Nomads beat local Cirencester

A fine win by Stroud Nomads over local rivals Cirencester was the result of playing fine open and attacking rugby, with backs and forwards interchanging and scoring nine tries in the game.

With Cirencester having the slope advantage in the first half, Nomads came under severe pressure in the first ten minutes of the game, but good defence kept their line intact. From a breakout by stand off and captain Ian Bushell play was taken into the Cirencester 22 where from a rolling maul scrum half Joe Ashenford dived over for the first try. Cirencester came straight back and after good threequarter play their wing scored an equalising try. With Nomads Lee Marshall having to fill in at prop, from a scrum in the Stroud 22 No 8 Chris Jones picked up and showed a good turn of speed to outstrip the Cirencester defence and score the second try. Further Cirencester pressure gave them a penalty attempt which was duly converted. Nomads continued to attack and a excellent threequarter move involving centres Luke Peer and Jake Marsh gave wing Alex Powell the opportunity to crash through several would be tacklers and score the third try
With Stroud forwards holding their own in the scrums against a much heavier pack, a penalty award for a scrum infringement by Cirencester allowed full back Peter Sykes to slot the resultant penalty, and ending the first half.

With the slope now in their favour Nomads attacked at every opportunity and tries were scored at regular intervals by Luke Peer, Chris Jones and then by replacement centre Chris Toon. With Stroud winning good ball from the lineout through Ryan Kibble and wing forward James Morton, the threequarters continued to link with their forwards and nippy Joe Ashenford finished off two such moves with tries. Unfortunately Nomads prop Jess Stevens injured his knee and was taken to hospital, scrums then going to uncontested. A rare incursion into the Stroud half gave full back Peter Sykes the chance to kick and chase the ball and outstrip the Cirencester defence to score the final try, having converted five of them.

Although Nomads had made several changes from the previous week, another fine all round performance, with Lee Marshall being made man of the match for his all round display as fill in prop and pack leader.

Next match 17th October 2015 to be arranged. .