Swarm tag rugby team off to winning start

The Rochdale Swarm Tag Rugby League Team emerged victorious in their opening fixture of the Tag Merit League season beating fellow new boys FevNet Rovers 24-19 in a tense and compelling fixture played at the Chris Moyles Stadium, Featherstone.

FevNet started well and their greater experience at Tag Rugby League shone through as the took an early hold on the game running up a three scores to one ead in the opening exchanges of the the first quarter.

The Swarm held their nerve and new signing Ziggy Ahmed led the charges along with Keith Bocock and Ste Burgess who steadied the Swarm ship with crucial scores to give the Swarm a slender lead.

Into the second quarter and each team gave their all and scores were exchanged as each side pressed forward. Dave Tyson at fullback keeping the Rochdale attack going as the weather pressed in and new boy Matt Butler working overtime in defence alongside Craig Nagy shoring up a tired Swarm defensive line.

The half-time whistle came as a welcome relief to both sides with the heavens opening again and the Swarm holding a single score advantage.

The second half commenced with the Swarm able to rotate its larger squad giving them what would turnout to be a winning edge. Dave Withington alongside Ste Mason had their second spell in the game working hard in attack and defence wearing down a tiring FevNet assault.

What came next was perhaps the turning point in the game in what was already a tense affair, that had seen a couple of players from each side dispatched to the sin bin. One of the leading FevNet players clashed with the Swarms Jim Stringer claiming over aggressive play which resulted in them both being red carded - a bit harsh on Stringer. Calmer heads prevailed remembering this is supposed to be the none contact version of Rugby League.

The Rochdale side had been using the rotation system to good effect allowing Maria and Emily Wynn (aunt and niece!) to make an impact on the game alongside being a calming influence while resting its main strike players for the final assault in the last quarter.

With fifteen minutes remaining the Swarm turned up the pressure with Ahmed causing chaos in the FevNet defence and the re-introduction of brothers Chris and Mark Wynn who used their experience to further exploit a now tired FevNet defence.

The whistle finally blew on the Rochdale Swarm's opening match and saw them run out worthy winners 24-19.

Swarm Scorers:

Ziggy Ahmed 7
Keith Bocock 4
Craig Nagy 3
Mark Wynn 2
Chris Wynn 2
Dave Tyson 2
Ste Burgess 2
Dave Withington 1
Ste Mason 1

The Swarms next fixture is now on Easter Sunday 20 March away to Leigh MB XIII at the new Leigh Sporting Village, soon to be home of the Leigh Centurions and already home to amateur high flyers, Leigh East. The game kicks off at 12.30pm with all Swarm players asked to meet at 11.00am prompt at Firgrove, Milnrow.

The game against Leigh MB XIII will be a very stern test for the Swarm with the Leigh side being one of Tag Rugby League's most well established sides and having several years competition behind them.