British and Irish Cup Round One Roundup

The 2016/17 British and Irish Cup began with aplomb last weekend as the 20-team tournament featuring all 12 Greene King IPA Championship sides alongside four teams from Wales and Ireland respectively returned for another year.

With Round Two just around the corner, TalkingRugbyUnion takes a look at the biggest stories and statistics from Round One.

Yorkshire Undefeated No More

Ealing Trailfinders sprung the shock of the weekend, upsetting the previously unbeaten Yokrshire Carnegie 51-35 in an intra-Championship clash at the Trailfinders Sports Ground.

A thrilling, back-and-forth encounter, Yorkshire – who have won their opening six games to start the season – roared out to a 28-12 lead before Ealing responded with 32(!) unanswered points to take a lead they would ultimately not surrender.

In a thirteen-try affair, Ealing amassed eight (Chris York, Sam Rodman, Josh Davies x2, Seb Nagle-Taylor, Rhys Crane, Will Magie, Lewis Jones) to Yorkshire’s five (Oli Goss, Ollie Stedman, Ross Graham, Richard Mayhew, Lee Imolek), with Ealing scrum-half Josh Davies turning into a sterling man-of-the-match performance with a second-half brace.

A Perfect Weekend Away from the Capital

All three London-based sides (Irish, Scottish and Welsh) began their respective British and Irish Cup campaigns in perfect fashion last weekend, with all three triumphing in impressive showings away from home.

For London Irish, still unbeaten in all competitions this year, four tries from Ross Neal, Ben Ransom, Senitiki Nayalo and Richard Palframan gave the Exiles a handy bonus-point 25-14 win over the Ospreys’ Premiership Select XV.

Meanwhile in Cardiff, a brace from hooker Cameron Fenton and further scores from Matthew Marley and Ewan McQuillan gave London Scottish a hard-fought 26-21 win over Cardiff Blues’ Premiership Select.

Finally, in Cork, reigning British and Irish cup holders London Welsh initiated their championship defence with a bonus-point 30-15 victory over Munster ‘A’, with tries coming from Chris Elder, Robbie Nairn, Ben Pienaar and Joe Carlisle.

Titans Secure South Yorkshire Bragging Rights

On-loan Gloucester fly-half Lloyd Evans was the star as Rotherham Titans emerged triumphant in their South Yorkshire derby against Doncaster Knights, 34-17.

Evans, 20, scored a try, kicked two conversations and slotted a further five penalties to take his personal tally to 24 points on Saturday afternoon.

Support for Evans’ effort came in the form of Toby Salmon and Jake Henry tries with George Catchpole and Lloyd Hayes five-pointers and seven points from Dougie Flockhart Doncaster’s response.

The win extends Rotherham’s winning streak over their local rivals at Clifton Lane which has been untouched since 2011.

Comeback in Cornwall

Thirteen-unanswered second-half points would prove to be the difference as Cornish Pirates battled back to emerge victorious over Connacht Eagles, 23-10.

Poised at ten points apiece to begin the second-half, it would be the Cornish side who would seize the initiative in the second forty, with backrower Jake Parker touching down the go-ahead score.

A sterling defensive effort from the Pirates, alongside two missed penalties from Connacht fly-half Mitch Lam helped ensure the game remained in Cornish control before Laurence May’s two penalties sealed yet another away win for an English side.

Results

Pool 1

Cardiff Blues Premiership Select 21-26 London Scottish

Ulster A 19-6 Jersey

Pool 2

Munster A 15-30 London Welsh

Rotherham Titans 34-17 Doncaster Knights

Pool 3

Ospreys Premiership Select 14-25 London Irish

Connacht A 10-23 Cornish Pirates

Pool 4

Nottingham 11-33 Scarlets Premiership Select

Richmond 19-68 Leinster A

Pool 5

Ealing Trailfinders 51-35 Yorkshire Carnegie

Bedford 46-33 Newport Gwent Dragons Premiership Select

Stats of the Week

Top Points Scorers

Lloyd Evans – Rotherham Titans: Two Conversions, Five Penalties, One Try, 24 points.

Ross Byrne – Leinster A: Nine Conversions, 18 points

Arwel Robson – Newport Gwent Dragons: Two Conversions, Three Penalties, One Try, 18 points

Johnny McPhillips – Ulster A: Conversion, Four Penalties, 14 points

Billy Mcbryde – Scarlets: Two Conversions, Three Penalties, 13 points

Top Kickers

Lloyd Evans – Rotherham Titans, Two conversions (66%), Five Penalties (83%), 19 Points

Ross Byrne – Leinster A, Nine conversions (90%), 18 Points

Johnny McPhillips – Ulster A, Conversion (100%), Four Penalties, (100%), 14 Points

Billy Mcbryde – Scarlets, Two Conversions (50%), Three Penalties (100%), 13 Points

Arwel Robson – Newport Gwent Dragons, Two Conversions (66%), Three Penalties (100%), 13 Points

Top Try Scorers

Bryan Byrne – Leinster A, Two

Barry Daly – Leinster A, Two

Jimmy O’Brien – Leinster A, Two

Tom Williams – Scarlets, Two

Josh Davies – Yorkshire Carnegie, Two