Ealing Trailfinders open their 24/25 Championship campaign with a comfortable victory over Hartpury RFC, cementing their position as the team to beat in the league.
There were tries across the board, with a double from Jordy Reid, as well as tries from; Lloyd Williams, Jordan Holgate, Josh Taylor, Reuben Bird-Tulloch, Francis Moore on debut, Craig Hampson and Tobi Wilson.
Trailfinders started the game as well as they could have hoped with two early tries. The first came from back-row Jordy Reid, who spotted the gap and went for the pick and go and offloaded to a trailing Lloyd Williams, who was able to finish it easily for Trailfinders’ first try this Championship season.
It was followed shortly after as Reid was involved once again, this time going over for the try himself in the corner in a busy opening period.
It was the perfect start for last year’s champions. An excellent kick to touch from Dan Jones put Hartpury back under pressure, and after a quick tap, Trailfinders followed it up with their third try before the twenty-minute mark as Jordan Holgate went over out wide.
Eventually, the visitors got on the board as Trailfinders were penalised off the restart, and Hartpury had field position. They capitalised from a cross-field kick fielded and finished by Jack Johnson.
They followed it up with another one with a sneaky trick play from a lineout as the scrum-half Mike Austin darted down the short side, catching Trailfinders defence unaware and went over for the visitor’s second.
However, Trailfinders were determined to stay in the lead, and their next score was a thing of beauty. Number eight Josh Taylor rumbled over the top of the Hartpury winger and ran the ball in for an outrageous solo score.
The visitors got one more try before the break. A Trailfinders lineout on the Hartpury five-metre line went array, allowing Hartpury to break up the field with a kick ahead and one final offload meant it was finished off by Robbie Smith.
Half-Time- Ealing Trailfinders 26-21 Hartpury RFC
It was a slow start to the second half, with the game for the taking. However, that was until the visitor’s openside flanker, Harry Short, was shown yellow for collapsing the maul. The floodgates opened following that, with Rueben Bird-Tulloch getting a try quickly after, hitting a hard line and cutting through the defence to dot the ball down.
Following that score, Trailfinders launched into full attacking flow. Francis Moore got a try on debut finishing off a scintillating try with some outrageous offloads.
That was followed by the Trailfinders pack backing up their backs flair with some scrum dominance, demolishing the Hartputy forwards.
Replacement Craig Hampson let loose finishing off a try after the backs broke away downfield
Fullback Tobi Wilson got in on the scoring action at the back of the maul, dropping down over the line in an unusual fashion for the back after the entire side joined.
Lastly, Reid got his second to finish the game off and put Hartpury to be after crashing over from close range, finishing off a statement win.
It was the perfect start to the season for Ealing Trailfinders, who will now look ahead to Cornish Pirates away next Friday night.
Full-Time- Ealing Trailfinders 58-21 Hartpury RFC
Ealing Trailfinders:
Tries- Williams 5, Reid 11, 78; Holgate 17, Taylor 35, Bird-Tulloch 53, Moore 60, Hampson 66, Wilson 73
Conversions- Jones 6, 12, 36, 54; Willis 80
Hartpury RFC:
Tries- Johnson 23, Austin 31, Smith 39
Conversions- Bazalgette 24, 32, 40
Yellow Cards- Short 52, Hayler 77
