Champ at the double as Tigers start with win

An Andy Champ brace helped Bedford Tigers begin their RLC Eastern Regional Championship campaign with a victory at Norwich City Saxons.

 

The hosts finished second from bottom in 2010 but a strong recruitment campaign in the off-season has seen their numbers and experience increase dramatically. 

Indeed the Tigers were not expecting the high levels of physicality that Norwich brought to the game and despite two early tries from Pat Murphy and Craig Walker it was the Saxons who went into half time with a slender 12-10 lead. The Tigers' job was made tougher still when they were reduced to 12 men on the half hour mark following a red card for veteran Darren Pickard.

The Tigers regathered their composure during the interval and returned in the second half with a revised attitude. A huge defensive set pinned the Saxons in their own half straight from kick-off and hooker Andy Champ muscled his way over from close range to regain the Tigers' authority in the game, Rob Ashton improved the score with the tough conversion. 

Bedford kept Norwich on the ropes during the following restart and great pressure from Euan Irwin and Charlie Stafford gave Craig Walker enough field position to put an awkward grubber kick in to the Norwich try area which was exquisitely finished by Scott Aspinall to make the score 20-12 to the visitors

The Saxons never made it easy for the Tigers throughout the 80 minutes and repeatedly asked questions of their defence which paid off as they reduced the arrears to within one score. The Tigers hit back quickly though as Champ scored his second of the game in similar fashion to his first. 

With the game at 26-18 and ten minutes left the 12=man Tigers scored the try of the game, displaying enterprising attacking running rugby to move the ball out of their own half and led to debutant Lee Walker scoring his side's final try of the game.

Norwich would have the last say in what was a bruising contest to leave the Tigers defending a slender 30-24 score line for the final three minutes, but they held on to claim a very rewarding and deserved opening day win of the season. 

Assistant coach Champ said of his players after the game: "Beating a side as physical as Norwich with 12 men proves how much commitment and heart these lads have got. If we continue like this then 2011 is going to be a very successful season for the Tigers."

Irwin earned the man of the match award for his tireless efforts in attack and was unfortunate not to get himself on the score sheet on a number of occasions.

 

Tigers Squad: Aspinall, Murphy, Stanfield, Baker, Irwin, Walker C, Walker L, Parias, Champ, Stafford, Pickard, Wight, Ashton, Abbey, Lowe