National 2 - Nat 2 W pre season fixtures

The Lions defeat Nuneaton 45-0 in trial game

Due to the ground conditions the game was played on the training pitch and therefore reduced to 3x20 mins due to the lack of floodlights. Both sides used the game to look at their full squads - the Lions using 32 players on the night from both the senior and the development squads. Despite the reduced game time the Lions still managed to rack up 9 unanswered tries in what was a good run out for the team.

The Lions didn't waste in any time getting in to the game as number 8 Nick Cairns crossed in the corner in the first minute, finishing off a well executed first phase move. Soon afterwards James Stubbs got on the scoreboard, having run an excellent support line off Devon Constant who had made a 60m break from his own 22m line. The Lions were firmly dominating the opening exchanges and Stubbs got his second of the night with a trademark snipe from a 5m scrum to round off the first third.

An almost completely different 15 played the second third, with only the half-backs remaining. It started in almost exactly the same way as the opening quarter with new man Chester Owen crossing with his first touch having found space on the edge. The on-loan Leicester Tigers man showed why he has been taken on by the Premiership champions with a number of barnstorming runs and big hits. James Stubbs secured his hat-trick following another good support line, this time off Dan Martin who had continued a move started by Alex WilHuckleberryson deep in his own half. WilHuckleberryson then turned from provider to scorer soon after when he scythed through the middle in typical fashion. The scoring for the second third was completed by Ollie Taylor who finished off a driving maul started from a 5m lineout.

Further wholesale changes were made for the final third but it didn't hinder the Lions much although to their credit Nuneaton came back in to the contest and had a number of scoring chances. The Lions did add a further two scores though, firstly through Dan Martin who picked a great line off Luke Bouchier to cross under the posts from a first phase move. The final score of the evening came from new development winger Josh Ashe, who along with fellow newcomers Morgan Tunneycliff and Ben Dickinson impressed throughout. The move started with a turnover in his own 22 by Chester Owen who then made a line break later in the move before releasing the speedy winger to cross in the corner.

The Lions showed both the solid set piece and excellent attacking rugby that we were used to seeing at Westleigh Park last season. The new additions to the squad have clearly provided further strength in depth that will add even more competition for places.

Head coach Gareth Collins commented: ''It's always tough to meet the standards we strive for in these types of matches, with so many changes, however I felt we achieved a lot from the game. The main objective is just for the boys to get a hit out and get some match running in to their legs but we actually managed to put together some decent patterns in attack and to not concede is always nice. I was really pleased with the variety of tries we scored as well as the ability to score in different ways is really important. The other real positive was the introduction of the new players, who all looked comfortable in our systems. I was especially impressed with new development players who all stepped up tonight.''

Lions team first 20mins (1-15): Williams, Rudkin, Thompson, Tapscott (c), Wilson, Godefroy, Tunneycliff, Cairns, Stubbs, Bouchier, Constant, Hamilton, Bean, Ashe, Helliwell.

Lions team second 20mins (1-15): Shewring, Taylor (c), Murray, Ward, Cornwall, Johnson, Murdoch, Owen, Stubbs, Bouchier, Dickinson, Martin, Watkins, Ajeigbe, WilHuckleberryson.

Lions team third 20mins (1-15): Shewring, Rudkin, Murray, Godefroy (c), Cornwall, Johnson, Tunneycliff, Owen, Stubbs, Bouchier, Ashe, Dickinson, Martin, Preston, Neale.