Round 6: Sedgley Park V Taunton Titans

Round 6 Preview: Sedgley Park vs Taunton Titans

It looked like a tough gig for Titans, hosting league leaders Rams at Veritas Park at the end of September, and so it proved. The pride of Somerset ran their Berkshire-based opponents very close though and took both a four try and a losing bonus point from the encounter with Noah Fenton registering a hat-trick for Titans. Another second half fightback again came up just short, however, with Rams continuing their perfect start to the season in a 35-41 victory.

Sale FC, hampered by Sale Sharks raiding their playing numbers for Premiership Cup duty, enjoyed their maiden win of the campaign, squeaking home at Heywood Road 19-14 against Blackheath in the lowest scoring result of the day in National League One. The Mancunians were replaced at the bottom of the table by Leicester Lions who lost at home 22-35 to Richmond. Bishop’s Stortford prevailed 29-22 against Moseley and Chinnor eased to a big home win, 48-17 against Cinderford. Plymouth Albion made the longest journey of all, to Darlington Mowden Park and it proved fruitful for the Devonians who were able to celebrate a 17-27 victory on the long ride home. This week’s opponents, Sedgley Park, shipped the largest number of points of the weekend at Rosslyn Park where the Londoners came out on top by 67-15.

This Saturday Taunton Titans head up the M5 and M6 to Whitefield in the northern reaches of Manchester. Freshly promoted to National League One this season from the North section of National Two, the Tigers came out of the blocks fast with an opening day win but have since had mixed fortunes with two wins and two defeats. The club was formed in 1932 in the heart of rugby league territory but has forged ahead as a union club and spent five seasons in the second tier of English rugby between 2004 and 2009.

Amongst the alumni of Sedgley Park Tigers are a clutch of rugby internationals. Erik Lund played for Norway, Phil Elloway for Germany and Cristian Raducanu for Romania. In the current squad is halfback Jacob Tansey who featured in the Bath Premiership Cup side whilst studying at the University of Bath. Sedgley Park is coached by Scott Barrow, the former St Helens rugby league scrum-half and Glasgow Warriors centre.

Taunton Warriors, fresh from beating both Weston-super-Mare and Hornets handsomely in the last fortnight, have a weekend off.

Entrance to Sedgley Park’s Park Lane ground in the Greater Manchester Metropolitan Borough of Bury is£15.00 per non-member adult for ground entry on the gate whilst Under 16s enjoy free entry and concessions get a discounted entry price of £12. Match-day hospitality is available before the game beginning at 1pm – a two-course meal and entrance ticket costs just £25 as a non-member and must be pre-booked via the Sedgley Park club website). https://www.sedgley-tigers.com/product/book-a-seat/. There will be four bars operating and there will be food available pitch side. There is parking for about 120 cars on a first come, first served basis. The postcode is M45 7DZ. Anyone taking the adventurous option of traveling by train will need to take the Metro link(surface tram) from Manchester Piccadilly towards Bury – alight at the delightfully named Besses o’ th’ Barn station from where it is about a mile on foot to Park Lane. Kick-off is at the slightly earlier time of 2.30pm.

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