tries under their belt, including four from winger Tom Barker and two each from full-back James Wright and centre Sam Bottomley.

Fly-half Ben Miller notched 23 points with a try and nine conversions before being replaced as kicker by Rhys Moore.

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Victory ended a run of three consecutive defeats for the newly-promoted club.

Phoenix were quick off the mark when Barker raced over for his first try just three minutes into the game, Miller converting.

Bottom placed Stockport looked as though they might challenge when winger Nick Wroe sprinted over four minutes later, but Phoenix made it one-way traffic from there.

They turned round 40-5 in front with further tries from Barker, hooker Will Holling, Miller, Wright and scrum-half James Thompson.

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The hosts stepped up the pace in the last quarter with tries in quick succession by Wright (2), centre Andy Ellis, replacement scrum-half Rhys Moore, Bottomley (2) and Barker. Moore kicked the last three conversions.

Wheatley Hills are bottom of North One East after suffering their fifth defeat from five matches when they crashed 43-0 at Morpeth.

A young Wheatley side struggled to match the pace of their opponents who scored seven tries in total.

The result leaves them bottom of the table after five matches, their only point being a losing bonus in an opening day defeat against Dinnington.

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Thornensians ran out 27-21 winners at Old Grovians in Yorkshire Two.

Fly-half Andy Barrass kicked an early penalty and drop goal, and converted a 24th minute try from centre Oliver Cox, as they took a 13-0 lead.

Grovians hit back with a try either side of half time to narrow the gap to 12-13, and they kicked two penalties to take an 18-13 lead.

But scrum-half Oliver Rothwell touched down on the hour mark, and Barrass converted both that and his own 75th minute try to seal the win.

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Wath on Dearne, after their promising start in Yorkshire Two, were slow off the mark at Ripon and sank to a 36-26 defeat as their lower placed hosts picked up a bonus for five tries.

Wath had only two penalty goals by fly-half Jack Whitlam to show for their first half efforts, turning round 15-6 down, but hit back with tries from winger Ben Cairns, centre Andy Hopkin and No 8 Matt Burrows, with Whitlam converting the middle try.

Man of the match Joe Heath scored Rossington Hornets’ only try in a 64-5 defeat to Wibsey in Yorkshire Five.