Bournville had a useful full squad workout in a 46-31 defeat in a pre-season friendly against Sheffield Tigers at Dore Moor.
The match was played in three periods which gave Bourns the opportunity to give important game time to 31 players – Jacob Fewtrell who also travelled was rested because of a slight injury.
With plenty of new faces in the squad and different combinations at various times in the game the result was less important than the chance for the coaching team to see players in a match situation for the first and only time ahead of the season opener against Redruth on September 5 with the other planned friendly against Bromsgrove having been cancelled.
Bourns were impressive in the first period when the most experienced 15 were on the pitch and they built up a 24-15 lead before wholesale changes were made for the next two periods with Sheffield, who also used a 30-plus squad, going 34-24 ahead after the second period and extending the lead in a competitive final quarter.
“What we wanted was to give everyone a run and we did that with 31 of the 32 having the opportunity to get some game time,” said Head Coach Alex Grove.
“A lot of those players were new players and a lot were young players straight out of university or school in some cases. So it was the first time they have been in this environment.
“For us to come through the game with no injuries was also very pleasing.
“Our set piece early on was particularly good and from that platform our strike play was good today.
“One aspect that the game highlighted that we need to work on was that we turned over ball when we took into contact but that’s not surprising given that it was the first game for everyone.
“So, there are things for us to work on but also a lot things that we did well.”
Of the newcomers back-row forward Patrick Smallman, a summer recruit from Bridgnorth, took his opportunity to impress with Adam Shaw also producing his useful all-action performance on either side of the ball in the first 35 minute period.
Adam Smallwood, Callum Nicholls and Ben Meakin all carried strongly and Oscar Fawkes-Underwood, whose first taste of senior rugby came against Silhillians in a friendly 12 months ago, produced a mature display at fly-half in the absence of Fewtrell.
