A Hartpury side featuring both current Dragons RFC player Evan Minto and future Dragon Harry Beddall scored a memorable win over table-toppers Loughborough in the men’s BUCS Super Rugby Milk Championships Final.
Tries from Rhys Price, Corbin Smith, Casey Williams and George Perry helped them to a lead before Oscar Wilson’s late score sealed a memorable 21-34 win at Rodney Parade.
Reigning champions Loughborough’s tries came from hooker Seb Smith and wing Finlay Doyle. It was Loughborough however who started the brightest, gaining early field position through back-to-back penalties and despite some battling Hartpury defence they crossed from close range through hooker Seb Smith.
With their first attack of the game, Hartpury hit back with a brilliant score.
The move looked dead when the ball hit the floor only for Corbin Smith to find the outside with a hop, skip and a jump before feeding Josiah Edwards-Giraud who busted through before feeding scrumhalf Price who found Smith to score under the sticks.
Moments later Hartpury had a second sensational score with Max Knight busting down the right flank before timing his pass inside to perfection for the onrushing Smith who returned the favour for Price who scored by the posts.
With Loughborough’s power game taking on Hartpury’s offloading and backs moves the theme of the match seemed set as Loughborough 10 Morgan Meredith kicked his side to within four points with a penalty.
Hartpury’s handling once again was on point as the game approached the half-hour mark with Knight and Smith combining to put Matty Ward through a hole, however he failed to spot Price haring up on his inside and was chopped down.
However, Hartpury did increase their lead soon after with a smart front peel move from five metres out as soon-to-be Dragon, and Wales U20s captain, Harry Beddall fed hooker Casey Williams who went over to score in the corner.
The try was unconverted, and Loughborough managed to close the gap to one score with another Meredith penalty after further Hartpury indiscretions in the face of forward pressure.
Chances were coming for both sides, Connor van Lille stormed up field following a break but weas hauled down by Beddall who proceeded to produce a crucial turnover to keep the score at half-time at 13-19 in Hartpury’s favour.
The Smith-Knight link-up remained strong at the start of the second half for Hartpury with the latter breaking down the right wing before fly-half Keilen Cullen added a penalty to extend his side’s lead beyond a score.
Loughborough kept pushing for a try for the next 10 minutes but were repelled from a five-metre maul while Hartpury captain Matt Hillary and Beddall were making a mess of the breakdown area.
The reigning champions closed the areas however through another Meredith penalty before Hartpury missed another golden opportunity ignoring a four man overlap on halfway.
With the match barely into its final quarter when Hartpury’s centres combined for a stellar break with a Knight going clear again.
Referee Ben Connor deemed that Loughborough hadn’t rolled away and giving Alex O’Driscoll a yellow card.
Hartpury capitalised immediately as they kicked to the corner with substitute tighthead George Perry going over for a converted try, extending their lead to 13.
After pushing Loughborough out from five-metre driving lineout, Hartpury lost their own ball with the 14 men capitalising, spinning the ball wide for Finlay Doyle to score.
With time running out for Loughborough, Hartpury sealed the game as Cullen’s pinpoint Crossfield kick found Oscar Wilson to cue the early celebrations.
Loughborough: Elliot Gourlay; Finlay Doyle, Chris Preen, Jacob Cusick, Jack Kinder; Morgan Meredith, Sam Bryan; Oran Murphy, Seb Smith, Connor Van Lille, Owain Evans (c), Archie Hunter, Yande Nkonge, Dan Eckersley Ed Harvey.
Replacements: Joe Plunkett, Alex O’Driscoll, Max Bignell, Jake Bausor, Tayo Adegbemile, Rhys Hulse, Alex Wainwright, Sam Kildunne.
Hartpury: Corbin Smith; Matty Ward, Wilf McCarthy, Max Knight, Josiah Edwards-Giraud; Keillen Cullen, Rhys Price; Tom Hill, Casey Williams, Oli Minnis, Eddie Erskine, Liam Le Roux, Tom Worts, Harry Beddall, Matt Hillary (c).
Replacements: James Fallon, Rhys Davies, George Perry, Carn Richards-Farr, Cameron Murray, Evan Minto, Dylan Coetzee, Oscar Wilson.
