RUGBY Welsh fell to a friendly defeat at the weekend, being on the wrong side of a 29-26 scoreline against Southam 2nds.
The re-arranged fixture was arranged at the final minute, when Trinity Guild were unable to fulfill their originally scheduled league game, but it proved a valuable run-out for Rugby.
Southam had a good blend of youth and experience in their ranks, which was very much evident in the opening exchanges when Welsh were denied any momentum in the game.
The back’s were dangerous going forward, whilst the centre’s and the full-back’s made in-roads into Rugby territory with a number of penetrating runs.
Two unconverted tries later left Welsh with a real battle on their hands, and were still being pegged back into their own territory.
An interception from Adam Bond helped push his side upfield though, lofting a cross-field ball for Angus Wilson to retrieve en route to scoring a converted try, bringing the deficit down to 10-7 at the break.
That move lifted Welsh and they emerged in the second-half with their spirits lifted.
Jack Worrall-Soper’s run led to the ball being switched to Loz Galleno, who battled through to reach the try line – Wilson converting for a second time to put Rugby in front.
Galleno then fed Jack Taylor the ball to go underneath the posts for Welsh’s third converted try of the match.
Southam responded valiantly and turn the tie on its head when scoring three unanswered tries – two of which were converted – to put themselves back in the lead.
The visitors responded through Andy Higham with an unconverted try as Welsh attempted to drag themselves back into it.
But with players sin-binned for either side in the dying moments, momentum was lost and Southam held out for a narrow victory.
Rugby Welsh will take a number of positives from the fixture, although with no action this weekend, the side have to wait until Saturday March 23 when they head to Keresley.
