Leicester Lions 53: Tries: Hamilton (8), Constant (12, 42), Gradwick-Light (23), Veebel (30, 39, 65), Ajeigbe (48), Bean (60); Conversions: Young (24, 31, 49, 61);
Stourbridge 29: Tries: Beck (6, 18), McLeod (45), Gilderson (73), Rodley (79); Conversions: Aley (19, 80);

Leicester Lions show their class but Stourbridge make them compete for the victory

It was a cloudy but dry afternoon for the visit of Stourbridge to Leicester Lions. With Lions having won the league last week and Stourbridge holding up the table, the expected outcome might be easily guessed, but it did not work out that simply.

Stourbridge opened the scoring with a deft flick pass to Ashley Beck who went over for a try. Lions quickly retaliated with tries by Jamel Hamilton and Devon Constant.

Beck soon added his second try of the afternoon for Stourbridge, converted by Rickie Aley, giving them a 12-10 lead. For both sides open backs play had been the order of the day in the opening part of the game.

Lions driving play was starting to give them the upper hand, from short distance, with hooker Aston Gradwick-Light driving over for a forward’s try, with Ben Young adding the extras.

Lions quickly rattled in two tries by their centre Luke Veebel carving through the Stourbridge defence on both occasions, with Young slotting one conversion between the sticks, giving a 29-12 lead at the interval.

Half-Time: Leicester Lions 29 Stourbridge 12

At the start of the second half the rapid try scoring continued with the sides swapping tries scored by Devon Constant for Lions and Clarkson McLeod for Stourbridge.

Lions again stepped up the pace with three quickly taken tries by winger Oluwaseyi Ajeigbe, outpacing the Stourbridge defence, winger Zack Bean and Veebel adding his hat trick try, with Young adding two conversions, taking Lions into a 53-17 lead.

Stourbridge showed some true spirit coming back at Lions in the last ten minutes with tries by Will Gilderson and James Rodley, with an Aley conversion taking the final score to 53-29.

Full Time: Leicester Lions 53 Stourbridge 29

Lions 9 tries, Stourbridge 5 tries. A try fest of an afternoon. A well contested game with Lions coming out on top but Stourbridge not giving up and pushing them all the way.

Lions’ head coach, Gareth Collins, comments:- “It was always going to be difficult to get our motivation back up after last week and credit has to go to Stourbridge for how they played as well. They put us under some pressure at set piece and the breakdown but our defence and discipline, two things that we pride ourselves on, weren’t where they normally are today. We played some brilliant attacking rugby at times though and scored some great tries. A number of lads who haven’t been given opportunities this season also got a run out and I was pleased with how they all went, showing once again the depth of our squad and the importance of our development group.”

It was good to see how players who have not been regular members of the team showed their ability during the game – centre Luke Veebel, scrum half Oscar McCarthy and winger Oluwaseyi Ajeigbe.

Teams: 15-9, 1-8, Replacements:-

Leicester Lions: Bouchier, Ajeigbe, Hamilton, Veebel, Constant, Young, McCarthy, Williams, Gradwick-Light, Thompson, Tapscott, Ward, Johnson, Murdoch, Godefroy
Replacements: Rudkin, Roberts, Cairns, Bean, Stubbs

Stourbridge: Ororo, Clare, Gilderson, Beck, Hurrell A, Aley, Heaney, Thorp, McLeod, George, Perks, Meakin, Blackmore, Link, Rodley
Replacements: Sturdy, Morrison, Hurrell R

Other local National League 2 West results were:- Loughborough Students 38 Barnstaple 17 and Hinckley 17 Dings Crusaders 20. Dings Crusaders are the only club to have defeated Lions so far this season.

There are no National League 2 West games on Saturday 8th April 2023, over the Easter weekend. The next fixtures will be on Saturday 15th April 2023:- Leicester Lions v Exeter University, 2.00 pm kick off; Old Redcliffians v Hinckley, 3.00 pm kick off and Redruth v Loughborough Students, 2.00 pm kick off.

Dings Crusaders and Old Redcliffians are both Bristol based teams.

The league positions are:-
Leicester Lions: played 24, points 113, position 1st
Hinckley: played 24, points 78, position 5th
Loughborough Students: played 24, points 73, position 6th

For further National League 2 West league information consult www.ncarugby.com

Mike Howkins, Press Officer and Fourth Official Leicester Lions RFC