University Rugby League Round Up | University of Hull edge a thriller against Liverpool John Moores University

University of Hull made it two wins out of two with an epic comeback away at Liverpool John Moores University.

In their first meeting since last season’s National Trophy semi-final, Liverpool John Moores University and University of Hull faced off at Thatto Heath Crusaders with the hosts aiming to put their narrow defeat in the first round of fixtures to Northumbria University 2 behind them and the visitors looking for back-to-back wins against Merseyside-based opposition after their 2-point victory at home to University of Liverpool.

Both teams seemed to enjoy the sun on their backs and completion rates were high in the opening salvo. It was going to take something special to break the deadlock, and Oscar Halsall duly obliged. The John Moores hooker caught the Hull defence napping with an audacious dummy from a tapped penalty, fainting right and going left to burrow underneath three defenders before receiving the referee’s confirmation of the opening score of the game.

Soon after establishing a strong foothold in the game, injuries began to hamper LJMU - both captain Euan Haynes and full-back Ben Foster were forced from the field. Haynes would eventually return to the action but Foster was sidelined for the remainder of the game after a heavy collision from the Hull kick chase.

The disjointed and makeshift LJMU lineup continued to be strong in defence, but Hull’s growing pressure eventually forced the hosts into a succession of errors. The visitors were able to fashion a scoring opportunity through the hands of stand-off Ryan Moses, who quickly recycled the ball left for Deusjes Nzage, a try scorer in March’s semi-final, to score with ease.

The home side looked certain to hit back minutes later. A marauding run was followed by a brilliant line break from Haynes, who had Joseph Mountcastle and George Moffitt in support either side - an intimidating sight for any defensive line, a trio of forwards outnumbering and charging towards you. He went right to his fellow prop, but the pass was in front of Mountcastle’s outstretched arms and the ball was dropped with the Hull try line in sight.

Half-time: Liverpool John Moores University 6-4 University of Hull

Looking to overcome their defensive reshuffle, John Moores came flying out the traps in the second half, and their bravery was rewarded as loose forward George Moffitt smashed through the Hull line, leaving two defenders on the floor in the process, and charged towards to the centre of the in-goal area to give Price an easy conversion under the posts.

Halsall produced another outlandish dummy to attempt the score from close range, but Hull had the hooker scouted on this occasion. LJMU were firmly camped on their opposition’s try line in the early stages of the second 40, and the Hull defence was taking a battering, but just about standing firm - hooker Archie Gray issued a rallying cry to his teammates that their lack of yards gained was not due to lack of effort but rather John Moores’ suffocating defence.

Hull eventually relieved some of the pressure thanks to Henry Watkinson’s line break, and the centre didn’t stop there. His zigzagging run put him in position to score an unlikely try, but he was held up by the scrambling LJMU defence. The referee, however, brought the play back for a late hit from Halsall on the Hull kicker, which allowed the visitors to reestablish themselves as an attacking force in the game.

Shortly after being held up over the line again, full-back Harvey Harrison took advantage of a large gap in the sliding John Moores defence with a huge burst of pace to score and get his team back in the contest. This galvanised the visitors, while fatigue began to take its toll on the injury-hit John Moores as weak tackling allowed Barney Teasdale to hand-off a number of would-be tacklers for a relatively easy Hull try. Following the successful conversion, Hull took the lead for the first time, but more importantly, the momentum of the content had swung their way and they were determined not to release it from their grasp.

The win was sealed when the bounce from Moses’ grubber kick evaded Price and was collected by Nzage to secure his brace and confirm a battling comeback win for Hull. Frustrations were evident amongst the LJMU ranks with Moffitt bemoaning his team’s luck with in-game injuries and chances not taken.

Full-time: Liverpool John Moores University 12-20 University of Hull

Liverpool John Moores University

1. Ben Foster 2. Alfie Robinson 3. Ethan Shelmerdine 4. Conor Travis 5. Jacob Lacey 6. Reece Robinson 7. S Price 8. Joseph Mountcastle 9. Oscar Halsall 10. Euan Haynes (C) 11. Joe Chadwick 12. Lewis Fairhurst 13. George Moffitt 14. Oskar Marsh 15. Finn Prendy 16. Raffy Wilson 17. Josh Webster 18. Alex Thomas

Tries: Oscar Halsall, George Moffitt

Conversions: Ben Foster, S Price

University of Hull

1. Harvey Harrison 2. Luca Freer 3. Henry Watkinson 4. Deusjes Nzage 5. Harrison Mead 6. Ryan Moses 7. Leon Stewart (C) 8. Jack Smith 9. Archie Gray 10. Tom Rea 11. Ellis Cousins 12. Claudio Silva de Freitas 13. Edward Nolan 14. Ben Uluilakeba 15. Louis Pearcy 16. Ezra Paxman 17. Barney Teasdale 18. Kousai Almasalmeh

Tries: Deusjes Nzage (x2), Harvey Harrison, Barney Teasdale

Conversions: Leon Stewart (x2)

The result at Thatto Heath means that University of Hull sit second in Northern Tier 1-1A, level on points with Newcastle University, who overcame local rivals Northumbria University 2 in a tight contest 18 points to 10 to lead the way in the table. University of Liverpool avenged their 2025 Northern Conference Cup Final  defeat to Sheffield Hallam University by thrashing the South Yorkshire side 48-12 to get their first win of the season; Hallam remain winless.

The week’s fixtures began with University of Exeter 1 getting the better of University of Nottingham 1 to register their first win of the season in the National League. There were big wins, yet again, for Northumbria University 1 against University of Leeds 1 and Leeds Beckett University 1, who returned to the scene of their championship triumph in April and nilled Loughborough University 1, scoring 34 points.

In Southern Tier 1-1A, University of Exeter 2 made it two wins on the day for the Devon university, while Loughborough University 2 faired better than their first team in a 32-18 losing effort. There were mixed fortunes for the division’s Welsh sides as Swansea University were beaten convincingly 18-48 by Nottingham Trent University, whereas Cardiff University travelled to Oxford Brookes University and scored 34 points without reply.

Harry Bell was the star for University of Warwick as they brushed aside University of Nottingham 2 aside in clinical fashion with a 62-0 win in Southern Tier 2-2A. Winger Jack Bullen was the pick of the bunch with a hattrick of tries as University of Gloucestershire swept aside University of Leicester 50-10. A points difference of just four is all that separates Warwick and Gloucestershire at this early stage of the season, and something will have to give in Southern Tier 2-2A as the two teams go head-to-head next week.

Unsurprisingly, Leeds Beckett University 2 and Northumbria University 3 lead the way in Northern Tier 2-2B, but are joined by University of Leeds 2 - forward Toby Uren was the unlikely hattrick hero as the Pythons made a winning start to 2025/26 with a 24-18 victory over Newcastle University 2.

By Patrick Bratin