Norfolk RFU v Suffolk RFU

 

📆 6^th March 2024, 🕣 7:45pm KO, 📍 Mundford Road, Thetford

The last game in the 2023/24 Tri-Counties Tournament saw Norfolk play host to Suffolk at Thetford Rugby Club, both side where watched on by a large crowd at Mundford Road, the Norfolk squad was made up of players from West Norfolk, Wymondham, Crusaders, Beccles, Fakenham, Thetford, Diss and Lowestoft & Yarmouth, while the Suffolk squad brought in players from Stowmarket, Southwold, Felixstowe, Ipswich Y.M, Mildenhall & Red Lodge, Hadleigh, Ipswich, Halstead Templars, Haverhill, Thetford, Harwich & Dovercourt and Aldeburgh.

Like the week before's game at Bury the kick off was delayed by 15 minutes, the delay didn't effect Norfolk as they scored the first try of the night as Jake Kerr, quickly followed by Josh Burgess crossing the try line, tempers flared as both sides square up to each other, the third try of the night, soon came as Kerr scoring his second try of the night, Jake Wicks added the conversion, to open a 17 point lead. 

Joseph Hart was next on the score sheet for Norfolk, Suffolk's best spell of the half resulted in their first try of the game, as the score stood at 22-5, back came Norfolk as Kerr scored his hat-trick try, quickly followed by Jake Girdler scoring.

With half time approaching Norfolk went a man down, during this period Suffolk crossed the line, pushing Norfolk back to score to leave the half time score 32-10. 

The second half didn't start with a flourish of try's, in fact both side failed to get a grip on the game, but Norfolk were soon back on the score board, as Joe Brighty made the score 37-10, Louis Smedley soon added another try, next on the scoresheet was Suffolk as they made the score 42-15.

Lewis Kenworthy made it 47 points, Kenworthy added the conversion to make it 49-15, on the stroke of full time Girdler scored his second try of the night under the post, leaving a straight forward conversion but the ball drifted the wrong side of the posts, as referee signaled the end of the game with a 54-15 win for Norfolk as the picked up the runners up spot, behind Cambridgeshire