COVENTRY Rugby ramped up their preparations for the new campaign with a 45-17 pre-season win against newly-promoted Chinnor.
The home side ran in seven tries as Rhys Anstey, Tom Ball, Billy Nairau, Matt Kvesic, Suva Ma’asi, David Opoku and Will Lane all dotted down at Butts Park Arena.
Alex Rae’s side broke the deadlock on 17 minutes when Anstey drove over from an attacking lineout and touched down which Theo Mannion converted.
And the hosts struck again four minutes later as Ball dove over the line in support of Nairau’s powerful drive with Mannion again adding the extras.
Nairau scored Cov’s third try on 28 minutes after he picked up a loose ball at the tail of Chinnor’s defensive lineout and powered over with Mannion converting.
The home side dotted down again on 34 minutes as Kvesic crossed for a try in support of Josh Barton who took a quick tap penalty.
And Ma’asi scored Cov’s fifth try of the first half three minutes later from another lineout drive as Rae’s men went into the break with a 31-point lead.
Chinnor responded after the interval as Will Cave and Epi Rokodrava scored a pair of quickfire tries for the visitors.
And the away side closed the gap to 14 points late on when replacement Cam Rafferty gathered a loose ball and finished in the corner.
However, Opoku used his blistering pace to touch down four minutes from time from Charlie Robson’s pass following Aaron Hinckley’s neat offload.
And Lane completed the scoring with Cov’s seventh try under the posts in the final minute as the home side rounded off pre-season with an impressive victory.
Coventry begin the Championship season away at London Scottish on Friday, September 20 with kick-off at 7.45pm at Richmond Athletic Ground.
