The Hurricanes put 11 tries past the Trojans at the Fairway last Saturday (26th October).
It didn’t take long for the hosts to get the opening score of the game and begin to rectify some of the wrongs from their previous 2 defeats. Quick possession was provided off the top of the first lineout of the game, and – as the ball moved it’s way into midfield – centre Luke Wedderkop sped through a gap in the defence and sprinted home. Burr converted for an early 7 – 0 lead.
The Hurricanes 2nd score of the afternoon was too much time after their first. Strong carries from Shannon, Carew and Wightfibre Man of the Match, Ben Kulik, got the hosts into the Trojans 22. The Sandown forwards were causing the away sides issues, and with their defence focussed on the big carries, they neglected to identify the deft snipe by scrum half Tom Marriott to pick from the base of the ruck and dive over. Burr’s resulting conversion missed (12 – 0).
The treble was completed within 15 minutes, the home side again working their way into the away side half, and noticing a gap in the backfield, Ant Burr put in a perfectly judged grubber kick for speedster Ash Smith to collect and dash home to score (19 – 0).
It wasn’t all the Hurricanes way in the opening quarter, as the away side capitalised on poor discipline from the home side and made their way into the Sandown 22. After a few more penalties, eventually Trojans manufactured an overlap for their prop to score in the corner (19 – 5).
Sandown continued to pressurise and threaten and by the half hour mark, and the try bonus point secured, with their 4th try of the afternoon. More forward pressure saw the Hurricanes test the resolve of the Trojans defence, and eventually the pressure told as Michael Barrett powered over to dot down, Burr converting to put Sandown 26 – 5 ahead.
The final score of the 1st half went the way of the visitors. They had managed to pull a number of phases together and with some more poor discipline from the Hurricanes, Trojans scored their 2nd try of the afternoon, again out wide, and the conversion missing as a result.
Half time: Sandown & Shanklin 26 – 10 Trojans
The 2nd half resumed and with Director of Rugby Keith Wallace making some changes; the Hurricanes momentum didn’t seem to falter. As the Sandown forward tied in the Trojans defence it left space outside. Burr fed his outside backs who found the returning Max Fletcher, who in spaces stepped and printed home from 50 metres out. Burr converted Fletcher’s try to extend the Sandown margin (33 – 10).
Moments later, the Hurricanes were threatening again, and after a superb line break from Wedderkop, he offloaded to the charging Kulik, who then offloaded to replacement Jacob Jordan, who then found Marriott, who stepped and sprinted home for his 2nd score of the afternoon. Burr again converting (33 – 10).
The visitors managed to score their 3rd try of the afternoon (33 – 15), but this did not falter the Hurricanes momentum, who went on to score a quickfire double in the space of 3 minutes from the restart. The high kick off was slapped back by Chiverton, to young second row Damian Seder. Seder then offloaded to Chiverton, who held up more defenders before finishing his one-two with Seder and offloading back to the lock, who sprinted away from the straggling defence to score under the posts (47 – 15).
From the resulting Trojans restart, the ball was reclaimed and fed to Barrett, who made a half break and managed to offload to the energetic Jordan, who sprinted into the Trojans half; he then offloaded to Smith, who used his speed to fully accelerate away from the defence for his 2nd try of the game (54 – 15).
A 3rd try in a spell of around 5 minutes was scored by flanker Michael Barrett for his 2nd of the afternoon. The Sandown forwards went through their phases around the halfway line, and prop Ben Shannon fed Barrett on a short line, which cut the Trojans defence in half. Barrett then put on the afterburners to outstrip the defence to score (61 – 15).
As the game ticked into the final 10 minutes, the discipline of the Hurricanes began to falter. Rob Eston was shown a yellow card and sent to the sin-bin, perhaps guilty by association, as it may have been another Hurricanes player who had infringed.
This period of pressure saw the Trojans forward power over in the corner, to garner them a try bonus point for their 4th try of the afternoon (61 – 20).
From the Hurricanes restart, the ball bounced right off the Trojans players’ chest and forwards, to a grateful chasing Sam Tyson, who collected the ball and jogged under the visitors posts to score, a try which seemed to sum up the visitors afternoon (68 – 20).
The following Trojans restart was collected by Ben Shannon, who fed Barrett, and as the Hurricanes looked to play out of their half, a looping miss pass from Barrett was picked off by the Trojans centre, who gratefully collected the looping pass to secure the Trojans a 5th try (68 – 27).
The final score of the afternoon fell the way of the hosts. Centre Luke Wedderkop charged through the defence, and a clever over the shoulder offload found winger Chris Omerod. The winger then offloaded to Fletcher, who had an easy walk into the corner for his 2nd try of the afternoon.
Full time: Sandown & Shanklin 73 – 27 Trojans
Sandown & Shanklin: Shannon, Kulik, Carew, Hunter, Seder, Barrett, Thomas, Chiverton (c), Marriott, Burr, Omerod, Eston, Wedderkop, Smith, Tyson Replacements: Skelley, Jordan, Fletcher
