NURL 2nds – 32
Northumbria 3rds – 8
After emphatic wins over Hull and Huddersfield in previous weeks the death machine rolled into Bullocksteads full of confidence. For many of the players, it was their first experience of the tense atmosphere of a varsity game. Blustery conditions typical of Newcastle dogged the game, with unpredictable high balls leading to many a handling error.
Northumbria were the first to take advantage of this with several knock-ons piggy backing them up the field and leading to their golf management studying centre, crashing over the line.
However, it didnt take long for Newcastle to soar back into the lead with gargantuan prop Russ West steam rolling through the Poly defence to touch down between the posts. With this NURL began to dominate with huge drives from the forward pack punching holes in the Northumbria line. Soon the try line was breached again as hooker, Fraser Henderson, flopped over the line in true R.C Greaves style.
Excellent defensive work from the NURL masses kept Northumbria pinned in their own half, with second row George Matthew folding several players in half with his huge hits. The final try of the first half came from half back Barry Yendly after terrible defence from a kick, which saw the owls go in at half time with a large lead.
After a rousing speech from captain Naughty Neil and with some fresh legs on the pitch, NURL continued to pile pressure on the tiring poly defence. With an unconscious Northumbria player giving NURL time to organise five metres out, a flowing move in the backs lead to veteran Mike Ward diving over the line.
A wonder try from Eddie Duncan and another from Barry Yendly, meant there was no way back for the poly despite their late try.
With 3 wins from 3 the owls sit at the top of the tree in the league and will surely have their next opponents, Leeds University, wondering how they can derail the stampeding death machine.