Match Report

Rhondda Outlaws were outclassed up at Barrow Island in the Coral Challenge Cup as the hosts won 84-6.

The Welsh side were 44-0 down at half-time as the Cumbrians ran in eight tries, two of them whilst the Outlaws were down to 12 men after Ieuan Griffiths were sinbinned for use of the arm.

Max Anderson opened Barrow’s account with a second minute try, that was converted by Sam Jones.

The score was doubled from kick-off after Adam Nicholson ran through and Jones converted again.

Griffiths’ sin-bin on nine minutes didn’t help the Outlaws’ cause, but in reality, Barrow’s superior speed in all aspects of the game shocked the Welsh.

Nathan Sneesby was over next for unconverted try, before efforts from Ben Garner, Jake Sutherland, Nicholson and Garner again, all converted by Jones, to put the score onto 40-0.

Jones got a try of his own, that he failed to convert, to round off the half, and from the off after the interval, there were 50 points on the board after Ryan Clegg grounded and Jones converted.

Then minutes later, the 50 Welsh fans who had made the near 600-mile round trip, finally had something to cheer about when Kevin James grounded for Rhondda and Chris Harris converted.

But that was the only time the Outlaws crossed the line as Barrow dominated for the rest of the game. Ben Garner (twice), Ian Irvine, Sneesby, Jake Stockdale and Max Anderson all scored, with five more conversions from Jones.

Outlaws' head coach James Allen said: "Barrow Island were well drilled, played really well, and my players had a great experience to face up against a level or two above them. They were very quick in all aspects of the game and they punished us.

"But fair play to the Rhondda spirit as we battled throughout. The scoreline didn't reflect the game and our players never gave up which is all you can ask. We live and learn, we'll train hard now for the league season and we hope that an opportunity like this comes around again."