A performance dripping with spirit and desire earned Warriors Under-18s an impressive 36-19 victory at Northampton Saints in the Premiership Rugby U18s League.
Warriors ran in six tries, with Fin Smith, Tobi Wilson, Ollie Wynn, Alex Evans, Harry Spencer and Flynn Vries all crossing the line as Mike Hall’s men made it back-to-back wins following the impressive display at home to Wasps last month.
Despite the emphatic result, it was Saints who registered the first try of the contest by virtue of back-row Geordie Irvine. The stocky number-eight finished off a swift attacking move to give his side the early advantage at 5-0.
Warriors restored parity on 22 minutes, fly-half Smith slicing through Saints’ defensive line with incredible footwork, before sprinting 30 metres to touchdown. Smith was unable to convert his own score, but Warriors had the momentum which yielded a further score just after the half hour mark.
This time Smith turned provider, combining with wing Wilson, whose electric pace left Saints for dead as he scythed in for Warriors’ second try. Smith added the extras and Warriors led 12-5.
Looking like they would hold on to the lead going into the break, Warriors were unable to prevent Saints back-row Irvine from doubling his tally for the afternoon. Saints’ wish to play an expansive game bore fruit, with Arden converting to make it 12-12 at the interval.
Rain lashing down in the opening stages of the second period, Warriors were not deterred, and further scores from Wynn and Evans put the Sixways outfit in the ascendancy. Sandwiched in between those tries was an outstanding score from Saints’ wing Dani Long-Martinez, who crossed for a try that the Barbarians would have been proud of.
Bonus point intact, outside centre Spencer added further gloss to the score line with the hour mark looming as he showed no mercy to charge through the heart of Saints’ backline to touchdown under the posts. Smith’s conversion underlined Warriors’ supremacy at 29-19 up.
Replacement scrum-half Vries put the icing on the cake for Warriors in the final knockings of the contest when he broke the line to race in under the posts from halfway. Smith’s conversion gave Warriors a well-earned 36-19 victory to put themselves in contention for finals day come the end of the campaign.
Warriors U18s | 15 Fin Morgan, 14 Alex Evans, 13 Harry Spencer, 12 Seb Atkinson (c), 11 Tobi Wilson, 10 Fin Smith, 9 Tom Miles, 1 Ben Murphy, 2 Joe Richardson, 3 Ben Rowley, 4 Imosei Ogwemoh, 5 Adam Lane, 6 Ewan Guy, 7 Fin Thomas, 8 Jack Forsythe
Replacements | 16 Jon Lilley, 17 Mitch Reeves, 18 Charlie Hagen, 19 Jack Lewis, 20 Ollie Wynn, 21 Flynn Vries, 22 Isaac Wilding
Timeline
10m | Irvine try 5-0
22m | Smith try 5-5
32m | Wilson try 5-10
33m | Smith con 5-12
35m | Irvine try 10-12
35m | Arden con 12-12
40m | Wynn try 12-17
45m | Long-Martinez try 17-17
46m | Arden con 19-17
49m | Evans try 22-22
52m | Spencer try 19-27
53m | Smith con 19-29
67 m | Vries try 19-34
68m | Smith con 19-36