Rugby Lions 19-23 Hull RUFC
26 November 2005
Webb Ellis Road
Powergen Intermediate Cup Round 4
Hull RUFC broke Rugby’s hearts with a match-winning try five minutes into second-half stoppage time to secure a 23-19 victory.
It was nothing more than they deserved after battling hard in an entertaining cup clash.
When the match got underway at a very cold and windy Webb Ellis ground there was 16 minutes gone before home second-rower Karl Braband scored the opening try, converted by James Hawken, although he had missed an earlier penalty.
Ten minutes later Chris Kendra, who had a storming game, popped up to capitalise on a piece of Shaun Higginson enterprise to go in for an unconverted try.
Rugby were having the better of the game and by the interval they had stretched their lead to 13-5 with a penalty from Hawken and a drop-goal in the 40th minute from Tommy Turner.
It only took a minute of the second half for Waylon Tangohau to make it 13-8 with a penalty goal but Hawken nullified the effort 10 minutes later with his second penalty, given for a technical offence by Shaun Higginson which saw the New Zealander dispatched to the sin-bin.
On 61 minutes Tangohau landed his second penalty and three minutes later he was on hand for Hull’s second try.
The alert Kendra spotted the ball coming loose at the back of a scrum, secured possession for his side and Tangohau was able to take the final pass to touch down before converting his own try.
That score put Hull into a short-lived 18-16 lead, as Hawken’s 73rd minute penalty saw the home side back with a single point lead at 19-18.
Hull kept battling and with five minutes of stoppage time gone they launched an attack on the right, moving the ball left through four pair of hands before new boy Marius Vandenburg popped up a slick pass for Tangohau to cross in the corner.
He was off the mark with the conversion attempt but, with the whistle going as soon as the kick went wide, Hull can now look forward to the next round and hopefully a home draw.
Hull director of rugby Gary Pearce was proud of his side, who refused to consider defeat. He said; “They say the game is never over until the fat lady sings and we proved it.
“That was a fantastic team performance. We knew it would be tough.
“Rugby Lions were very unlucky to have been relegated from the National Leagues last season.
“Having said that I thought we were the best side and it would have been an injustice if we had lost”.
“Everyone from number one to 18 deserves full credit.
“Results like this make you think if this could be our year. I don’t think we should be frightened of anyone left in this competition and I think we will be very hard to beat at home.”
There was an amusing incident in the club house when the Rugby Lions centre and captain gave great praise to Hull’s performance.
He said; “I had a very tough afternoon playing opposite Julian Barkworth who is a very big unit and I was greatly relieved when he was subbed on the hour. The first time I tackled his replacement (Maea David), I knew I was out of the frying pan and into the fire”!!
Hull’s side on that great day were; G. Martinson, D. Smith, J. Barkworth, M. Vandenburg, L. McKenzie, W. Tangohau, C. Kendra, J. Ward, A . Atkinson, F. Biddlecombe, N. Tonga, S. Bates, K. Bates, S. Higginson and W. de Plooy. Subs; M. White, P. Mulamba, M. David and N. Lyon.
Compiled by Norman Angell
HULL RUGBY UNION FOOTBALL CLUB 