Dewsbury Rams and On This Day - 12th July
14/07/2020
The opposition last Sunday would have been a return trip by Yorkshire rivals Dewsbury Rams exactly one year since the last match!
58 meetings between Eagles and Rams with 34 wins going our way and 24 losses. The greatest number of points scored was scored on 20th August 2017. It was played at “home” at Belle Vue, Wakefield, and Eagles lost by 28-35.
There have been two matches where the total score has been less than 20. Both games Eagles have lost! 11 November 1984 at Owlerton, where the score was Sheffield 2-15 Dewsbury, and the other was on 14 September 1986 also at Owlerton when the score was Sheffield 9-10 Dewsbury.
There have been six matches where the difference in scores was only two points or less.
The following are those matches; 14 Sept 1986 (Home) Eagles 9-10 Rams; 6 March 1988 (Home) Eagles 18-16 Rams; 11 August 2006 (Home) Eagles 21-20 Rams; 20 May 2010 (Away) Eagles 22-20 Rams; 2 February 2018 (Away) Eagles 18-20 Rams; 15 July 2018 (Home) Eagles 30-28 Rams.
Sheffield have scored 1410 points ranging between 2 and 52. Dewsbury have scored 1223 points ranging between 6 and 42.
There have only been 10 matches when a drop goal has been scored, the last time was on 19 May 2015, scored by Dom Brambani. (11 games without a drop goal!)
Brendon Lindsay kicked one 21 games earlier on 11 August 2006. Gavin Brown kicked 4 in 6 games prior to this.
Mark Aston, Daryl Powell, Dave Cholmondeley and Pickerill have also scored drop goals against the Rams. Only three of these games Eagles lost.
16 yrs ago …. Dewsbury Rams 22 Sheffield Eagles 28 -Tetley Stadium - Arriva Trains Cup - Referee: Colin Morris.
Slipshod Eagles hang on for win.
It’s said that good teams win when they're playing badly – well for most of this game Sheffield Eagles tested that theory to the full.
They produced snappy, aggressive and controlled rugby for 30 minutes to lead Dewsbury 22-0.
Then they let the game slide and allowed a gritty but limited Rams side to battle back and dominate the second half.
Coach Mark Aston was relieved to have gained only the second win in the Arriva Trains Cup but was far from happy.
“A win is a win and I thought we demonstrated in the first 30 minutes what we are capable of – after that we were a shambles,” he said.
“A lot of players went back to playing as individuals and not doing the things we had talked about. When you do that you are always going to struggle and we did in the second half when we weren't at the races. It's just a good job we had done enough to hold on to the win.”
There can have been few complaints about the way the Eagles started by blunting the Rams' attempts.
Then half-backs Richard Goddard and Gavin Brown took control and set up a series of tries. Andy Poynter who sent in John Breakingbury with Goddard adding the goal.
A long pass from Brown gave Breakingbury a second try before prop Jack Howieson produced a delicate side-step to open a massive gap for Jordan James to burst through and cross the line. Goddard converted James' try and added a penalty.
Stand-off Goddard's pass allowed Simon Tillyer to claim the fourth try.
It was 22-0 but an Andrew Webber try gave the Rams hope but they lost former Eagles star David Mycoe.
Rams blasted back with three tries all from former Eagles players – Darren Robinson, Kevin Crouthers and Leon Williamson.
A try from Howieson and Goddard's fourth goal kept Eagles ahead then defended franticly rather than controlled.
Eagles: Poynter; De Chenu; Turnbull; Breakingbury(2T); Mills; Goddard(4G/6); Brown G; Howieson(T); Stanley; Bruce; Raleigh; Brown C; James J(T); Adams; Dickinson S; North; Tillyer(T).
Penalties: Sheffield 14 Dewsbury 12
ON THIS DAY - 12th July - There have only been 3 previous matches ‘on this day’.
Opposition has been London Broncos in the Challenge Cup Quarter Final in 2013. This was live on SKY at DVS. Sheffield lost 10-29.
Eagles team: 1 Quentin Laulu-Togagae, Misi Taulapapa, Tom Armstrong, Menzie Yere, Scott Turner, Pat Walker, Dominic Brambani; Eddie Battye, Andrew Henderson, Mitchell Stringer©; 21 Matt Garside, Duane Straugheir, 13 Joe Hirst.
James Davey, Alex Szostak, Peter Green, Colton Roche.
Match Report: Sheffield Eagles (4) 10 London Broncos (10) 29 - DVS - Tetley Challenge Cup Quarter Final - Referee: James Child.
London Broncos booked their place in the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup, coming out on top in a potentially tricky tie against Championship high-flyers Sheffield Eagles.
The Broncos always looked comfortable on a scorching evening at the Don Valley Stadium, but were made to work hard for the victory by a determined Sheffield side, who made too many handling errors to give themselves a realistic opportunity of progression against their Super League counterparts.
