Late try secures victory in dramatic Champ semi-final

Worcester Warriors secured their place in the Elior Champ Rugby play-off final with a dramatic victory over previously unbeaten Ealing Trailfinders.

The Warriors took an early lead before the hosts fought back into the game, before a chaotic final two minutes saw the lead changed twice, much to the elation of the travelling Warriors fans.

Worcester started the game with great intent, forcing back-to-back penalties with the pressure eventually paying off when, after five minutes, Hugh Bokenham powered over from close range.

A second try came five minutes later when more forward pressure metres out from the Ealing line saw Siva Naulago hit a hard-line to crash over.

And Siva had a second as the game ticked over the twenty-minute mark when Will Reed but Louis Brown through a gap in the Ealing defence before Brown’s final pass found Naulago to race in.

The hosts slowly clawed their way back into the game and added their first try through full-back Michael Dykes after the ball was spread wide to their back-line.

Ealing continued to build pressure and momentum and had a second-try with five minutes to go till half-time when flanker Conor Oliver went over from close range, narrowing the gap to seven points at half-time.

And the scores were level just ten minutes after the break, with full-back Dykes adding a second try after an arcing run from Francis Moore.

As the game entered the final twenty minutes of the game, Ealing went ahead with replacement hooker Scott Buckley going over from the driving maul.

A moment of magic from Warriors fly-half Reed to put a grubber kick through the Ealing defence before collecting to dot down and once again bring the scores level.

And Reed’s boot put the Warriors ahead from a penalty after some brilliant defensive work from Naulago.

With just a minute to go, Ealing thought they had clinched the game and extended their unbeaten run when fly-half Dan Jones sniped over after a scrum.

But with the final play, Louis Brown reclaimed the kick-off before the ball was spread to Naulago who found Jake Garside with the winger working his magic to race down the wing before cutting inside, beating the final defender – sending the Warriors bench and the Warriors fans into jubilation.

Ealing 29

T –  Michael Dykes 25’, 50’, Conor Oliver 35’, Scott Buckley 59’, Dan Jones 79’

C – Dan Jones 25’, 50’

Warriors 34

T – Hugh Bokenham 5’, Siva Naulago 10’, 23’, Will Reed 67’, Jake Garside 80’

C – Billy Twelvetrees 5’, 23’, Will Reed 80’

P – Will Reed 75’

Ealing XV

15 Tom Collins, 14 Angus Kernohan, 13 Francis Moore (Geordie Gwynn 71’), 12 Rory Scannell, 11 Tom Collins, 10 Dan Jones, 9 Michael Stronge (Craig Hampson 45’); 1 Kyle Whyte (Lefty Zigiriadis 34’), 2 Mike Willemse (Scott Buckley 14’), 3 Adam Nicol (George Davis 34’), 4 David Douglas Bridge, 5 Sean Lonsdale (Matas Jurevicius 70’), 6 Josh Taylor (c), 7 Conor Oliver (Kyle Hatherell 50’), 8 Will Montgomery (Jordy Reid 50’)

Warriors XV

15 Louis Brown, 14 Jake Garside, 13 Siva Naulago, 12 Billy Twelvetrees (Rory Taylor 64’), 11 Josh Bassett, 10 Will Reed, 9 Lloyd Williams (Will Lane 59’); 1 Billy Keast (Livai Natave 50’), 2 Austin Wallis, 3 Fraser Balmain (Tim Hoyt 64’), 4 Hallam Chapman (Thabo Ndimande 55’), 5 James Tyas, 6 Tim Anstee, 7 Matt Kvesic ©, 8 Hugh Bokenham

Unused - 16 Finn Haynes, 19 Côme Joussain, 22 Tiff Eden