Tabard’s fantastic run of form in the second half of the season continued with a tremendous 39-14 win over Welwyn at Cobden Hill.
Bottom of the London North West Division Two table at Christmas and staring relegation in the face, the Radlett-based rugby club have turned themselves around in 2016, with this performance probably the best of the lot.
They racked up seven tries in total but had to withstand early pressure from the visitors who scored twice in the opening 15 minutes.
Both Welwyn tries came about from strong drives by the visitors’ heavy pack which saw them take an early 14-point lead.
But Tabard’s response was immediate and after Welwyn were penalised for not releasing five metres from their try line, Tabard won the scrum and found Tom King for their opening score.
And they were level from the restart. Jermaine Ijieh and John Tilley combined before finding Leon Leonidas who brushed aside tacklers to score, Jack Reilly converting.
And within moments they had scored their third try to take the lead.
Tilley was involved again, this time combining with Will James to put Liam Glynn in at the corner.
The bonus point try came early in the second half as Gerald Arasa cut a lovely line through the Welwyn defence and the fifth came courtesy of Leonidas’ second.
King was unlucky not to add to his tally with a foot in touch metres from the Welwyn line but the visitors would not survive much longer and were breached from the resulting line-out when George Hurford stole the ball and off-loaded to James for number six.
The final try also came from a line-out, Marty O’Neill getting the final touch with Harry Gough adding the extras.
Tabard’s final game of the year is away to Woodford on Saturday.
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