Rugby Union
Spa are off the mark

Leamington 43 Upton-on-Severn 12

LEAMINGTON hauled themselves off the bottom of the Midlands Two West (South) table with a comprehensive demolition of Upton at Moorefields on Saturday.

Languishing at the foot of the table after three heavy defeats, albeit against sides occupying the top three slots, Spa showed no signs of a lack of confidence, as they hit the visitors with seven tries, from all departments.

The manner in which the half back combination of Sam Nunn and Alex Carroll linked to get good ball to the backline line, meant Upton’s defence experienced a torrid afternoon.

Spa’s stranglehold began from the outset when a run from John Holland led to a penalty. The ball was quickly fed to wing Simon Magill who cut through the Upton defence and it took several defenders to stop his charge.

This set the tone and Magill’s direct running, at pace, was just one feature of Spa’s display that Upton never got to grips with.

First to every breakdown, the intensity of Spa’s play earned its first reward on 12 minutes.

The pack, having won good ball, allowed Carroll to race up field and slip an inside pass to young debutant full back Anthony Comyn who elegantly cut inside and dashed over for a try which Nunn converted.

The lead was deservedly increased when Carroll set up centre Tom Daplyn who crashed through a tackle and raced over between the posts. Nunn again converted.

The fleet-footed Magill was involved in the next try by bursting through the middle before Carroll and skipper John Raby exchanged passes, with the latter racing through to score. Nunn duly added the extras.

Spa’s backs were in fine form, showing plenty of invention and skill thanks to the efforts of Tom Greevy, Craig Smith and Danny Ruyssevelt in securing good ball from the lineout, while Nick Maxwell co-ordinated the scrummage effectively.

It was fitting that Spa’s next score should come from this unit. Magill punched another hole in the Upton defence with a run up the nearside wing. The pack were in full support and bulldozed there way over the line with Ruyssevelt touching down.

Upton responded with a try from their first venture into Spa territory and they quickly added a converted try but normal service was soon restored as Raby bagged his second score just before the break.

Magill hit the visitors with a couple of rampaging runs early in the second half.

Nunn and Carroll continued to use the ball wisely and fed the strong running Holland and Daplyn at every opportunity.

New boy Comyn was also joining the line, adding pace and direction and it was his intervention that created the space for Greevy to muscle through the Upton defence and claim Spa’s sixth try which Nunn converted.

It was largely one-way traffic and Mike Kelly sealed another polished individual performance with the final try following a surge from the pack.

Leamington, who are sponsored by Infor, entertain Dunstablians in round two of the RFU Intermediate Cup at Moorefields this Saturday.

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