Rugby Union round-up: Sheffield RUFC keep up the pressure with big victory over Burnage

Sheffield collected the winning bonus point in style, with the highest points margin of the weekend. The result is the second win in a row for the Abbeydale-based side, and third successive home victory for the club.

Sheffield still remain undefeated at home in 2016 and the win lifts them to third in the league table, closing the gap between them and the play-off places to 12 points.

And Sheffield confront the team in second place when they travel west to face in-form Wirral on Saturday.

Jason Soden, director of rugby at Sheffield, said: “I’m really pleased.

“The game against Burnage was good, we played pretty well and we controlled the first half... and by half time it was 27-5.

“We sort of went to sleep for 20 minutes at the start of the second half and they came back into it.

“Then we pulled ourselves together and turned it up a notch, put a proper performance in, got some points on the board and closed out the game.

“We played some very nice rugby and scored eight tries. Our kicker did not have a great game from the boot, only scoring two conversions and a penalty, but we did well to score the tries. We have a big game this weekend. The aim is to take it in our stride and really put the pressure on Wirral in second.

“We have been pleased with how our game plan has worked all season; when we have stuck to it we have controlled the ball, controlled the game and won well.

“It is a real six point game and it is going to be a tough one as it is away at their place. There is pressure on them, there is pressure on us but we know we have it in us to beat them.

Sheffield Tigers’ three-week break draws to a close as they host Lymm at their Dore Moor ground on Saturday.

The Tigers sit eleven points clear at the top of the table and now hold a game in hand on several of the teams below them due to the cancellation of their match against Stockport.

The Tigers will be hoping to extend their lead at the top of the table with what the form guide would suggest to be a routine win for the Dore Moor-based side.