Sheffield RUFC bid for top two place after five wins on trot; leaders Tigers also on a five-timer!

Rupert Broadley, being tackled in the early season city derby by Tigers Liam Wallace, was among the try scorers in the win which took Sheffield RUFC into third place in National League Three North. Photo: Ian Anderson

Sheffield Tigers scraped to their fifth successive league win, winning by just a point against fellow promotion-chasers Hull.

They can count themselves lucky though, only surviving 22-21 after the hosts missed a late on conversion. It was relief for the Tigers who were arguably the lesser team in the second half.

Meanwhile at Abbeydal, Sheffield RUFC hosted Rossendale in blustery conditions, they too claiming their fifth successive league victory to move up to third .

Rossendale took an early lead via a penalty kick but tries from Alex Fawdry and Rupert Broadley with an added Joe Cribley conversion soon meant Sheffield took a 12-3 lead. Rossendale hit back but the half ended with the home team in the lead at 19-13 after a Danny Rylandsw try.

After the break, Rossendale came more into the game but an interception leading to a Sheffield try gave the hosts an 11 point advantage.

The visitors fought back to make it a one point game, but a last minute try from Gareth Morley sealed the game for Sheffield. A Cribley conversion ensured the final result was 27-23.

Tomorrow Sheffield have the chance to move into the top two and a play-off place with a win at second-place Firwood Waterloo.

Jason Soden, Director of Rugby at Sheffield RUFC said: “The conditions were incredible. I’ve seen nothing like it.

“It was so windy we thought our posts were going to fall down.

“We played against the wind in the first half and it was blowing straight down the middle of the pitch towards us.

“It looked to me like a 15-20 point wind and we thought it would be a game of two halves with Rossendale controlling the first.

“But we had a really good first half and when we were leading at half time we thought we would easily win the game, unfortunately it felt like we sat back a bit and expected it all to just happen for us, rather than just going out and finishing the game off.

“We realised they were getting back into the game so we improved our defence, secured the ball and began to control the game. It ended 27-23 so we still got the league bonus point but the second half was a very mixed bag.”

Sheffield and Tigers meet in the League at Abbeydale on December 19 (2.15).