Rugby

WITH only four teams below them in the league, Salisbury travelled to Wimborne knowing that a win would have secured their place in the division as only the bottom three teams will go down this year.

With Wimborne's pack having a two stone per man weight advantage and a second row weighing in at over 18 stone each, Salisbury's plan was to give their talented backs as much ball as possible.

But from the start, Wimborne's pack demonstrated their limited, but effective game plan, sending their big front five mauling their way up field.

Salisbury's lighter pack simply could not hold them and within eight minutes Wimborne scored their first converted try.

Salisbury attacked through their backs and on 25 minutes had Wimborne pinned in their 22.

A good line out catch and drive released Shipsey on a run and set up three phases of attack before Wimborne were penalised for handling on the floor giving Bell a penalty conversion.

Wimborne retaliated by using their gigantic number five as a battering ram and forced a line out on Salisbury's 22.

Gallager's throw missed the target and Wimborne's second row scooped up the ball, battering his way through three tackles before giving his wing the scoring pass.

Five minutes into the second half Wimborne pushed Salisbury's scrum back over the try line for another five points.

Again Salisbury attacked through their backs and Wimborne were caught off side on their ten-yard line.

Olsen took a quick penalty before slipping a reverse pass to Parsons for the captain to shrug off a tackle and score. Bell converted to make it 17-10.

Salisbury kept pressuring and wingers Shipsey and Upton both came close to scoring.

But the sheer weight of the home side's pack ground Salisbury into errors and two penalties late in the game gave a flattering final score to the home side.

Salisbury mini's travelled to Bradford on Avon and proved too strong for the Somerset club.

Salisbury Under 11s rotated their 17 strong squad and spent much of the first half in defence. However, Salisbury's fitness told in the second half and six tries were run in by Poppy Cleall (2), Bryony Cleall, James Starkey, Marcus Higgins, and Michael Daniles. Oliver Paine and Bryony Cleall added the conversions.

Meanwhile, the club's under nines fielded two sides - the Lions who won 3-0 with James O' Hara scoring a hat-trick - and the Rhinos who lost 3-1 with O' Hara again scoring.

The Under eights played two matches drawing the first and winning the second 7-2. The try scorers included Finn Drury, Tate Mayoh and George Evans.

VERWOOD, who entertain Ellingham & Ringwood on Saturday, ran in six tries in a 36-7 victory against Brockenhurst.

Ben Stocken opened the scoring with a try which Neil Westerman converted for a 7-0 half-timelead. Ten minutes into the second half Phil Emery scored the first of his two tries in the corner.

Tim Wynn, Mike Wheatley and Simon Banks were their other try scorers while Westerman and Emery added further conversions.

POULNER'S James Greenwood has been named in the England under 19s squad which takes on Italy at Macclesfield RUFC on Friday evening. Greenwood is one of four London irish players in the squad.