Stafford 1st XV took the short trip to Lilleshall Road for the opening league game of a new campaign. The County Town team travelled with home and away victories over the “Castle” the previous season. The Blackberry Lane faithful took to the pitch eager to make a good start in the succinctly named Counties 1 Midland West (North) league.

Newcastle took the first points of the season when an early penalty gifted an opportunity in front of the posts. The Stafford response was immediate as Christian Stelian with Joe Tait ripped through the defence, juggling the ball between them and Christian Stelian took the try which he then converted. The momentum was with the visitors and a strong scrum created the platform for the next score. With the ball in hand Jerry Qasenivalu turned the opposition inside out, Christian Stelian tied up the remaining defenders and Brett Corcoran took the final pass for a try, converted by Christian Stelian. Both sets of forwards were having a fine time smashing into each other across the field. Newcastle started to concede a number of penalties as they tried to stem the Stafford assault and it wasn’t long before Christian Stelian added another three points to the visiting tally. The home side put themselves under more pressure when a yellow card reduced them to a temporary fourteen on the pitch. This appeared to galvanise Newcastle who started finding some success and making good ground. Stafford defended strongly, managing to hold up one determined thrust across the line but the home side kept battering away until they eventually earned a tiring try. With a full XV back on the pitch Newcastle had grabbed all the momentum and with two quick yellow cards Stafford were suddenly down to thirteen on the field. The reduced visiting squad gave a good account of themselves but couldn’t stop a further Newcastle try just before the break. Stafford went into half time winning by 13-17, but having seen a comfortable lead eroded.

The Stafford thirteen withstood some ferocious attacking rugby at the start of the second half, but Newcastle couldn’t find a way through and the visitors were restored to a full XV. With some fresh legs, Stafford took hold of the game and an invigorated set of forwards built a devastating scrum which folded the opposition in half disrupting any attacking platform. Newcastle put up a brave defence which just kept Tom Kirby out but they couldn’t stop a determined Callum Hoy crashing through for a try on his return to 1st XV rugby, converted by Kevin Van-Der-Leest. The home side responded with some attacking rugby which threatened the Stafford line. Newcastle battered away at a defiant defence and only last-minute tackles stopped them crossing the line. Just as the home side looked to have sufficiently stretched the defence, a prowling Jerry Qasenivalu intercepted a long pass and ran three quarters of the pitch for the bonus point try, converted by Christian Stelian. Stafford had snatched back control of the game and should have had another score but the referee called the players back for a previous infringement. A Kevin Van-Der-Leest penalty added three more points to the pot before Stafford were reduced to fourteen on the pitch as they collected their third yellow card of the game. A game Newcastle wouldn’t lie down and ended the encounter with a consolation try to finish the match.

Next 1st XV Match; Saturday 10th September home vs Old Saltleians RUFC, kick off 15:00.