Claverdon RFC

Claverdon RFC travelled away to Upton-upon-Severn on Saturday afternoon. Following a challenging fixture away to Barkers Butts the previous week, the Lions were looking to get back to winning ways. With the sun shining and the pitch recovering after weeks of flooding, there was promise of attractive, running rugby.

Claverdon struck first through a brilliant individual try from full-back, Luke Sibley, who darted his way through the Upton defence and stepped the last man to secure the first points of the day. Despite momentum being firmly with Claverdon, a small handful of penalty infringements brought Upton back into the game. The Upton inside centre had an excellent boot off the tee, and two penalty conversions in quick succession applied pressure to Claverdon. In the final few minutes of the first half, a scrum inside the Upton half gave license to fly-half, James Williams to show some magic. A clever chip over the sleeping defensive line allowed winger, Hilton Garner-Jones to take chase, gather and score. The halftime score read 6-15.

The second half was very much a one-sided affair, owed largely to an early yellow card for one of the Upton second-rowers for a cynical late challenge. Claverdon made sure to punish Upton while a man-down, with excellent displays of running rugby from the likes of Will Thorneywork and Jack Wyatt. However, the biggest threat to the Upton defence proved to be flanker, Stan Lawrence. Lawrence consistently broke the line with aggressive carries, eventually paying dividends midway through the second half as he scored an emphatic try. Sibley converted, extending the Lions’ lead.

Soon after, the Claverdon backline maintained a period of possession and dangerous attacks, culminating in Tom Phillips finding an overlap on the edge and getting round his opposite man to add to the Lions’ points tally for the day. Another conversion from Sibley extended the lead. Despite Upton’s efforts to bite back, Claverdon’s heroic defence kept them at bay, preventing any try conceded all afternoon.

The final score was 6-32 – a successful away day for the Claverdon team who now turn their attention to their Ladies VPs Day, as they host Birmingham & Solihull.