Sandbach RUFC Pre-Season Rugby Festival
Teams: Bowdon RUFC, Mold RFC, Sandal RUFC, Sandbach RUFC and Wirral RFC
Saturday 15th August – Kick-off 1.00pm
Bradwall Road, Sandbach

Sandbach got their pre-season campaign off to a lively start on Saturday as they hosted a five-team rugby festival at Bradwall Road.

The extreme heat this summer has left the playing surface very firm so matches followed the RFU adapted laws to ensure player safety. Sandbach faced Bowdon RUFC, Mold RFC, Sandal RUFC and Wirral RFC in matches that lasted 30 minutes, with rolling substitutes and no conversions.

No results from the matches are published and although tries are mentioned in this report, this is not a full account of all the scoring.

Match 1 – Sandbach vs Sandal

Sandbach’s opening fixture was against Regional 1 North East team Sandal. The visitors had some early carries, but Sandbach looked sharp, albeit a little rusty, when they played the ball quickly out wide before eventually knocking it on.

The first try came when Sandal overthrew a lineout in Sandbach’s half. The Bach gathered the ball and eventually earned a penalty, opting to kick to touch. From a lineout upfield, Jack Seddon caught and quickly offloaded before the ball moved out wide. There were fast hands and Elliot Morris got hold of the ball before offloading to fellow winger Matt Randle who went over for the try.

Sandal picked up a penalty in Sandbach’s half and from a lineout their maul formed before powering through from 10m out for the try. Sandal pushed for another, this time trying to attack out on the wing but were thwarted by the referee’s whistle. From a Sandbach scrum on halfway, an impressive kick chase from Randle secured his second try on the wing.

Sandbach had found their stride and Morris was running forward after spotting some space. As he was tackled, the ball went out wide and a long pass over the top earned them another try on the wing and that signalled the end of the game.

Match 2 – Sandbach vs Mold

Up next were Welsh side Mold, who ply their trade in the WRU Men’s National League Division 1 North.

It was a fast-paced start for both teams with plenty of running rugby. Morris opened the scoring in this match when he sidestepped the defender to push over the line. From the restart, Mold responded with an attack on the wing. Sandbach defended well and a tackle from fly-half Henry Mitchell was almost enough to stop them, however, Mold had players in support and they went over for the try.

Sandbach scored again after picking up a penalty for a high tackle. An excellent kick bounced into touch, gifting the home side a lineout in Mold’s twenty-two. The maul crawled towards the line and another penalty was awarded. A quick tap and the ball was sent wide, leading to some nice build-up play. A tackle below the sticks almost denied the Bach a try, but a dive over the line secured a fine score.

From the restart, Sandbach attacked instantly and Morris made a trademark weaving run, but the ball was knocked on. Ali Burton made an energetic play as he looked to capitalise on some open space, but Mold made the tackle and the second match drew to a close.

Match 3 – Sandbach vs Bowdon

The penultimate game was against Regional 1 North West team Bowdon. An early attack on the wing by the visitors resulted in the opening try and they continued to be relentless in attack.

Bowdon scored again, but Sandbach responded after a lovely kick through from Benny Elliot, back representing the Bach for this festival. Randle took possession out on the wing before the ball went back infield and out onto the other wing. Burton made another positive run before a long pass out wide resulted in a neat try.

After several more tries, Bowdon left Sandbach in their wake when they broke on the wing and ran half the field to score again, even after pausing briefly to check the referee hadn’t called them back. Sandbach would score again before the final whistle.

Sandbach's Jack Bowbeer, a Colts graduate and Sale Sharks Academy player, put in an eye-catching stint at scrum-half.

Match 4 – Sandbach vs Wirral

After a break, Sandbach’s final game was against Regional 1 North West outfit Wirral. The home side made some positive early phase play but the ball went into touch before they could take anything from it.

Sandbach found themselves with a 5m lineout after a penalty. The maul formed rapidly and there was no stopping them from that range as they went over for the try.

From the restart, Mitchell made an excellent kick for territory and Wirral had a lineout in their own half. The ball was played out wide, but Morris intercepted and strolled through for another try. Morris scored again after Elliot made a chip over the top before regathering and offloading to the winger, who eased through once more.

Wirral found themselves stuck in their own twenty-two. They went wide from a 5m lineout, but the ball was stolen and a pass over the top earned a final try on the wing for Sandbach.

The conclusion of the festival brought an afternoon of fast, free-flowing and entertaining rugby to a close. All the players got a run-out and an opportunity to put into practice what they have been busy working on in training.

The RFU have announced a two-week delay to the start of the community rugby season. Senior training will continue in line with the official guidance but Saturday’s fixture away to Bridgnorth has now moved to 19th September. The Sandbach Social XV fixture against rugby mental health charity LooseHeadz RFC will go ahead on Saturday 29th August under the same adapted laws used during the festival.

On Saturday, Sandbach gave supporters a taste of what they’ve missed and glimpses of what’s to come. The wait to see them in league action will go on for a little longer, but after Saturday’s performances, it will be well worth it.

NEXT MATCH:
Sandbach Social XV vs LooseHeadz RFC
Saturday 29th August - Kick-off 3.00pm
Bradwall Road, Sandbach