Bridgend Blue Bulls v Hammersmith Hill Hoists
Sunday 21st August 2011
Kick Off 2:30pm
at Swindon RFC
Preview by Simon Green.
Welsh Conference Champions Bridgend Blue Bulls make the trip to Swindon on Sunday for the Harry Jepson Cup quarter finals where they will meet Southern Premier Champions, Hammersmith Hill Hoists (kick off 2:30pm).
The Bulls have gone unbeaten all season including a 48-24 win over Valley Cougars in the Grand Final and they hope to add the British Conference Crown to that title.
They will be without Grand Final hero Nathan Trowbridge and Dragonhearts captain Gareth Howells for the clash but still hope to take a strong team down the M4.
The only change in the forwards is likely to be Nathan Hawkins who will miss the game after damaging ankle ligaments, but all his fellow forwards are fit and raring to go.
The Bulls won the Harry Jepson Cup twice back in 2003 and 2005 beating Carlisle Centurions and Leeds Academicals respectively. Back then they were under the guidance of Kevin Ellis and player-coach Fox is keen to follow in his footsteps by lifting the trophy.
Fox said: “I played in those games in 2003 and 2005 and they were tough hard matches and we expect no different this weekend, but we know if we play our best we can win and it would be great to be the first team to win this competition three times.”
Hammersmith have only been in existence for two years and were founded by a group of Australian ex-pats who wanted to play Rugby League while living in London. They have since dominated the London Conference and Southern Premier competitions and will give the Porthcawl-based side a very tough test.
The game will be a new experience for most of the young Bulls squad and only a handful where in the team when they last qualified for the competition, on that occasion losing to South London Storm at Bristol.
