Midlands Hurricanes 98-0 North Wales Crusaders
Betfred Championship Round Twenty-Six
By Tom Kiernan-Wilson
After back-to-back defeats against second-placed Newcastle Thunder and fourth-placed Doncaster in recent weeks, Mark Dunning’s men – guaranteed to finish 8th and in the play-offs come what may – would finish off their regular season against a North Wales Crusaders side whose torrid year saw them firmly rooted to the bottom of the table.
After an initial defiant spell by Crusaders, Liam Sutcliffe would spot an opportunity to score eight minutes in as he crashed over down the left edge (4-0). Sully Medforth would go on to convert his first of 15 out of 16 attempts that afternoon (6-0). Sutcliffe would become provider just sixty seconds later as a break allowed him to feed Todd Horner to race away behind the sticks (10-0), with Medforth converting once again (12-0).
A few minutes later Matty Chrimes would extend our lead further with an acrobatic effort in the left corner (16-0), but Medforth would be unable to convert from out wide. A couple of minutes later Ryan Johnson would break down a gap on the left and pass inwards to Lewis Else who would finish under the sticks (20-0). Medforth would go on to convert (22-0).
On twenty minutes, Crusaders had their first and only real attacking opportunity as former Cane Matty Welham sold a dummy to break down the middle before being brought down, and a subsequent grubber kick would be lost over the line. The Canes would punish that loss of possession in the following set as another break would feed Horner for his second of the afternoon (26-0) which Medforth converted (28-0).
Ryan Johnson would be sin-binned a couple of minutes later for dangerous contact because of a tackle behind the legs, but the Canes would not let up. Four minutes after the sin-binning, a break from Chrimes would feed Zeus Silk to race under the sticks and score just his second try of the season (32-0), the first being against Crusaders in the reverse fixture. Medforth would convert (34-0).
The Canes would go back to back a couple of minutes later with Chrimes racing down the left edge (38-0) and Medforth adding the extras (40-0), and after back to back penalties Medforth would add his own name to the growing list of try-scorers with a nice dummy from ten metres out (44-0) that he would go on to convert (46-0).
The Canes did not let up in the second half. Just two minutes in Oliver Roberts bulldozed his way under the sticks to dot the ball down before celebrating with an impressive forward roll (50-0). Medforth would convert (52-0). Three minutes later Medforth would get his brace after Chris Cullimore put him in space to run down the right edge (56-0), and Medforth would convert his own effort (58-0).
A few minutes later Chrimes would secure his hat-trick (and 23rd try of the season) as a knock-on by Crusaders allowed Else to feed Sutcliffe who in this turn created a 2-on-1 for Matty to race away untouched (62-0). Medforth would convert once again (64-0). A few minutes later, Sutcliffe would secure his own brace as a huge gap permitted him to canter inwards next to the posts (68-0) and Medforth would kick an easy conversion (70-0).
As we approached the final twenty minutes of the match, Ryan Johnson found himself in space to race away for an easy score (74-0), with Medforth converting from out wide (76-0). Two minutes later Aidan McGowan would score from acting dummy-half with an easy scoot through some tired Crusaders defence (80-0). Medforth would convert again (82-0).
With the previous league record winning margin (66 v Cornwall in 2024) well and truly smashed, the Canes smelled blood in the final ten. Johnson would earn his own brace as another gap opened up (86-0) with Medforth converting (88-0), and after five minutes or so McGowan would get his brace with some silky footwork to round the defence and race away to dot the ball down under the sticks (92-0) before Medforth converted (94-0).
The Canes would end as strongly as they started, with some nice hands from left to right finding Cian Tyrer who barrelled down the wing and secured a well-earned try after a strong performance (98-0). Chrimes – taking over from Medforth who had been substituted in the final minutes – could not guarantee the Canes a century as his conversion attempt from out wide would fall short on the hooter.
A club record league win would see the Canes finish with it’s highest ever points tally of 27 (following 13 wins and a draw from 24 games), it’s highest ever points scored tally of 652 and with both Chrimes (23) and Medforth (236) ending with club records for most tries and points scored in a single season respectively. A tough Play-off Eliminator at Avery Fields against Whitehaven beckons, with the winner advancing to the second phase and the losers seeing their season coming to an abrupt end.
Man of the Match:
Ryan Johnson (Sponsored by Hull Wyke Rugby League)
Tries:
Sutcliffe (2), Horner (2), Chrimes (3), Silk, Else, Medforth (2), O Roberts, Johnson (2), McGowan (2) and Tyrer
Cons:
Medforth (15/16), Chrimes (0/1)
