The 3rd XV rounded off their superb season by beating Wilmslow 2 at Rossendale on Saturday to lift the Lighting and Building Services Jug.
A 22-17 victory saw the 3rd XV add Cup glory to league promotion which they had secured the previous week. Playing up hill and into the wind, Wilmslow took an early 12-3 lead but a try from Adam Saleh just before half time gave Hoppers hope for the second period as they trailed 12-8.
Hoppers started the second half with renewed purpose and made good use of the Rossendale slope as they fought to get back in the game. It wasn’t long before the pack overwhelmed Wilmslow with both McGuire and Holden crashing over to put Hoppers out to a 22-12 lead.
Late Wilmslow pressure saw Saleh sin-binned for being offside with Wimslow finally creeping over to make it 22-17. A tense finish looked on the cards but Hoppers managed to shut the game down and seal a superb victory.
Preston Grasshoppers 3rd XV’s season is all the more remarkable considering that they were a newly promoted team this season, having won promotion last season. A back to back promotion alongside a second successive Cup winning season saw the 3rd XV rightly crowned as the club’s team of the year at the end of season dinner.
