Sherborne 1st XV vs Millfield 1st XV

In a pulsating clash at the iconic Sir Gareth Edwards pitch, Sherborne 1st XV came agonisingly close to toppling Millfield in a dramatic 33-29 encounter. While Millfield may have just finished hosting a New Zealand touring side, the green, blue, and white stripes of their 1st XV still carried an aura of dominance. Yet, Sherborne showed grit, determination, and plenty of attacking flair in a game that went down to the wire.

Sherborne, though subdued in the warm-up, burst into life from the first whistle. Ali RT ignited the game with a powerful break through the middle, setting up Will H, who was brought down illegally when certain to score. The referee awarded a penalty try, and Sherborne quickly found themselves 7-0 up.

Millfield’s response was swift, showcasing their trademark athleticism in the wide channels. Two quick tries, both finished with precision, turned the tide as Sherborne found themselves 14-7 down in a matter of minutes. Millfield then extended their lead with a spectacular crossfield kick, finished with flair in the corner, making it 21-7.

Just when it seemed like the game was slipping away, Edwin L produced a moment of individual brilliance. Spotting a gap near a ruck deep in Millfield territory, he darted through from 20 metres out, bringing Sherborne back to within nine points at 21-12. But Millfield struck again, breaking through the middle with a barnstorming run to take the score to 28-12 at half-time.

Half-Time Score: Millfield 28 - 12 Sherborne

With the wind and slope in their favour, Sherborne knew they were still in the contest. However, an early score from Millfield seemed to put the game beyond reach at 33-12. But Sherborne refused to lie down. Big carries from Ali D and Jake B got them within striking distance, and Jem L, continuing his excellent form, powered over from close range for another try. Edwin L added the conversion, narrowing the gap to 33-19.

Ali RT once again proved immense, winning crucial turnover ball to swing momentum back in Sherborne’s favour. Launching an attack from halfway, Jem L surged through midfield, setting the platform for a sweeping move that finally saw Albi R receive the ball in space. A slick offload to Ben D pushed Sherborne into the Millfield 22, and Ben then provided a deft pass to Simon A. With Sherborne’s attack in full flow, Jem L was on hand to offload to Edwin L, who finished brilliantly. His conversion brought the score to 33-26, and the game was well and truly on.

After some scrappy play, Sherborne kept their composure and earned a penalty. Edwin L, cool as a cucumber, slotted it to bring Sherborne to within four points at 33-29. With eight minutes left, Sherborne hammered away at the Millfield try line, earning penalty after penalty. Ali RT seemingly powered over from close range for what looked to be the match-winning try, but the referee ruled he hadn’t grounded the ball.

Sherborne threw everything they had at Millfield in the dying moments, but the home side’s defence held firm. Despite Sherborne’s relentless efforts, the final whistle blew with the scoreline reading 33-29 to Millfield.

Sherborne’s fightback was nothing short of heroic, and while they came up just short, they can be proud of a performance that pushed one of the country’s top rugby schools to the brink.

Full-Time Score: Millfield 33 - 29 Sherborne