Harrogate Pythons opened their 2025/26 campaign with a powerful performance against local rivals Leodiensian. John Liley’s men entertained a large crowd to some powerful rugby with some younger players making bids to secure their positions for the season. Before the game a minutes silence was observed for Eddie Kernoghan, an original Python, who sadly passed over the summer.
Leos were first on the scoreboard with a penalty after just 5 minutes. The Pythons were quick to respond when Hugh Tatlow picked up from the base of the scrum. Held 5m out Freddie Abrams was quick to recycle the ball to Harry Butler to drive over under the posts. The referee called play back for a penalty to the Pythons. Captain Tatlow opted to scrum, picked up from the base and this time carried over for the score, 5-3.
Sam Rose, starting at 10, worked well with Abrahams setting the phases and utilising the strong ball carriers Pete Millward and Sam Rowntree. Quick ball from a breakdown 5m and Butler was not denied this time, Ben Pryor with the extras 12-3.
Millward, Rowntree, Butler and George Booth dominated the mid field with their charges but a high penalty count helped Leos clear the danger. Leos carried the ball into the Pythons 22 and the strong defence the centre pairing of Rhys Cory and Pryor forced the away team to knock on. Tatlow picks up at 8 and feeds debutant Thomas Roberts who raced around the Leos defence to score from 70m out, 17-3.
Rufus Palfreman gathers a lose ball from the kick off and shows his pace to weave through Leos defence releasing Harry Brawshaw to score under the posts and secure the bonus point from 50m. Pryor once again adds the extras, 24-3 on 35 mins. The visitors score just before the break, 24-10.
Bailey Bromberg breaks through the mid field and puts Cory into space on half way who steps the defender to race 50m and score under the posts, Pryor with the extras 31-10. Leos repeat the move from their first try, catch and drive takes them over, 31-15 on 60 mins.
Quickly back on the offensive Booth sells an outrageous dummy on half way. Natsuki Barclay, on for Abrahams, in support carries to 15m, Booth picks at the breakdown feeds Barclay once again who links with Tatlow 10m out. No stopping the captain for his second try, Pryor adds the extras 38-15. Millward secures a line out 10m out and Butler carries over two defenders to score his second. Pryor adds the 2, 45-15. Millward in the action again as he carries from the kick off, feeds Jed Carr who releases Bromberg on half way who shows his pace to round the defence and touch down under the posts, Pryor once again 52-15. Palfreman races clear after gathering a clearance kick. Links with Cory in the Leos 22 stopped 2m short. Millward backing up gathers the ball to dive over for a deserved try, Carr with the extras, 59-15 full time.
After the game Coach Liley said,” We got the 2025-26 season off to the perfect start with this convincing victory against Leodiensian. A dominant performance with our powerful pack performance laying the perfect foundations for the backs to take advantage.
Achieving the bonus points win is an excellent start to this year’s campaign and is the perfect result on which to build for what will be a tough encounter at Old Rishworthians next week. Whilst the result suggests it may have been easy, it certainly wasn’t and Leo’s posed us a lot of problems at times, so there are still plenty of areas of our game that we need to work on”.
The Whittakers Gin Man of the Match was awarded by Dave Wheat to Harry Butler.
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