Ross on Wye 13 - Bristol Saracens 5

Ross Rugby Club 1sts rebounded from a poor performance last week to register their first league win since early November, grinding out a committed 13 - 5 victory against Bristol Saracens last Saturday.

For both teams a lot rested on this result, for Ross a chance to pull away from a potential relegation battle and for Saracens the opportunity to move into the top three and a promotion push, however it was Ross who were the more committed and physical and deservedly ran out 13 - 5 winners.

Both teams did their best to rise above the heavy conditions looking to keep the ball in hand, rather than enter into a game of aerial ping pong, but it was Ross with their physical intensity that dominated the early exchanges, their commitment in the tackle and around the rucks,definitely put Saracens on the back foot, early territory in the Saracens twenty two led to the opening score after Saracens had infringed at a ruck, scrum-half James Hughes calmly slotted the penalty and Ross were 3 - 0 ahead.

Ross maintained the intensity and did not allow Saracens back in the game,and from another period of pressure Ross added to their lead. From another dominant scrum on the twenty two, James Hughes sniped to within five yards of the try line, the forwards were quickly in support driving lock Dave Mince over under the posts, James Hughes again converted and at half time Ross were 10 - 0 ahead.

The second half followed a similar pattern, the Ross front row continued to dominate at scrum time, and jumpers Matt Jones, Ashley Nelmes and Adam Clements were a handful at the lineout,and crucially the ferocity of the Ross tackling led to a number of Saracens errors, from which Ross increased their lead from another James Hughes penalty. As the game entered the final quarter Saracens eventually scored however Ross held out with a huge defensive effort in the last five minutes to register a crucial win.

The W James Repairs man of the match was the whole Ross squad for putting in a committed performance.

Next Saturday, February 13th, Ross are away to Gloucester Spartans.