POLICE RUGBY
WALES VS ENGLAND POLICE RUGBY
All eyes are now on Home Nations’ tour of South Africa in what is anticipated to be a bruising encounter with Western Cape Police and South African Police teams
their own half with good tactical kicking. Luke Crofts (Notts), Sam Bailey (Met) and Luke Gardner (TVP) dominated the opening exchanges come scrum time, allowing England the platform to open the scoring within the first 10 minutes. Camped on the Welsh try line, Dan Preston-Routledge (Yorks) scored the first of a brace of pick and go tries, powering in from the base of a ruck. The score was converted by Druce, putting England 7-0 up. The Welsh gained a bit of momentum throughout the remainder of the first half, making half breaks utilising quick ball and expansive play to their advantage,
All four Home Nations congregated on the Garda Westmanstown Rugby Club in Dublin on 24th April 2024, to decide the fate of the competition. The maths was complex for the title. England needing a bonus point win and to prevent Wales getting a bonus point. Wales just needing a bonus point to take home the trophy for the first time, but the all-important grand slam was the prize they were aiming for, a clean sweep of wins against all of the Home Nations.
Acting as the precursor to the Ireland Scotland game, this was anything but a warm-up, the healthy crowd being treated to a display of top-quality rugby. Both teams started cautiously, eager
to kick themselves into good positions and rely on their defence to take the advantage. Tom Harris (West Mids) and Sam Druce (Met) gained the upper hand early on for England in this regard, constantly keeping the Welsh pinned in
52 | POLICE | JUNE | 2024
but nothing could break down the white wall that confronted them. Eventually, England found themselves on the Welsh try line again and Preston-Routledge pulled out a carbon copy of his first try to extend the lead. Druce added the extras to see England lead 14-0 at half time and the prospect of an upset title win was on the cards. The Welsh came back hard at England in the second half, which saw the game ebb and flow between both teams up until the 60th minute. A Welsh exit fell into the hands of Tom Jennings (Cheshire) and saw him make a half break and throw a speculative pass to Diogo Pina (Northants), who beat the last defender with some excellent footwork to score in the corner. A tough conversation
was missed by Druce, but it left England one score away from the bonus point and potentially the title. The Welsh then unloaded their bench, who had a profound impact on the game, and completely dominated the final exchanges. We saw two yellow cards for England players Josh Williams (Northumbria) and Greg Smith (West Mids), leaving England stretched and desperate in defence. Two quick, converted, tries for Wales got them back into the game, and despite their best efforts to even things up in the final few minutes, the English defence held out to seal the win.
Celebrations were in order for both
teams, England with the win over a strong Welsh outfit to prevent them a grand slam, and Wales themselves having gained a losing bonus point to seal the four nations title. Luke Crofts was rewarded with the player of the tournament award for the England side. His dominance at the set piece and his work rate in the loose pivotal to the success of the English side. All eyes now point towards the tour of South Africa. Fixtures against a provincial side of the Western Cape Police and then the full international South African Police side awaits, in what will be a bruising encounter.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60