The Eagles had gone into the game on the back of a club-record 15 consecutive victories, and would have still been dreaming of a last-four spot at half-time, as they trailed by just six points despite having to withstand several waves of London attack.
However, Michael Robertson doubled the visitors' advantage six minutes after the break in controversial fashion, leaving Eagles boss Mark Aston questioning video referee Ben Thaler's judgement.
He said: "It was probably the turning point of the game. Their lad knocks it out of Tom Armstrong's hands and a player in front of him grounds the ball. Isn't that offside? Someone needs to explain that decision to me. I'll be having words.”
London started the game like the proverbial train, particularly Antonio Kaufusi, who whacked Sheffield halfback Dominic Brambani straight from the kick-off, giving his side a scrum just 20 metres out from the try line.
The Broncos had lots of pressure in the opening quarter but came up against a stern defensive rearguard from the Eagles, who themselves had some good field position on the back of a 40/20 from Brambani.
It was the Broncos who registered the first points though, when Michael Witt evaded the clutches of Pat Walker with some fancy footwork to touch down.
The Australian got up to convert his own try. It only took Sheffield four minutes to respond. Walker's long ball left was taken by Yere who offloaded superbly in the tackle for his winger Scott Turner to touch down in the corner. Brambani couldn't add the extras.
Joe Hirst coughed up possession in the resulting set from the kick-off, which gave Jamie Soward the platform to score a tremendous individual try. He took the ball at first receiver from the scrum, and jinked through Sheffield's right hand flank to race over and score in the corner. Witt dragged his conversion wide.
The Eagles almost drew level on the stroke of half-time off the back of Misi Taulapapa's break, but Colton Roche lost possession just short of the try line, although it looked like there may well have been a hand in from Tommy Lee.
It was the Championship outfit who had the first chance of the second period as well, but Jamie O'Callaghan forced Turner over the touch-line. Then came Robertson's try, after the Broncos earned good field position by pushing Duane Straugheir into touch.
Witt's last-tackle chip was taken by Tom Armstrong, before being seemingly dislodged by Dan Sarginson for Robertson to touch down. Witt added the extra two.
The video ref ruled that Sarginson had not touched the ball. Shane Rodney made the game safe after 60 minutes, dummying before breaking through the line and stepping round Quentin Laulu-Togagae to score the try. Soward this time kicked the goal for the Broncos.
Soward then put four scores between the sides with a field goal, his second attempted one-pointer of the evening after he had hit the crossbar with an effort in the first half.
Sheffield conceded a penalty on the first set after the kick-off, giving London the field position to stretch their lead further. Strong running from Kaufusi attracted the Eagles defenders, and he offloaded to Rhodri Lloyd to score in the right corner. Soward was on target once more.
It was the home side who rounded off the scoring 13 minutes from time after Kaufusi knocked on from the kick-off. Pat Walker's short ball sent Yere barging through the defence and over the try line for his 32nd score of the campaign. Walker kicked the goal.
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match: Eagles: Quentin Laulu-Togagae Broncos: Jamie Soward.
Penalty count: 6-8;
Half-time: 4-10 GLDO:
Forced: 0-1;
40/20s: 1-0.
Attendance: 2,459
Gamestar: Jamie Soward showed his class with a superb individual try just after Sheffield had got themselves back into the game as well as two goals and a coolly taken field goal to put the game beyond any doubt.
Gamebreaker: Shane Rodney's try on the hour mark, put three scores between the teams, a gap Sheffield never looked capable of bridging,
Top Tackle: With the very first tackle of the game, Antonio Kaufusi hammered Dominic Brambani to the floor, dislodging the ball. Sheffield knew they were in for a tough game.
Other matches “On This Day” have been against Bradford Bulls in 2015 at the Keepmoat Stadium which reulted in an Eagles win by 32-30. Eagles tries: QLT; Kyle Briggs; Tony Tonks; Rob Worrincy. Six goals were scored from seven attempts by Kyle Briggs.
Finally, Dewsbury Rams in 2019 at the Olympic Legacy Park, which Eagles won by 28-22. Eagles tries were scored by Ben Blackmore (2); Jacob Ogden; Joel Farrell & Sonny Esslemont with Pat Walker kicking four from five goals.
Games in July
There have been 83 games played in July since the first one on 6th July 1996 in SL1 played against London Broncos which Eagles lost 8-45.
Eagles have won 48 of these 83 games, of 28 were home matches. In the 48 matches Sheffield have averaged a score of 32 points per game. The opposition have scored on average 18.
Average score for all 83 matches: Sheffield 25-26 Opposition.
There has only been one game in July when Eagles failed to score a try.
21st July 2002 against Rochdale. Sheffield 2-64 Rochdale.
The following members of the squad had all played for the Eagles Academy and did not lack enthusiasm and commitment: Adam Carroll, Mitch Stringer, Simon Morton, Nick Turnbull, John Breakingbury, Lee Bettinson, and Jack Howieson.
