Stour face Tyne trek (From Stourbridge News)

Stour face Tyne trek

3:30pm Thursday 4th February 2010

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STOURBRIDGE RFC’s plans to spend a relaxing Saturday watching the Six Nations have fallen by the wayside courtesy of the recent cold snap.

Neil Mitchell’s charges now make the long trip north to Tynedale to play a fixture originally planned for the weekend before Christmas.

The trip is doubly daunting, since the intervening period has been a good one for the Northumberland-based club, who have claimed two useful scalps.

While Launceston’s mammoth journey to Tynedale Park, and recent financial cuts, made their defeat foreseeable, Tynedale’s win at fully-professional Cambridge was not predicted by many.

The Dale also boast a trio of players - Joe Graham, John Williams and Jack Harrison – in the recently finalised England Counties squad.

Director of Rugby Mitchell is expecting a tough challenge.

He said: “We are down to the bare bones through injury and non-availability, especially in the front row where club stalwart Simon Bayley is likely to appear for the first time in a few years.

“They are very confident after the last two games, so it is a big ask for us.

“However, our backs were superb at times last week, so if we can win them enough ball, you never know what might happen.”

Stour returned to winning ways last weekend, with a 27-12 victory over struggling Nuneaton.

Although aspects of the performance – notably the lineout – dipped below the high standards Stour usually set, Mitchell’s men still had far too much in the locker for relegation-bound Nuns.

There was a try scoring debut for speedy Worcester Warriors wing Charlie Fellows, currently on loan at Stourton, while returning full back Matt Williams and fly half Sam Robinson also crossed.

Despite their fine individual displays, Canadian no. 8 Seb Pearson was named Man of the Match, after a dominant performance. Pearson, who was thunderous with the ball in hand, solid in defence, reliable in the lineout, and handled with the dexterity of a centre, fully deserved the fourth and bonus point clinching try.

Mitchell said: “The win was vital for us, we have had some personnel changes but things are now starting to settle down.

“We have the firepower behind the scrum, we just need to win the possession to feed the backs. We must concentrate at the set-piece, because we can produce entertaining rugby given enough good quality possession.”

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