Cov Finish Pre-Season in Seven-Try Heaven!

Coventry Rugby 45-17 Chinnor

A powerful first-half display which produced five tries for their forwards paved the way for Coventry’s 45-17 win over newly-promoted Chinnor.

Alex Rae’s team badly disrupted the visitors’ lineout and with their own set-pieces operating smoothly Cov dominated the majority of the opening 40 minutes.

A raft of changes from both clubs saw a more evenly-balanced second period in which Chinnor scored three tries before the hosts responded with two late long-distance scores.

But it was Cov who finished comfortably on top against opponents who return to the BPA next month in the Championship’s fourth round of action.

After a cagey opening 15 minutes played largely between the two 22-metre lines Coventry broke the deadlock by driving lock Rhys Anstey over from an attacking lineout for a try that Theo Mannion converted.

And the hosts soon doubled their advantage when Tom Ball popped up in support of a powerful Vili Nairau carry to dive over for their second try.

After Mannion again converted, Chinnor’s first opportunity came to nothing when they kicked a penalty dead from just outside the home 22.

Home full back Steff Davies was then narrowly unable to hold on to a Jimmy Martin offload with the line beckoning, but the hosts did soon have a third try.

It was finished by the impressive Nairau who snapped up a loose ball at the tail of Chinnor’s defensive lineout and powered over for a score that Mannion improved.

A brilliant long Oli Morris pass then released Martin down the left only for the visitors’ cover defence to intervene.

But the Blue-and-Whites did soon have a fourth try created by Josh Barton’s quick tap and finished by the supporting Matt Kvesic.

And they went into the break with a 31-point advantage after hooker Suva Ma’asi made it five for the forwards by applying the finishing touch to a lineout drive.

By the 58^th minute only Mannion remained of Cov’s starting line-up as Alex Rae rang the changes and with the visitors also making a number of changes the match took on a new context.

Former Moseley hooker Will Cave was among the new arrivals and he opened Chinnor’s account by applying the finishing touch to a well-worked lineout drive.

And the visitors almost immediately added a second score following a neat midfield switch and powerful burst from centre Epi Rokodrava.

After Nick Smith added the conversion a good kick chase won Cov a five-metre attacking scrum from which an opportunity was lost when the ball went forward at the base.

Fin Ogden then picked off an interception inside his own 22 and raced 70 metres only to be caught by a superb piece of defensive corner-flagging.

And replacement full back Charlie Robson was then denied by a touch flag as he pursued Tom Hitchcock’s delicate chip ahead.

Chinnor closed the gap to 14 points with five minutes remaining when Cov turned possession over running from their own 22 and replacement second row Cam Rafferty gathered the loose ball and charged to the corner.

But it was Cov that had the last word through the score of the night which was finished by the pacy David Opoku who was released by Robson after a neat Aaron Hinckley offload.

Cov’s second-half no.15 also added the extras with a well-struck left-footed kick and he almost immediately split the uprights for a second time after Will Lane rounded off Cov’s pre-season by getting on Chester Owen’s shoulder to go under the posts for the home side’s seventh try.

Coventry: Davies; Henry, Morris, Tiueti, Martin; Mannion, Barton; Trinder©, Ma’asi, Nairau; Nkwocha, Anstey; Ball, Kvesic, Nayalo

Replacements: Johnson, Salt, Warren, Tyas, Green, Okeke, Hinckley, Owen, Spandler, Summerfield, Lane, Hitchcock, Robson, Hutler, Opoku, Ogden, Whorrod

Chinnor: Feeney; Hughes, Passman, Bourton, Goss; Slevin, Pascoe; Clarke, Walker, Hardwick; Hall, Ryan; Dugmore, Stokes, Wharton

Replacements: Lines, Cave, Pearson, North, Rafferty, Brockschmidt, Clementson, Carter, Hodson, Rokodrava, Watson, Smith, Sleightholme, Cook, Crowley

Referee: Christophe Ridley

Half-Time: Coventry Rugby 31-0 Chinnor

Attendance: 1297

Scorers:

Coventry: 

Tries: Anstey (17), Ball (21), Nairau (28), Kvesic (34), Ma’asi (37), Opoku (76), Lane (80)

Conversions: Mannion (17) (21) (28), Robson (76) (80)

Chinnor:

Tries: Cave (51), Rokodrava (53), Rokodrava (52)

Conversions: Smith (53)