A second successive away trip saw Selby head west on the M62 to long-time rivals Old Brodleians, where they produced another committed display before narrowly losing 39–29 in an open and entertaining game.

There were a few changes to the Selby line-up, with Joe Styrin handed a rare start on the flank — to the delight of his new sponsor, Low Farm Energy — and Harry Clarke, the second team captain, starting at scrum-half to allow Archie Bennett to move to fly-half. There was also a welcome return for Ryan Lamb, named among the replacements.

The famous Brods slope was present as ever, though several visiting supporters commented they’d rarely seen it with so much grass — or enjoyed conditions in the Pennines quite so still and dry.

Selby made a lightning start, just as they had the previous week at Pocklington. Hola Vea stripped the ball in the air from a Brods player before feeding James Bramley, who passed to young winger Ben Sibley to touch down with ease. Charlie Bramley converted, and Selby were up and running. From the restart, the Bramley brothers combined again to take the Swans deep into the home 22. A penalty soon followed, and Charlie added a straightforward three points for a 10–0 lead.

Selby continued to press, and when Brods overthrew a lineout, Vea pounced, hacking on twice before winning the race to the line and touching down for a fine individual try. At 15–0, the visitors looked in full control, but the hosts are never easily beaten at home.
A loose Selby pass was intercepted and Brods’ winger Kemp sprinted clear to score in the corner, before their forwards took charge, powering over for two more unconverted tries to level the match at 15–15. A yellow card for Joey Reid for pulling down a maul proved costly, as Brods immediately drove over again to lead 20–15 at half-time.

Selby regrouped with renewed energy and introduced Connor Dale, making his debut, as well as Liam Hogan and Ryan Lamb. However, Brods continued to dominate in the tight exchanges and crossed twice more to extend their advantage, one of which was converted.
The visitors hit back strongly. A steady scrum platform allowed Clarke to go blind and find Sibley, who was held just short. The ball was quickly recycled and spread wide to Connor D, who crossed with composure for a debut try. Bramley added an excellent conversion from the touchline.

Selby were now full of running, their younger players combining well with the experienced forwards. Antun Wilson and Alex Dolat carried effectively, and from a maul near the line, Hola Vea broke clear and crashed over under the posts. Bramley converted, closing the gap to just seven points and earning Selby a bonus point for four tries scored.

A brief melee after the try saw Vea, and only Vea, shown a yellow card, leaving Selby again down to fourteen. Brods capitalised to score their final try, stretching the lead to 39–29. Selby finished the stronger side, playing the better rugby in the closing stages but unable to find the final score that might have earned a deserved losing bonus point.

It was another display of promise from a young Selby side growing in confidence each week, with both 18-year-olds Sibley and Dale crossing the line — clear evidence of the club’s successful Green to Gold player pathway.

With a number of exciting young players now breaking into the senior squad, the club is inviting player sponsors to support their development. Sponsorships are a great way for individuals or local businesses to show their backing for homegrown talent — players like Ben Sibley, who has come through Selby’s junior ranks to make an immediate first-team impact. Email sponsorship@selbyrufc.com for further details.

Elsewhere, the Second XV continued their unbeaten run with a commanding 64–0 victory over BP Chemicals at home — a welcome return for Harrison Green and Adam Leetham after long absences. The Fourth XV lost narrowly 19–14 to Yarnbury Veterans, with tries from Karl Dutton and Oliver Spink, who also added both conversions.

Selby are back at Sandhill Lane next week for the visit of Scarborough, who bring three sides — the Women’s XV kicking off at noon, followed by the Firsts and Seconds at 3pm — before the club’s Oktoberfest celebrations in the evening.

The seaside club, led by former England full-back Ben Foden as head coach, suffered a surprise defeat against Pocklington on Saturday, but their intent is clear. It promises to be a full day of quality rugby and entertainment, with Selby confident they can match anyone on home turf.