Hoppers cruise past Luctonians

Hoppers recorded their fourth victory in a row with an emphatic win over new comers Luctonians. This was the first meeting between the two clubs and with the Herefordshire side’s good start to the season it was expected to be a close encounter. However Hoppers were in control right from the opening kickoff and dominated in all areas of the game, including against the visitors heavyweight pack.

The home pack threw down the gauntlet in the opening minutes with a perfectly executed catch and drive, Rich Morton returned to first team action to touch down and give Hoppers a perfect start. Hoppers increased their lead midway through the half, Luctonians could not secure a line out in their own half and Matt Charters and Luke Cunningham made inroads into the visiting defence before the ball was spread wide where Hoppers had men over and Paul White was on hand to continue his impressive scoring run.

Luctonians got themselves onto the score sheet with a penalty from John Morris but Mark Edwards replied with a penalty for Hoppers five minutes before the break to restore the 12 point lead and take the sides in 15-3 at the break. The half did however have one more crucial incident when the visitors were reduced to 14 men; prop Jorge Segurado was shown a straight red card for a head butt following a collapsed scrum.

Hoppers came out in the second half determined to take full advantage with a five point haul now well in their sights. Once again they started the half in style with two tries, wrapping up the bonus point, inside ten minutes. A turn over in midfield was quickly moved to the left wing and after White had got behind the defence he unselfishly passed inside to Edwards who was able cross with ease. And they capitalised on yet another turn over when replacement Mike Millward made good yards up the middle and Edwards well weighted kick was gathered by Tom Hughes who scored his eighth try of the season to go into a tie for the most in the league.

Luctonians finally crossed the try line and showed some of the form that had helped them win five of their opening seven games. After securing the ball in Hoppers territory for over five minutes they powered their way through the forwards to the try line and replacement scrum half Lucas Roy-Smith found space round the fringes to squeeze over. However any chance of a comeback was ended when their discipline again let them down, this time it was a yellow card for back row Bruce Thomas following a dangerous tackle.

Hoppers scored twice in his absence, three times in the final ten minutes, with full back Sean Taylor taking full advantage of the increased space to create the first and then cross twice himself. Taylor made a great break from a poor clearing kick and was well supported by Mark Rigbye whose offload put Matt Hughes in space to score.

Taylor was then on the end of two scrum moves, the first in conventional way as Charters picked up from the base to make good yards and after recycling the ball well Hoppers moved quickly from right to left where Taylor was in acres of space. The second as Hoppers pack stole the ball at the scrum and Charters again made good ground before Cameron Berry was able to find Taylor again in space. Edwards added the extras with the final kick of the game to take his personal tally to an impressive 20 points.

Hoppers once again showed that they are going to be a force to reckon with this season, with six different try scorers, five from the backs, they are taking advantage of the opportunities available to them. The pace and adventure from a young back line is a joy to watch and will cause any team in the league problems and the forwards are providing a great platform getting g quick ball and impressing in the loose and the set piece, personified by hooker Richie Sands who made his 150 appearance for the club.

Hoppers maintain winning streak

Hoppers came through a physical encounter to win a close game that was dominated by the forwards and the referees whistle. Hull Ionians came with a solid game plan built around an impressive line out and strong pack but Hoppers had just enough quality to ensure a well earned victory.


Things started well for the hosts and they had the opening try inside the first five minutes, Ionians had the ball deep in Hoppers territory but a knock on, something that was to plague the visitors throughout, allowed Hoppers to clear their lines. Mark Edwards launched the clearing kick high and after allowing it to bounce the ever impressive Tom Hughes capitalized, made one man miss and sprinted in from half way. Edwards was successful with the easy conversion and added a drop goal a couple of minutes later to give Hoppers a ten point lead.


The visitors got themselves back into the game through the forwards and a good kicking game with full back Dan Porter taking advantage of the numerous penalties to kick deep into the corners and allow the pack a chance to control the game. This constant pressure lead to a try for Joe Sanders when he was on hand to power over from close range, Porter was then unlucky to hit the post with the conversion. Ionians had the majority of the possession for the remainder of the half but could not convert it into points, thanks to a resilient Hoppers defence, and it was the hosts who stretched their lead just before the half when Edwards landed his second drop goal.


Hoppers started the second half brightly and scored a try within a minute of the restart. After taking in the kick they moved the ball quickly to their flying winger Paul White who made good yards down the left touchline. Edwards then executed a perfectly weighted cross kick into the arms of second row Mark Rigbye and his simple offload put Matt Hughes into space and he had far too much pace for the covering defence, Edwards successful conversion gave Hoppers a dream start.

Ionians were able to wrestle control of much of the possession and territory for the remainder of the game, even though Hoppers had chances to secure victory. The game turned midway through the half when Hoppers back row Will Bordill was shown a yellow card for an infringement at the breakdown, this was one of 27 penalties against the two sides but the only time referee Wayne Falla deemed necessary to remove a player from the field much to the annoyance of the home crowd.


Simon Jenkins was then the beneficiary of the impressive catch and drive that Ionians used to good effect all day and Joe Makin’s converted try with five minutes to go following a good break from second row partner Sanders gave the home crowd a nervous finish, but Hoppers held on and were able to run out the clock and secure victory.

Hoppers Tame The Lions

Hoppers first away win of the season helped them record back to back bonus point victories as they look to turn the corner after a difficult run of games against the league’s top sides.

