Hartpury RFC 21 Nottingham 07
Hartpury
Tries: Robbie Smith 20, Mike Austin 36
Conversions: Harry Bazalgette 21
Penalties: Harry Bazalgette 28, 53, 65
Drop Goals:
Nottingham
Tries: Ryan Olowofela 60
Conversions: Gwyn Parks 61
Penalty Kicks:
Drop Goals:
Teams (15-9; 1-8):
Hartpury: Alex Morgan, Brad Denty (Alex Forrester 70), Josiah Edwards-Giraud, Robbie Smith, Oliver Holliday, Harry Bazalgette, Mike Austin (Matthew Jones 68); Aristot Benz-Solomon (Archie MacArthur 62), William Crane (c) (Ethan Hunt, 56), Jon Benz-Solomon (Joseph Rees 73), Dale Lemon (Cameron Cobbett 60), Jack Davies (Rory Taylor 60), Sam Lewis, Harry Short, Jarrard Hayler (Carn Richards-Farr 60)
Nottingham: Ryan Olowofela (Jai Johal 71), David Williams ©, Kegan Christian-Goss, Gwyn Parks, Harry Graham (Sam Mercer 60), Matthew Arden, Will Yarnell (Joshua Goodwin 70); Kai Owen (Ale Loman 60), Jack Dickinson (Harry Clayton 60), Daniel Richardson (Aniseko Sio 60), Jack Shine, Lewis Chessum, Sam Green (Kody Vereti 60), Jacob Wright (Xavier Valentine 72), James Cherry
Referee: Jamie Parr (RFU)
Attendance: 670
Half Time: 15 – 0 (to Hartpury)
Star Man: Harry Short (Hartpury)
Match report:
Festive delight for Hartpury
By Ed Hartley
HARRY Bazalgette was Hartpury’s talisman once again, controlling the tempo beautifully and proving pin point to score 11 points off the tee as the West Country side got back to winning ways.
Tries by outside-centre Robbie Smith and scrum-half Mike Austin, as well as a man of the match performance by openside Harry Short ensured Hartpury overcame an inform Nottingham side to continue their unbeaten run at home in the league into 2025.
Hartpury head coach Mark Cornwell cut a jubilant figure, and he said: “Well that was a battle. We knew Nottingham were going to come here and be organised with everything they had up-front and their counterattack game. They’re always a threat and are very well coached.”
“I’m glad that the boys controlled large periods of the game and were on top. We probably could’ve been a little more clinical in our finishing. We were held up 3 times and that could’ve been our bonus point try, so that’s a little bit of what we left out there. But overall, we’re really happy.”
Despite a flurry of festive showers before kick-off leaving a very wet pitch underfoot, Hartpury started strong, pinning Nottingham back and utilising their forward dominance.
But the Gloucestershire couldn’t make it count on the scoreboard, being held up on the Archers try line three times in the first quarter of an hour.
The hosts who broke the deadlock when Smith dived under the posts after several phases on the 20-minute mark.
After this Nottingham started to put together a few phases of play and started asking serious questions of Hartpury’s defence for the first time. But the red shirts well organised defensive plan effective and the green and whites couldn’t get over the whitewash.
Just shy of the half-hour mark, Nottingham were pinged for offside and Bazalgette knocked over another three points from 35 metres out.
Just before half-time Hartpury managed to extend their lead, with No.9 Austin breaking to the corner to slide over for a solo score.
The nilling of Notts in the first-half proved decisive and Hartpury didn’t waver to cede the winning platform created.
Bazalgette began the second-half with a wonderful 50-22, that led to a strong attack from but no points as Nottingham held out the home-side’s driving maul. But the pivot did add a penalty on the 53rd minute.
Out of almost nothing on the hour-mark Nottingham fullback Ryan Olowofela got an intercept and went the entire length of the pitch to score under the posts. Inside-centre Gwyn Parks scored he conversion.
Hartpury replied shortly afterwards with a huge scrum leading to a penalty in front of the posts, with Bazalgette kicking over from the tee with ease to secure the win in front of a lively festive crowd.
Speaking after the game, Mark Cornwell spoke of the final home-game for the departing Hartpury director of rugby John Barnes, saying: “I’ve worked with him for 13 and a half of those 14 years he’s been here.
“It’s a loss for Hartpury, we were a national 2 side and now we’re a championship side. He’ll be missed but hopefully we can continue on where he left off.”
On replacement No.8 Jarrard Hayler, Mark said: “Well, Jarrad’s a dad now so he’s had two weeks without playing and after 60 minutes his lungs had gone a little bit. But he is who he is and he worked hard for the team today after he came in for Tom (Cowan) who was ill today.”
Man of the match, Hartpury openside Harry Short believed they’ve got plenty of positives to take away from the win.
He said: “I think the boys were pretty good all week. All week we've been building, and the breakdown was a particularly big one for us.
“It was pretty good throughout the game. As a team we looked pretty good. It’s a shame we couldn't quite get the bonus point today, but it was a pretty good defensive effort to keep them out with apart from one lucky try.
“We’re feeling really good going into Christmas. It’s a shame we couldn’t finish the game against Ampthill because we were going pretty well so that probably would have been a five pointer. But it is what it is, and we'll take that heading into the New Year and then Donny next week which is a tough place to go. So hopefully we can get the win and keep going.”
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Stats:
Hartpury:
Penalties conceded: 7
Line-outs won: 13
Line-outs lost: 0
Scrums won: 9
Scrums lost: 0
Sin-bins: 0
Nottingham:
Penalties conceded: 16
Line-outs won: 7
Line-outs lost: 0
Scrums won: 6
Scrums lost: 0
Sin-bins: 0
