In a season with an unprecedented tally of injuries, Wharfedale’s visit to Sheffield Tigers represented the biggest challenge so far. Without key figures in the line-out and scrum, and a new half-back pairing, possession and continuity for the Greens was always likely to be difficult. So it proved.
At The Avenue in October, Wharfedale had run out comfortable winners against Tigers. That victory was built on scrum dominance and a dependable line-out. On a boggy Dore Moor pitch last Saturday, it was clear early on that this would be no repeat performance. Wharfedale’s pack was by no means overrun, but it always was on the back foot. In contrast, Sheffield’s pack featured a number of new faces who have obviously strengthened their set piece. From this strong platform in the tight, the home team’s size and dynamism in the loose tested Dale’s defence all afternoon.
It took an attritional 13 minutes for Tigers to break the deadlock. Having secured a lineout on Dale’s 5 metre line, the home team set up a rolling maul which powered over. Through the ever-impressive Joe Fawcett and the probing of Oli Cicognini, Wharfedale threatened to break out of defence. But the heavy conditions meant that this was no day for end-to-end tries, and with some wayward tactical kicking, Wharfedale soon found themselves back defending their line. On 27 minutes, Tigers moved the ball out left, where full-back Taylor went over. When the home team repeated their lineout drive for a third try on 33 minutes, Wharfedale were staring down the barrel. A visit to the Tigers’ 22 in the last minutes of the half yielded nothing, leaving the sides to go in at the break with a scoreline of 19-0.
The second half followed a similar pattern of Tigers dominance, with Dale’s occasional breaks snuffed out by impressive home defence. Two further tries came from Tigers’ dominance up front. To their credit Wharfedale’s heads never went down and their workrate never dropped. They gave it their all, and they ended the game camped in Tigers’ 22. But as in the first half, the home defence held firm.
This loss brought to an end Wharfedale’s winning run, which stretched back to mid December. Wharfedale’s Director of Rugby Simon Verbickas had no complaints after the match, and didn’t cite the injury situation as an excuse. “Tigers were better than us today. They were very good and deserved the win”. He will be hoping for a return to fitness of certain keys players in time for next Saturday’s home match against Rossendale.
Final Score: 29-0
Referee: Thomas Hurdley
Attendance: 170
Half time Score: 19-0
Scorers: Sheffield Tigers
Tries (player name and time): Gladwin 13 & 33, Baker 25, Talbot 43, Rudd 62. Conversions (player name and time): Ireland 14, 34.
Wharfedale Team: – 1. S Dickinson, 2. R Collinson (S Holden 44), 23. R Ward (J Meehan 50), 4. Z Heys, 5. J Armstrong, 6. F Brewster (R Tweedale 40), 7. J Fawcett, 8. T Beresford, 9. O Macnab (I Morgan 40), 10. A Haddon, 11. O Bullock, 12. O Cicognini (A Weston 60), 13. J Cherry, 14. B Viner, 15, H Bullough.