Congratulation to Jack Spittle, the Nottingham winger, who achieved the feat of scoring five tries in a match against Yorkshire Carnegie at Emerald Headingley Stadium on Friday 31st January 2020.

During the club’s proud 143-year existence, Jack becomes only the twelfth player, and third away from home, during that time to score five or more tries in a first-team match, and the first for nearly 32 years.

Following in the footsteps of the following players who also have achieved this feat, namely Leslie Birkin against Leicester II (H) on 8th December 1883, H Rawlings against Sheffield (H) on 6th March 1920, CL Burton against Oakham School (A) on 16th October 1920, Arthur Derry v Waterloo (H) on 27th March 1926, Arthur Derry v RAF Cranwell Cadets (H) on 23rd October 1926, Arthur Derry v Burton (H) on 5th February 1927, Arthur Bassett, the Welsh international, v Army XV (H) on 5th February 1944, Mike Brownhill v Bradford (H) on 2nd December 1961, Mike Brownhill v Old Edwardians (H) on 3rd April 1963, Paul Irons v Old Merchant Taylors (H) on 17th March 1973, Gary Stokes v Guy’s Hospital (H) on 24th November 1984, Richard Moon v Birmingham (H) on 9th March 1985 and Clifton Jones v Birkenhead Park (H) on 23rd April 1988.  The twelfth player, who scored 6 tries in a match, is Malcolm McGougan who achieved this feat against British Thompson Houston Co ‘Rugby’ (A) on 23rd September 1925.

Whilst Richard Moon achieved the feat in a Midland Merit Table match, the precursor of League rugby, Jack Spittle become the first Nottingham player to achieve this feat in a League match breaking, by one try, the record previously held jointly by Gary Hartley against Bedford (H) on 18th November 1989 and Alan Royer against Liverpool St Helens (A) on 28th November 1998. 

Gary became the first player to score four tries in a Courage Clubs Championship Division 1 match, the equivalent to today’s Premiership.

Jack becomes the 148th player to score 3 or more tries in a match.