Match Preview - Dewsbury Rams (A)

03/07/2021

Sheffield Eagles will be aiming to get back to winning ways on Sunday when Mark Aston’s side travel to West Yorkshire to take on Dewsbury Rams.

The Eagles were beaten last Sunday by league-leaders Toulouse Olympique, who ran out 6-54 winners at the Mobile Rocket Stadium.

Sunday’s hosts Dewsbury will be looking to build on their fourth victory of the season, having conquered Oldham 4-18 at Bower Fold last time out.

The Rams’ win over the Roughyeds comes off the back of a difficult spell where Lee Greenwood’s side faced Toulouse and Featherstone Rovers in consecutive weeks.

LAST TIME OUT

Sheffield struggled to cope with an in-form Toulouse side at the Mobile Rocket Stadium.

The visitors notched ten tries to Sheffield's one and it was Junior Vaivai who opened the scoring by pouncing on an Eagles error.

That effort was backed up with tries courtesy of Mark Kheirallah, Illias Bergal, Mathieu Jussaume and Eloi Pelissier before the half-time hooter sounded.

Jussaume completed his brace five minutes after the break, before a 15-minute period where Olympique were kept scoreless.

Sheffield’s resolve was broken by Harrison Hansen who crashed over before tries from Guy Armitage, Anthony Marion and Bergal.

The Eagles had the final say when Oliver Davies finished off a slick move, started by stand-in full-back Ryan Millar. Harry Tyson-Wilson converted Sheffield’s only goal of the day as Toulouse continued their season-long unbeaten run.

Sunday’s hosts, Dewsbury, bounced back from two consecutive heavy defeats by toppling Oldham 4-18 at Bower Fold.

Dewsbury hit the front after ten minutes in Stalybridge. Davey Dixon dived over on the left edge following a cut-out pass from Paul Sykes, who converted both of the Rams’ first-half tries.

A few minutes later, Oldham coughed up the ball and Dewsbury winger Andy Gabriel took advantage by showing great speed to finish.

After the break, the Roughyeds hit back through Tyler Dupree’s unconverted try. 

The Rams extended their advantage off the back of another Oldham mistake, this time Will Oakes profited from a Roughyeds fumble.

Sykes converted Oakes’ score for the last points of the day, 20 minutes from time.

KEY BATTLE

Mark Aston has given valuable game time to winger Travis Corion in recent weeks, with the former Huddersfield youngster impressing the coaching staff and fans alike. 

Corion was named in the Eagles’ loss against Featherstone Rovers before he marked his second appearance with a last-minute try away at Widnes.

Corion kept his place on the left wing in last week’s defeat to Toulouse, with Ryan Millar positioned at full-back in place of the injured Josh Guzdek. 

After a couple of try-savers and a strong running game, the winger was named the Sheffield Eagles Supporters Association Man of the Match. 

Dewsbury Rams winger Andy Gabriel will provide another tough test for the Eagles defence on Sunday.

Gabriel arrived at the Tetley’s Stadium two years ago after an impressive 2018 season for Keighley Cougars, in which he scored 20 tries.

The 27-year-old has scored seven tries so far this season for an inconsistent Dewsbury side.

By Lewis Coleman, photo by Alex Coleman