Make sure you’re ready for Saturday’s Championship Cup Final between Ealing Trailfinders and Jersey Reds!

CHAMPIONSHIP CUP FINAL

Date: Saturday 13th May

Kick-Off: 2pm

Location: Trailfinders Sports Club

Tickets: Available from £16 – click here to purchase

Coverage: Live coverage of the game will be available via our Twitter feed

HOW THE TRAILFINDERS GOT HERE

After finishing top in the league last season, Ealing Trailfinders were the top seed in Pool 1, as they lined up against Nottingham, Hartpury and Jersey Reds.

Their cup campaign got off to the best possible start, with a huge 64-10 that included a second-half hat trick from Simon Uzokwe, and Jack Grant scoring one of the best solo tries that you’ll see all season.

After achieving maximum points, the green and whites were then able to navigate a tricky trip to the Bay against Nottingham, as they came back from being 12-0 down to win 19-26.

The final encounter of the first block of matches saw a repeat of this year’s final, as Jersey travelled to TFSC. It was a bruising match that saw the Trailfinders denied a try bonus point for the first time this season, but the hosts still emerged victorious, 22-13.

After a two month gap, round four saw the Londoners travel to the island. With the clock in the red, they scored a try to go a point behind, but agonisingly the conversion from the touchline sailed wide, however the late score secured the try bonus point which turned out to be crucial in the final Pool 1 standings.

Big wins in Round Five and Six over Nottingham and Hartpury saw the Trailfinders top the Pool by a point and qualify as second seed, ensuring a home semi-final against Doncaster Knights.

Last weekend’s knockout game was played amid torrential conditions for almost all the game. Despite this, it didn’t mean the hosts weren’t able to still cut loose, as braces from Reuben Bird-Tulloch and Jonah Holmes helped them run away with a 32-0 victory and set up this week’s final in West-London.

HOW JERSEY GOT HERE

After being drawn in the same Pool as the Trailfinders, the two sides know each other very well, as this weekend’s game will be the fifth encounter between the two this season.

Jersey’s cup campaign took a very similar course to the West-Londoners, as they kicked off with a big 12-38 win in Nottingham and then a 55-24 victory at home over Hartpury.

The round 3 game at Trailfinders Sports Club could have gone either way, but ultimately their failure to secure a losing point in the game proved costly in the final standings.

Their round 4 victory over the Trailfinders was probably their most impressive performance in the competition. They raced out to a 21-0 lead, before the visitors came back in the second-half, but they managed to hold on to get the win.

Two more convincing victories against Hartpury and Nottingham saw the Reds finish second in Pool 1, qualifying as the fourth seed due to them being the best runner-up.

This meant a trip to Cornwall for the semi-final and they got off to the best possible start, scoring after just one minute! Although Pirates did come back into the fixture, Jersey’s forwards dominance combined with a Will Brown double saw them victorious by 24-35.

FORM GUIDE:

Ealing Trailfinders:

W: Ealing Trailfinders 32-0 (Saturday 8th May)

Click here to watch match highlights.

W: Doncaster Knights 14-35 Ealing Trailfinders (Saturday 29th April)

Click here to watch match highlights.

L: Jersey Reds 19-13 Ealing Trailfinders (Saturday 22nd April)

Click here to watch match highlights.

Jersey Reds

W: Cornish Pirates 24-35 Jersey Reds (Friday 5th May)

W: Jersey Reds 43-15 Ampthill (Saturday 29th April)

W: Jersey Reds 19-13 Ealing Trailfinders (Saturday 22nd April)

It’s time for some knockout rugby, as we host Doncaster Knights in the semi-final of the Championship Cup.

CHAMPIONSHIP CUP – SEMI-FINAL

Date: Saturday 6th May

Kick-Off: 3pm

Location: Trailfinders Sports Club

Tickets: Available from £16 – click here to purchase

Coverage: Live coverage of the game will be available via our Twitter feed

ABOUT THE OPPOSITION:

After pushing us all the way in the title race last year, Doncaster haven’t seen as many results go their way this season, but are still a force to be reckoned with.

After mixed results around Christmas and the new year, the Knights rebound their form in January with important wins over Richmond and Nottingham.

They then almost became the first side to end Bedford Blues’ unbeaten home run, when they drew 42-42 in the Championship Cup at the end of February.

On the return to league action, tight losses against Coventry, Jersey Reds and Cornish Pirates could have dampened their spirits, but they regularly hit back with good results against London Scottish and then Caldy a fortnight ago.

The two sides faced each other last weekend, but with each team rotating some players, no one knows what to expect this weekend.

LAST TIME WE MET:

With the two teams facing last weekend, this round up should be more familiar than most!

After a physical first ten minutes, Luke Daniels was able to get over in the corner for the Trailfinders following great build-up play from the forwards.

