After the fierce and heroic victory by Fylde against then unbeaten National Two (North) leaders Stourbridge at a very wet and windy Woodlands, matters get no easier for the Lancastrians when they visit 3rd placed Hull RUFC at the Ferrens Ground on Saturday (ko 14.00). If anything, the task facing the Fylde squad is much greater as they prepare to take on a Hull squad which has the best defensive record to date by a country mile amongst the 47 National League clubs, and on their territory.
Hull have a perfect home record with six victories – v Luctonians (27-8), Chester (31-10), v Loughborough Students (26-19), Wharfedale (41-8) and two ‘nillings’ – v Sheffield Tigers (29-0) and Harrogate (25-0). They also have four away wins – Tynedale (11-17), Huddersfield (7-27), Blaydon (19-38) and, most notably, a great victory at then N2N leaders Sedgley Park (17-22). They have suffered two narrow defeats, at promotion chasing pair, Stourbridge (19-17) and Rotherham Titans (20-15). They have conceded just 138 points to date, an average of 11 per match, whilst scoring 315.
Smart money might well be placed on Hull for at least a promotion play-off place, even the championship itself. They have a huge pack and a devastating driving maul technique when they get close to the opponents try line. Against Blaydon last Saturday hooker Mike Jobling notched a club record for a forward by scoring a hat trick of tries in 40 minutes, all from driving mauls.
The lessons for Fylde are obvious. Replicating their totally committed approach, discipline and outstanding game management against Stourbridge will be very difficult just a week later but will be necessary if they are to come away with points from the Ferrens Ground. Their cause might not be helped by injuries picked up against Stour.
The power of the Hull pack is complemented by a solid and dangerous backline and a very competent goal kicker.
Fylde and Hull have met just five times in league action and the East Yorkshire club shade the bragging rights. In 2009-10 Hull won a double victory, 31-25 at the Ferrens Ground and 16-25 at the Woodlands. This was reversed the following season when Fylde won 37-8 at home and 9-31 away. The clubs didn’t meet again until the truncated 2019-20 campaign when Hull, off the back of a winless run of 8 games, shook N2(N) leaders Fylde at the Woodlands with a 20-22 victory. The reverse fixture at the Ferrens was caught up in the early abandonment of the season in mid-March 2020.
Hull’s Head Coach is the very experienced Gary Pearce and he has built a loyal squad of players. The most well known star of the pack is the veteran and much travelled Tongan international backrower Latu Makaafi. He’s spent periods at Bradford & Bingley (2 seasons), Hull (1 season), Wharfedale (1), Doncaster K (2), Rotherham (1), Jersey (1), Doncaster K (2) & Coventry (2). He received a red card for dangerous play at Blaydon on Saturday so may or may not be in the squad against Fylde.
The Hull pack includes other quality, experienced personnel including Ali Thomson (ex-Sheffield Tigers, Rotherham, Doncaster K & Hull Ionians), Portuguese international prop Mike Dias (ex-Rotherham, Sheffield Tigers & Hull Ionians) and flanker Laurence Cowan (ex-Ionians and Birmingham Moseley). The overseas strand in the squad is represented by prop Tiploma Kivalu, ex-Steelers ITM (NZ), Counties Manakau (NZ), Chinnor, Coventry & Otley.
The playmaker and principal goal kicker is Simon Humberstone, formerly of Pontypridd, Cardiff Blues and Doncaster Knights. The dangerous running backs include winger Mike Adlard and fullback Steve McColl, both of whom scored crucial long distance tries in their victory over Fylde at the Woodlands in November 2019.
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Fylde make two changes in their starting line-up for the trip to Hull. In the pack, former KGS students, Marcus Blake and Charlie Partington start in the backrow. Flanker Tanē Bentley rejoins the squad and is named among the replacements.
15 Tom Forster; 14 Henry Hadfield, 13 Tom Carleton, 12 Scott Rawlings, 11 Tom Grimes; 10 Greg Smith, 9 Matt Sturgess; 1 Joe Higgins, 2 Ben Gregory (c), 3 Corey Bowker, 4 Olli Parkinson, 5 Matt Garrod, 6 Marcus Blake, 7 Charlie Partington, 8 Dave Fairbrother.
16 Sam Parker, 17 Matt Ashcroft, 18 Tanē Bentley, 19 Ben Turner, 20 Adam Lanigan.
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[Chris Farrow’s photos of Fylde v Hull at the Woodlands, 23rd Nov 2019]
