Match Guide: Championship Cup Final: Ealing Trailfinders v Jersey Reds
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)
