A beautiful early spring day at Leicester Road saw Hinckley tear apart a limited Bournville side in a ten try bonanza, including four from for Callum Dacey, that pretty well assured that Hornets will be playing National League rugby again next year. They are now 18 points clear of the relegation places with just six games to play and a top half finish now looks a distinct possibility. For Bournville, however, the defeat left them further mired in a relegation dogfight from which they seem ill-equipped to escape.

The game though was not the cakewalk the result might suggest. Bournville had much the better of the first 30 minutes and indeed would have led at half-time had it not been for a timely try for Nigel Mukerati with the last move of the first half. The Hinckley scrum had found itself under severe pressure in the early stages meaning that the limited possession that reached the backs was always on the back-foot. What turned the game was the introduction of man of the match Oscar Harper after twenty minutes. Harper was able to stabilise the scrum, allowing the backs to take advantage of better quality ball in what became a clinical dissection of a ragged Bournville defence. By the end of the game, Hinckley had achieved not just parity in the scrum but were very much in the ascendancy and the second period saw Hinckley scoring at the rate of a point per minute played, with the Choco’s failing to add to their first half tally.

Defence Coach Ben Avent was delighted with the outcome. ‘The lads scored some great tries today and there were some outstanding individual performances across the pitch. It was great to see the lads playing with ambition and executing well at times.’

‘Defensively the most pleasing aspect was not giving Bourneville a losing bonus point. The second half effort was outstanding, with the boys putting in some big shots. The kick chase was also excellent and enabled us to really put the squeeze on them, which made a huge difference in controlling the game.’

It was far from a dream start for Hinckley though and they were behind within four minutes. They conceded a penalty on their own 22m which was kicked to within 5m. The catch and drive was held but after a number of pick and drives tight-head Stefan Thorp drove over for the score.
But from the restart, Bournville were caught offside and Rory Vowles was able to set up a short line-out opportunity for Hornets. Again, the catch and drive was held but Dacey eventually skipped through to level the scores.

With Hinckley unable to hold Bournville’s power in the scrum, it came as no surprise when Bournville grabbed the next score after Hinckley had twice conceded scrum penalties 5m from their own line. Bournville almost drove the Hinckley pack over their own line but a pick up at the rear by No. 8 Jonjo Fanning saw him crash over for the score. Jacob Fewtrell slotted the conversion off the post and Hinckley were 5-12 down and looking rattled at the end of the first quarter.

The arrival of Harper changed everything. Hinckley almost scored after stealing the ball against the head 5m from the Bournville line but were held up. The kick from under the posts was poor. Hinckley ran it back, won a penalty 5m out and a quick tap and go from Dacey saw him grab his second try.

Bournville tried a short kick at the restart but Mitch Lamb claimed the ball, fed Murray Davidson who charged deep into Bournville territory and Jack Hewitt was on hand to carry to the line with a spectacular juggling act. Vowles claimed his first conversion off the post and Hinckley were in front.

Bournville seized the lead back with half-time looming from a storming run from Thorp converted by Fewtrell but, from the last play of the half, Mukerati was able to rumble over from a short line-out to send Hornets in at the break with a 24-19 lead. In retrospect, that proved a telling blow.

The second period turned into something of a procession. The first score has to be a candidate for try of the season. Matt Guilfoyle running back under pressure deep in his own 22m recovered the ball, avoided the chasing attacker and fed Vowles. He handed on to Will Callan who carried into the Bournville half. Jack Ramshaw took it on to the 22m and found George Patten who gleefully ran in for what was a spectacular score. Vowles added the icing on the cake.

Next a Bournville penalty on halfway was kicked dead giving Hinckley the scrum. The ball went right to Callan who carried to 10m, almost fluffed the chance but recovered to go over for the try with Vowles converting.

Dacey then stole the ball on the Bournville 22m and simply ran through a non-existent defence. Vowles again converted.
Next up, Lamb takes the ball on halfway from a line-out and scythes through the Bournville defence, offloads to Billy Pasco to run in for the try and an easy conversion for Vowles.

Lamb again a few minutes later broke the line from halfway and this time it was Dacey there to claim the score.

And to complete the set, with Bournville chasing the bonus point from a scrum deep inside their own 22m, Hinckley turned the ball over, and Ramshaw crashed over for the try. Dacey added the conversion to take his personal tally for the game to 22 and the match score to 64-19. With that, the referee mercifully brought proceedings to a conclusion for a shell-shocked Bournville.

Nick Robinson