In what was billed as a pivotal fixture between two sides fighting to avoid relegation, a win was vital for both teams. Despite a tightly contested first half, the Vikings pulled away emphatically after the break to secure a dominant victory.

St Jacques’ preparations were disrupted when Tom Creed suffered an injury during the warm-up, forcing a late reshuffle. Keiran Williamson was drafted into the starting XV, while forwards coach Dan Brown was added to the bench.

Despite the one-sided scoreline, Trojans were incredibly spirited in defence, particularly in the first half, creating an entertaining contest played in early spring sunshine. Having been defeated by the visitors earlier in the season, St Jacques were well aware of the threat posed by Trojans’ backline. However, recent defensive improvements allowed the Vikings to control the game more effectively.

The opening exchanges were closely fought, with both sides enjoying periods of possession. St Jacques had the first chance to get on the scoreboard after winning a penalty, but Matt Lomas-Lloyd’s attempt struck the upright and bounced back into play.

The home side continued to dominate territory, but Trojans’ disciplined defence kept them at bay.

The deadlock was finally broken with a well-executed passage of play from the Vikings. Lomas-Lloyd kicked cleverly down the line, with Taylor Quate giving chase. Although the covering defence gathered the ball, Jacob Smith pounced at the breakdown, blasting through the ruck to force a turnover before scoring in the corner. Lomas-Lloyd landed the touchline conversion to make it 7-0.

Trojans responded with a try of their own following a period of sustained possession. A scrum inside the St Jacques 22 provided the platform, and after several phases, they powered over to level the game.

Just before halftime, Jacob Smith struck again. From an attacking scrum inside the Trojans 22, Callum Gladstone carried well to make ground before Smith capitalised on quick ball to score under the posts. Lomas-Lloyd added the extras, giving St Jacques a 14-5 halftime lead.

While the Vikings had controlled much of the first half, they had struggled to convert their dominance into points. That changed dramatically after the break.

Kieran Creber was the first to strike in the second half, finishing off an excellent attacking move. The Vikings spread the ball wide just inside the Trojans half, and Creber exploited space to race clear and score in the corner. Lomas-Lloyd converted, extending the lead to 21-5.

The home side’s pressure continued as they camped inside the Trojans 22. A series of penalties forced the visitors onto the back foot before Corey Wallis found space on the outside and offloaded to Luke Sayer, who finished smartly. Lomas-Lloyd slotted the conversion to make it 28-5.

From the restart, Creber produced another moment of brilliance. He took a superb catch under pressure, evaded multiple defenders, and kicked ahead, forcing Trojans to put the ball dead with Mitchell Smith in hot pursuit.

It wasn’t long before Jacob Smith completed his hat-trick, powering over for his third try of the afternoon, further cementing his influence on the game.

The next score came quickly after Trojans were forced into a goal-line dropout. The Vikings moved the ball quickly to Tom Yarwood, who stepped inside a defender, found a gap, and raced through to score an excellent converted try.

At this point, St Jacques were relentless. Taylor Quate sparked another devastating counter-attack from the restart, breaking down the left before passing inside to Yarwood, who linked with Sayer for his second try of the afternoon.

Late Drama and a Moment of Magic

Trojans finally had a chance to hit back after a turnover inside the St Jacques 22. They threw everything at the line in search of a late consolation try, but the Vikings’ defence held firm, securing a crucial penalty under their own posts.

A missed touch kick gifted Trojans another opportunity, but once again, the defensive line stood strong, forcing an error that led to the moment of the match.

With possession deep in their own 22, St Jacques shifted the ball wide to Quate, who produced a breathtaking solo effort. Beating four defenders with blistering pace and footwork, he was brought down but not held, allowing him to get back to his feet and evade two more scrambling defenders before racing clear to score a stunning converted try.

Trojans pushed again in the dying moments, but there was no way through, as St Jacques closed out a commanding victory.

This vital win strengthens St Jacques’ position in the league as they continue their battle to secure survival. The focus now shifts to their next challenge, with another big test looming against Havant Dolphins this weekend.