A Robbie Smith double then edged the hosts in front, but as the first half clock ticked down, Simon Uzokwe made a great break through the centre of the field. The openside raced away, before drawing the last man and offloading to Bobby De Wee to allow the lock to score under the sticks to make the half-time score 14-14.

In the second 40, the visitors came out of the blocks firing. De Wee completed his brace on the 46 minute mark, before Reuben Bird-Tulloch slipped through a hole in the Doncaster defensive line ten minutes later.

With fifteen minutes left to play, Will Davis came off the bench to barge his way over to score the fifth and final try and make the final score Doncaster Knights 14-35 Ealing Trailfinders.

FORM GUIDE:

Doncaster Knights

L: Doncaster Knights 14-35 Ealing Trailfinders (Saturday 29th April)

W: Caldy 7-38 Doncaster Knights (Saturday 22nd April)

W: Doncaster Knights 13-14 Cornish Pirates (Saturday 15th April)

Ealing Trailfinders:

W: Doncaster Knights 14-35 Ealing Trailfinders (Saturday 29th April)

Click here to watch match highlights.

L: Jersey Reds 19-13 Ealing Trailfinders (Saturday 22nd April)

Click here to watch match highlights.

W: Ealing Trailfinders 73-14 Caldy (Saturday 15th April)

Click here to watch match highlights.

OFFICIALS:


Referee: Harry Walbaum

AR1: Alex Thomas

AR2: Mike Woods

With the two clubs separated by just one point, make sure you’re ready for Saturday’s mouth-watering match on the island!

 

RFU CHAMPIONSHIP – ROUND 20

Date: Saturday 22nd April

Kick-Off: 2pm

Location: Stade Santander International, Jersey

Tickets: Available from £15 – click here to purchase

Coverage: Live coverage of the game will be available via our Twitter feed. There will also be a free live stream which you can watch here.

ABOUT THE OPPOSITION:

The other outstanding team in the league, Jersey currently sit on 91 points, just one behind the Trailfinders and they would have a perfect record in this competition, had it not been for the two rounds either side of the new year.

Their only defeat came on Christmas Eve at TFSC, as they fell by 43-22 in what was the Trailfinders largest crowd of the season. Then at the start of January, they travelled to an in form Coventry side.

With five minutes to go at Butts Park Arena, the hosts were up 19-5, but two scrum tries, first with Tim Grey dotting down and then a penalty try saw the Reds claim a famous 19-19 draw.

There have been a few close escapes as well, as two missed kicks by Doncaster in October and London Scottish in January meant that two victories could have easily been a draw and a loss.

But, ever since the game away in the West Midlands, Jersey have achieved maximum points in all eight of their league games to ensure that they remained right behind the Trailfinders.

LAST TIME WE MET:

Last time we faced Jersey was when we travelled to the island at the start of February as we faced each other in a crucial Pool A fixture in the Championship Cup.

After a strong start from the Trailfinders which saw them achieve everything apart from getting points on the board, the Reds grew into the match.

At the 20 minute mark, it was still scoreless but then the hosts entered a purple patch and scored three tries in the space of 15 minutes.

With the half-time whistle approaching, Alun Walker managed to muscle over at the back of a rolling maul to make the score 21-7 at the break.

After a strong end to the first 40, the Londoners continued this in the second-half, as Craig Hampson sniped at the fringes of the ruck to dot down under the sticks.

At the hour mark, Craig Willis slotted a penalty before then Trailfinders produced a try of the season contender, as some tasty front-row interplay saw Kevin O’Byrne then throw a no-look pass to release Nathan Earle as the winger sprinted away to score in the corner.

With the visitors now 21-22 up, Jersey responded with a converted try of their own to retake the league.

Then, with the clock in the red, the ball found its way to Jordan Burns who was playing out of position on the wing. With just a half-yard of space, he put on the afterburners and managed to scorch in and score in the corner. Willis then stepped up to snatch the win, but agonisingly it sailed just wide.

FORM GUIDE:

Jersey Reds

W: Bedford Blues 19-26 Jersey Reds (Saturday 15th April)

W: Doncaster Knights 24-52 Jersey Reds (Saturday 8th April)

W: Jersey Reds 52-10 Nottingham (Saturday 1st April)

Ealing Trailfinders:

W: Ealing Trailfinders 73-14 Caldy (Saturday 15th April)

Click here to watch match highlights.

W: Bedford Blues 31-40 Ealing Trailfinders (Saturday 1st April)

Click here to watch match highlights.

W: Ealing Trailfinders 50-12 Cornish Pirates (Saturday 25th March)

Click here to watch match highlights.

MATCH OFFICIALS:

Referee: Christophe Ridley

AR1: Simon Harding

AR2: Hamish Grant