Match Guide: Hartpury (A) Cup
Make sure you’re ready for our crucial trip to Hartpury on Friday night as we look to secure top spot in the final round of the group stages.
RFU CHAMPIONSHIP CUP – ROUND 6
Date: Friday 17th February
Kick-Off: 7.45pm
Location: The Alpas Arena, Hartpury
Tickets: Available from £5 – click here to purchase
Coverage: Live coverage of the game will be available via our Twitter feed
ABOUT THE OPPOSITION:
Hartpury are always a tough team to face, and they are a side that we know well this season, having already faced them three times this year – twice in the league and once in the cup!
The university are known for their incredible production line of talent that goes on to play at the highest level. Among their alumni are British & Irish Lions Louis Rees-Zammit, Jonny Hill and Ross Moriarty; England Internationals Jonny May, Ellis Genge and Dan Robson; and Italian International Sebastian Negri.
LAST TIME WE MET:
It was only a matter of weeks ago that we last travelled to the ALPAS Arena, in a game that almost didn’t happen due to the wintery conditions. With the stadium pitch frozen over, the game was moved to the next-door 4G training pitch to ensure the match could still be played.
Amid dense fog, Trailfinders got the game underway, however it was Hartpury who got the first score after a quarter of an hour. Trailfinders remained calm however and went back to a real strength, the rolling maul. Two Simon Uzokwe scores and a penalty try, all from the maul, was only cancelled out by a solitary Hartpury penalty, meaning the score at half-time was Hartpury 10-21 Ealing Trailfinders.
In the second-half, and as the fog became denser, the opportunities for attacking rugby became even less. The hosts slotted an early penalty, before Carlo Tizzano secured the bonus point score as we ran out 13-26 victors.
FORM GUIDE:
Ealing Trailfinders:
W: Ealing Trailfinders 71-14 (Saturday 17th February)
Click here to watch match highlights.
L: Jersey 28-27 Ealing Trailfinders (Saturday 4th February)
Click here to watch match highlights.
L: Ealing Trailfinders 19-22 Coventry (Saturday 28th January)
Click here to watch match highlights.
Hartpury:
L: Hartpury 7-47 Jersey Reds (Friday 10th February)
L: Nottingham 24-12 Hartpury (Friday 3rd February)
W: Hartpury 26-14 Richmond (Saturday 28th January)
MATCH OFFICIALS:
Referee: Mike Hudson
AR1: Ryan Collier
AR2: Kevin Williams
POOL STANDINGS (AHEAD OF ROUND 6)
The team who tops each pool will qualify for the semi-finals, as well as the best runner-up across the three pools
Pool 1
1. Ealing Trailfinders – 21pts – PD: +126
2. Jersey Reds – 20pts – PD: +89
3. Nottingham – 6pts – PD: -92
4. Hartpury – 6pts – PD: -123
Pool 2
1. Doncaster Knights – 20pts – PD: +60
2. Coventry – 16pts – PD: +55
3. Bedford Blues – 10pts – PD: 0
4. London Scottish – 5pts – PD: -115
Pool 3
1. (q) Cornish Pirates – 25pts – PD: +143
2. Ampthill – 16pts – PD: +23
3. Richmond – 6pts – PD: -74
4. Caldy – 6pts – PD: -92
