BRAINTREE RUGBY UNION FOOTBALL CLUB 2017/18 SEASON.

Any copy queries to BRUFC Publicity Officer John Troup on 07860-179347.

BRAINTREE...44 STANFORD-LE- HOPE...7 (Canterbury Jack Essex 1 Prem)

CHAMPIONS Braintree weren’t at their best in their last home league game of the season but still signed off in style with a convincing win.
The black and ambers could have been forgiven for taking their foot off the gas after clinching the Essex 1 title more than a fortnight ago.
But even though they didn’t have it all their own way against a spirited Stanford side, they still sent the Robbs Wood faithful home happy with some excellent rugby.
There was a tight start to the game with the visitors achieving parity in the set piece and giving Tree as good as they got in the scrum,
And it took the hosts 12 minutes to put their first points on the board, fly-half Josh Hine bursting through the line to score. 5-0.
Five minutes later Hine was involved again when his long kick to touch led to a line-out which Tree stole, winger Tom Drew crashing through to extend the lead to 10-0.
Stanford came back into the game on 21 minutes when the black and ambers knocked on in their own half.
A strong scrum by the visitors set up their outside centre who went on a jinking run before scoring under the posts, the resulting conversion reducing the deficit to 10-7.
But normal service was resumed on 38 minutes when Hine gave Tree a bit of breathing space by scoring his second try of the game, Craig Willis converting for a 17-7 interval lead.
Tree rang the changes after the break and the half was only three minutes old when a long kick by Stanford was run back at them by full-back Dominic Dann.
Dann set up a backs move which finished with captain John Smillie crossing to score, Willis converting to give his side a 24-7 lead.
On 55 minutes Willis joined the list of try scorers when he finished following a strong run by wing replacement James Moore. 29-7.
Nine minutes later the game was effectively over when Willis added his second try and then Smillie too completed his brace following a succession of line-outs and penalties to touch, all within 10 metres of the Stanford line. 39-7.

The final try of the game came on 72 minutes and what a try it was, Hine breaking from midfield before side stepping, jinking and hand-offing his way through the visiting defence.
Finding himself forced wide he beckoned Moore over for a switch pass only to throw a dummy and leave the remaining defenders flat-footed to complete his hat-trick. 44-7.
BRUFC Chair of Selectors David Gilder said: Stanford came and worked hard for 80 minutes, never giving up and running us close for the first half hour.
“But once their big front row started to tire we got the upper hand at scrum time and the line-out worked well, with all our jumpers winning good ball.
“All 18 played a big part in the game, but the stand out performance was from Josh Hine. He showed the quality we know he has and was influential in a number of ways.
“His opposite number was Stanford’s main play maker and he was well marshalled in defence and when he had ball in hand Josh was imperious.”
BRUFC Joint Coach Brian Joslin said: “From a coaching point it was a big improvement defensively from our last meeting with Stanford, restricting them to a single score.
“It took us a while to get going but Stanford worked hard throughout the game and it needed another great team effort from all 18 of our lads.”
Tree complete their Essex 1 Prem fixtures with a visit to Old Brentwoods this weekend.
• Tree’s second string suffered heartbreak as they went down 34-18 to Canvey Island IIs in the John Alder Trophy Final, but have a second chance of silverware this weekend when they face Old Cooperians IIs in the Merit Table Division Two Plate Final.
BRUFC: Dann, Drew, Adams, Willis, Crane, Hine, Page, Coote, W Turner, M Turner, Apps, Johnston, Moss, Benfield, Smillie. Reps: Fitzearle, J Moore, Spearman.