Traveling to a spirited Rugby Lions side that lost many key players in the off season, Hoppers dominated from the start and only a late flurry of home tries, assisted by some poor officiating brought the score back to a level of respectability.

Hoppers started brightly and displayed dominance in all areas from the outset, with the pack again performing well in the loose and set piece and the young back line looking dangerous. They took the lead through the boot of Tommy Bell who smashed a penalty from all of 45 metres and had their first try inside ten minutes when Tom Ashton rounded off a free flowing move that started with a scrum in Hoppers territory. Ashton grabbed his second try a few minutes later with a display of great strength from the winger who shrugged off several would be tacklers to power over the line, Bell missed the tricky conversion but added a second booming penalty to give Hoppers a 18-0 lead.

Rugby finally got on the score sheet soon when fly half Aaron Higgins had a moment of inspiration to chip over the top, collect his own kick and score. However, Hoppers answered straight back with a classy try from Paul White. After the forwards had driven on from a line out they unleashed the backs and Bell’s pass hit White at pace who cut a great line in midfield to cross with ease.

The second half started with a bang as Hoppers secured the bonus points with just two minutes gone, Matt Charters and Tom Ball combined well to put White in space who again displayed his pace to leave the home defence in his wake.

Tom Hughes then scored the try of the game and gave the Lions a lesson in completing tackles as he got back to his feet on three occasions to leave the defence bewildered and score by the posts.

Hoppers then fell foul of some poor officiating as the referee shockingly decided to sin bin Richie Sands, who was only trying to get a Lions player off a team-mate 20 seconds after play had moved on and Tom Ball for hands in the ruck.

Rugby took advantage when Liam Munro powered over from short range following a catch and drive that had stalled just short of the line. Hoppers scored again when Ball returned from the bin to throw a great dummy and catch out most of the defence, Bell’s conversion took the Hoppers to 50 points.

Rugby scored twice late on to secure a bonus point when Ian Reynard rounded off a great break by Todd Freemantle and replacement Matt Davies was on hand in the dying minutes to place the ball over the line from a catch and drive.

While Hoppers with be frustrated with the late tries and the officiating it was a promising performance from a team that is beginning to gel together under the new coaching staff, the forwards appear fitter and stronger and the backs are playing with pace and precision that should lead to plenty of tries and victories.

Hoppers breeze past struggling Manchester

Hoppers snapped a three game losing streak with a convincing performance over a struggling Manchester side that were severely outmatched from the outset. With a bonus point secured within the opening 20 minutes Hoppers were able to rack up a huge score that will go some way to help their point’s difference tally.

After turning the ball over inside the home 22, Hoppers almost scored when Sean Taylor was held up in goal. But, in a style that would become familiar throughout the day, the pack got a great shove from the resulting 5 metre scrum and James Smith had the simple job of touching down from the base.

Hoppers then took the game beyond Manchester in a dazzling five minute spell where they scored four tries and secured the bonus point. Cameron Berry was on the end of a flowing move following another turn over in Manchester territory, and after Taylor, Tom Ashton and Tom Hughes had combined well on the left wing Berry was available for the inside ball to score.

The next three tries came straight from the ensuing restarts as Hoppers collected the kicks and sliced through the visiting defence. First Wayne Steel showed a great turn of pace to make 30 metres and good support work left Luke Cunningham with the simple job of placing the ball by the posts. Then Matt Charters and Mark Rigbye made good ground before Rigbye’s good pass put Matt Hughes with the full back and the home winger stepped well to go in untouched. Tom Hughes then scored the try of the day in typical fashion as he cut a great angle on half way before evading four would be tacklers.

Hoppers pack continued to pile on the pressure, especially at the scrum where they first turned over a Manchester scrum 5 metres from the line and then smashed the visiting pack back over the line allowing Charters to touch down. It was pressure from the entire team that led to the final try of the first half as Manchester tried to keep the ball alive inside their own 22, but after only going backwards a terrible clearing kick went straight to Matt Hughes only a few metres from the line who collected and strolled across the line giving Hoppers a 41-0 lead at half time.

The second half started in the same fashion as the first with two tries being scored, by half time replacements, in the opening ten minutes. Mike Millward capitalised on a Manchester knock on and after not being held in the tackle his second effort was enough to power over the line. Paul White then got a try on debut after good work from Cunningham from a scrum on half way and when Nick Smith put Taylor into a huge gap the full back sprinted clear and the unselfishly off loaded to White to score in the right corner.

Cunningham then completed a hat trick with two tries touched down from the base of the scrum after the Hoppers pack had obliterated their opposite numbers, Manchester had replaced both starting prop’s in the first quarter of the game but Hoppers had too much power for any of the visiting forwards.

Manchester did get on the score board late on, even if there was some question over the legitimacy of the try. They managed to somehow keep the ball alive inside the Hoppers 22 and finally got a number advantage on the blind side and although it looked like he was in touch and had spilled the ball replacement prop Marcus Smkle-Knox was awarded the try.

Hoppers however rounded off the scoring with the final play of the game when Millward stole the ball and Taylor hit yet another great line and had too much pace for the covering defence for a well deserved try.

There will be much harder tests of Hoppers throughout the season but there were impressive sign in both attack and defence with a dominant performance from the pack and when the ball is released to the backs there is great pace and skill to trouble the best teams.