The Nuns came from behind to turn around their weekend game with Burton and finish 31-27 victors on Saturday. Both sides scored five tries each but it was the kickers that made the difference with the Nuns nudging over 3 conversions from Joe Wilson and Lucas Brindley with two. The try scorers were Travis Bennett-Allcock, Oli Mitchell, Tom Aherne, Rudi Reid and Ben Kirby.

The Nuns were able to recall a number of forwards with a new front row starting of Jack Iles, Louis Addleton and Ben Dawes. Ben Haywood moved back to the second row with Rudi Reid returning in the back row. Ben Kirby swapped with Mike Volaikisuva at scrum half and in came Nemani Rayabo for his first start since rejoining the club.

The pitch was a little heavy after the recent poor weather and the wind was blowing towards the club end. The Nuns had the wind at their backs to start with and they made use of it with an early score. Moving the ball along the backline they went from one touchline to the other with Bennett-Allcock charging down the wing. His inside pass was knocked back by the cover defence but he re-gathered the loose ball and scored near the posts with Wilson adding the conversion, 7-0 after 8 minutes.

Burton came back within a few minutes though, and from a penalty kicked to the corner they set up a maul which was successful in getting their hooker over for his first try, 7-5 after 11mins.

The visitors then kept the ball for a succession of phases but, whilst edging forward slowly, the home defence stood firm. Not until another penalty was awarded and then a line out catch and drive set up for the hooker to get his second try were Burton able to score again. The try went unconverted but they now led 7-10 after 21mins.

The Nuns copped a double blow. They felt that a challenge in the air went unpunished and then two phases later, Wood received a yellow card for a high tackle on 25 minutes.

Two penalties later and the Nuns were having a nasty case of déjà vu. Lineout, catch and drive, try to Burton and a hat trick for their hooker. Again unconverted but the led was extended to 7-15 after 30mins.

Too their credit, the Nuns managed to string some possession together and turn the pressure on the visitors. And in a complete role reversal, having won a penalty the ball was sent to the corner and from their own lineout catch and drive they got over the line for Mitchell to ground the ball. The conversion fell just short but the deficit cut to 12-15 after 35mins.

However, the joy didn’t last long and with just a couple of minutes remaining Dawes was shown a yellow card for multiple team offences. The Nuns defended the driving maul that game but then after going through a number of phases 5m out, Burton made their two man advantage count and they crossed for their fourth, and bonus point, try. Again unconverted but they took a 12-20 lead in to half time.

The Nuns knew that they would have to have a positive reaction in the second half if they wanted to get anything from the game but it went the wrong way when Wilson was shown a yellow card for appealing what seemed a genuine grievance for a late challenge on Brindley. Reduced to 13 men the Nuns were then forced into more pressure from Burton and they managed to get a fifth try, and fourth for their hooker from another catch and drive. With the conversion added the lead was extended to 12-27 after 47mins.

The Nuns finally started to get some possession and with it created some pressure on the Burton defence. When they got some strong carries onto the front foot from Wood and Dawes it was then the turn of Aherne to barge through two tackles and score. Brindley’s conversion blew across the posts leaving the score 17-27 after 55mins.

With a spring in their step the Nuns started to move the ball wider and gain territory. From a set scrum the backs went wide and we tackled Reid picked a line back in play off the ruck to be fed, crossing for a fourth and bonus point try, Brindley added the extras and the Nuns now trailed 24-27 after 60mins.

In the 73rd minute the Nuns got themselves back in the lead for the first time since the 21st minute. From a centre field scrum the ball was moved wide and as the backs kept it alive down the touchline Kirby gathered the last pop to cross for the score. Brindley added a well struck conversion to move the score to 31-24.

With just a few minutes remaining the Nuns knew that they had to dig deep and hold out, and they did just this. Repelling a number of attacks including what had been a very successful driving maul for the visitors. They then won a ruck penalty centre field which allowed them to kick the ball dead for the final whistle.

A deserved win for the Nuns, against a team just above them in the league which closes the gap. The players showed great character to come back from behind, face 3 yellow cards and close out the game at the end.

The Saxons went down 48-12 at a strong Hinckley team. Next week, they have a bye week and the Nuns finish off the year away to Derby.

Post match a relieved Head Coach Huw Thomas added “I definitely think we got what we deserved from the game today. When we played the rugby we wanted to we looked powerful and dangerous in a couple of areas. We have to look at our discipline and discipline even if we feel we are on the wrong side of decisions we have to react better. The reaction from the lads at half time was what we asked for and they got the 5 points.”

1 Jack Iles 2 Louis Addleton 3 Ben Dawes 4 Ben Haywood 5 Tom Aherne 6 Oli Mitchell 7 Rudi Reid 8 Martin Wood 9 Ben Kirby 10 Lucas Brindley 11 Travis Bennett-Allcock 12 Ryan Preston 13 Harry Beverley 14 Nemani Rayabo 15 Joe Wilson; 16 Dave Darker 17 George Wallis 18 Mike Volaikisuva