UK Edition
Rugby history made in side's astonishing 190-0 win
Title chasing Blackburn scored 30 tries in their thumping victory over Cumbrian side Kirkby Lonsdale
The record for the biggest win in British rugby union history has been broken after Blackburn Rugby Union Football Club defeated Kirkby Lonsdale Rugby Union Football Club 190-0 last weekend.
The fixture in Regional 1 North West between second-placed Blackburn and winless Kirkby saw the home side run in an impressive 30 tries, with six scored by second-row Conner Scrivens, five by replacement by Alex Smith, while centre Joshua Jarrold and full-back Leon Simpson both finished with hat-tricks. Jarrold also kicked 12 conversions, with a further eight knocked over by Leon Fifield.
Blackburn's remarkable win was advertised with little fanfare on the club's Facebook page, merely posting the list of scorers and the full-time result, with the victory breaking the previous British record set in 1996 when Norwich defeated Eccles and Attleborough by a score of 177-3.
Admirably the losing side, who are yet to win this season having now lost all 19 of their league matches and having already been relegated, looked for positives in the wake of a landmark defeat. "No matter the score today, and well done Blackburn Rugby Union Football Club - BRUFC, we are proud of all those lads that pulled on a Kirkby shirt today," read a post on the team's Facebook page. "As a club and as a team we have brighter days in front of us, thank you to everyone involved in our club, and we will go again next week."
A response to Kirkby's post from Blackburn read: "Right to be proud, they never gave up and heard teams losing by a smaller amount, complain and whinge more than your young lads! After our loss last week, we needed a big win, so not the best time to play us. All the best for the rest of the season."
Further comments from Blackburn supporters suggested that the game should have been brought to a halt, with one supporter adding: "This should never be allowed to happen. What benefit is this to the game. The referee should have brought the game to an early end. Very sad." Others praised Kirkby's players for continuing to battle. "Every credit to the Kirbky squad who turned up and stuck at it. Some young men helping their club to rebuild."
Blackburn, chasing down Lymm at the top of Regional 1 North West, have now won 16 of their matches this season but fell narrowly short of breaking the world record for largest win in rugby union history. That was set in 1973 in Denmark, when Comet defeated Lindo 194-0.