Furness

Rugby

Furness Rugby Union Football Club

Furness Rugby Union Football Club

Founded 1902

Founded 1902

The Strawberry Grounds, Croslands Park Road, Off Abbey Road, Barrow in Furness, Cumbria, LA13 9LA

Tel :- 01229 825226  Email :- frufc@frufc.net

Saturday 14th January

Furness 15   Egremont  19

This Weeks probable team

Steve’s Match Report

   Furness had to make do with a solitary bonus point from a game that they needed to win to boost their hopes of survival in North Lancs/Cumbria league. As predicted Egremont arrived with a big pack but it was Furness who started the brighter of the two teams, Ethan Davies searing into the visitors and surely giving the blues a clue as to where the game could be won.

   The visitors held firm to turn defence into attack. Line outs anywhere within the blue 22 were going to be tricky for the home forwards to combat and, sure enough, so it proved. Egremont catch and drive and Furness defended as if their lives depended upon it. Another yellow and black wave followed the first but the blue line held firm. After 15 minutes Egremont got the break-though that they were looking for with a driving try converted for a 0-7 lead.

  Joel Williams clipped a perfect re-start and Rhys Studt collected in the midst of the Egremont forwards. The young flanker charged towards the visitors line and only a foot in touch prevented the try. Furness turned the screw with some great runs from Jack Clements and Phil Brockbank but could not turn possession into points. Corne Els got through an immense amount of work in the forwards and the South African supported Williams with another sorte into the Egremont 22. Egremont were on the ropes, Furness declined a shot at goal and took a quick tap, Clements thinking quickly and surging over the line. Ethan Davies levelled the score right on the half time whistle.

   Again the blues started well and pressures the Egremont line. Pressure this time turned to points as Davies calmly slotted over a penalty and a narrow lead, 10-7. Good work in the line form Will Mallinson gave sufficient ball for Furness to press for more points however it was not to be as the Egremont backs showed a good turn of pace to outstretch the blue cover and a well executed 70 metre try, converted for a 10-14 lead.

    Back to basics then for the visiting pack as they slowed things down and rolled their way unmercifully back into home territory. Having sucked the energy out of the Furness pack they broke wide and left and it took a great covering tackle from Alex Brown, coming off his own wing, top save the day. It was a short lived reprieve as Egremont drove over from the line out for a forwards try, 10-19. The visitors had their tails up and turned the pressure valve up high in search of a fourth, bonus point, try. Furness could have collapsed but to their credit did not give up. Williams cleared, Els won a line out and Furness dragged themselves towards the half-way line. At last Mike Albery was found in space and he made it tell, stepping insde then out the ex-skipper showed a clean pair of heels to take play mid-way into the Egremont half. With two cover tacklers breathing down his neck he slipped a perfect ball to Brown who pressed the peddle and raced in for a try in the clubhouse corner, 15-19. With only time for the re-start Egremont held off any thoughts of a blue victory and Furness had to settle for a losing point. Not a rugby spectacular but a bruising game played on a tacky surface by two committed teams. Furness gave 100% all around the field and will look to righting a few wrongs as they take the following Saturday off.

This weeks league results

Blackburn            26 - 10 Aldwinians   

De La Salle         15 -  8  Heaton Moor   

Didsbury TocH       P       Fleetwood   

Furness               15 - 19 Egremont   

Kirkby Lonsdale 29 - 0  Workington   

Millom                   5 - 34 Upper Eden   

St Benedicts      17 - 10 Eccles