Super 12 style rugby came to Banbury on Saturday, with an avalanche of points which ended with the Bulls emerging 53-49 winners in a 14-try extravaganza in a Midlands Division 1 clash with Barkers Butts.

Banbury took an early lead when good recycling and passing gave right wing Stuart Viggers the room he needed to shred the remaining defence for a well-worked try which was converted by Richard Lee.

Barkers' Butts struck back with a penalty from Wayne Holmes, and Banbury had further misfortune when No 8 Rob Cockerton was forced to leave the field with a hamstring injury to be replaced by debutant Steve Clark.

The Bulls, playing with the breeze, were putting together several good passing movements, and were rewarded with tries from centre Mark Botten, who enjoyed an excellent game throughout, and hooker Simon Brown.

Lee kicked one conversion and added a drop goal. With just 25 minutes gone the Bulls were leading 22-3.

Barkers Butts were not prepared to lie down, and with their big, powerful forwards getting to grips with the game, their right wing Gareth Paine went in for a try at the corner.

One of the defining moments of the game came in the closing minutes of the half as Banbury repulsed heavy and sustained pressure on their line to break away and fly half Richard Lee crossed for a try which he converted himself to give Banbury a 29-8 half time lead.

If Banbury thought they would pull away for an easy win, any complacency was knocked out of them in the first ten minutes of the second half, as the big Barkers Butts forwards took full advantage of some flimsy tackling to create the platform for fly half Barry Silvester and wing Dean Thompson to score tries, both of which were converted by the reliable Holmes, who also added a penalty.

However, just as it looked as if Banbury might capitulate totally, they reasserted themselves with a try from winger Paul Cartwright converted by Lee, but Barkers replied immediately with a try and conversion from Holmes.

With the game in the balance, it was Banbury who scored next with a Lee try, whilew Barkers replied with a Holmes penalty. Banbury then seemed to take an unassailable grip on the game with tries from Cartwright and Will Brooks plus a Lee conversion, which gave the fly half a match tally of 23 points.

But in the final minutes, Butts scored two tries in quick succession through Glen Southwell and Gareth Paine, both converted by Holmes, which left Banbury leading by a mere four points, and it was the Bulls who were relieved to hear the final whistle.