Tom Guise
Reports are coming through of the death of Tom Guise, a popular former player and club member. As more news arrives we will do our best to keep you informed. May he rest in peace.
Match reports
These seem to be of less importance but I will give a brief review of last weekend's games.
First XV
Making the trip to unbeaten Upton our boys could not spoil the host clubs 100% record. Even the eventual arrival of Pete the fridge failed to stem the tide and the final result was a defeat by 8-41.
Development XV
Also on the Upton trek, our young lads with a number of players missing were soundly defeated with Luke and Tom T. being our only points scorers in a heavy defeat.
Vandals XV
With much tougher opponents in Spartans 2nds our more senior lads were fully tested but still won, but by a much smaller margain than normal. Tries by Phil W., Rob, the secret Arsenal fan, Bastock and Young Simon plus 2 cons by Ralph were just about enough to see us win by 19-10
See the full Vandals match report below.
Minis and Juniors
Our minis were on training and the under 14s played host to Spartans. In a short comment manager Nigel Walker suggested that although the lads lost, the overall performance was much improved.
Our under 15s faced the prospect of a much tougher encounter than normal when they made the short journey down Haslucks Green Road to our traditional rivals, Camp Hill. It doesn't happen very often but our lads richly deserved their away victory by 29-16. Although Camp's fly-half Ben Love, another product of tthe STA rugby academy was in supreme goalkicking form, he could do little to prevent our boys from scoring 5 excellent tries. Particularly outstanding for the visitors was the front-row of Tyrell, Josh Purdy and Sam Arkell for their work in the scrums and in open play.
Fixtures
This coming weekend provisionally features the following matches,
Saturday (2.15)
First XV v Harbury away league
Dev XV v Ason Old Es away
Vandals v Aston Old Eds home
Sunday (11.00)
Under 7/8s v Old Saltleians away
Under 15s v Bromsgrove away
Friend of the club
Down at Camp Hill last sunday saw the last game as the home team under 15 coach of Andy Carry. With his son Reece moving on to a higher level, Andy also felt it was time to move on. Good luck mate with your touch/tag rugby and our best wishes to you, Nat and Reece. If ever you are passing the Old Ys drop in and see us and who knows, there might be a drink for you.
Vandals v Spartans 2nds
Saturday 5th February 2010 and a whole calender year since our last defeat found us up against (as it now transpires) Spartans 2nds, having originally accepted the challenge of their unbeaten Vets side at Tilehouse Lane and with Spartans playing in the division above our own a very tough prospect indeed. With conditions best described as wet 'n wild, and following advice from our resident meteorologist Ralph we opted for the vast expanse of the first team pitch in order to move our younger opponents about a bit!!
A new look front row in ever present loosehead Shannon "Steps" Killarney, Greg "the Knife" Allen and Rick "Swing" Lowe at tighthead, in the second row stunt skipper John Lonie and Phil "BMT" Gouldbourn, and on the flanks Nick "the Assassin" Levey and Rob "Barstool" Bastock on the flanks with Alistair "Ali G" Gouldbourn at No.8.
Out in the Turkish Bath this week Iain "Johnno" Johnson at scrum half partnering Ian "Nev" Neville at fly half, with centres Nick "Barrel" Palmer & Tony "Fitz" Fitzgerald; on the wings Phil "Horse" Watson & Simon "Slippery" Singleton with Dave "Ralph" Rollins at fullback.
On the sofa this week Alan "the Colt" Arkell, Andy "Fred" Killarney, Dave "Squealer" Howlett, Gary "Smoking" Williams, Chris "Crash" Rowe, Captain Slow and having been abandoned by the Development side Sean "Bean" Byrne.
Captain Lonie wins the toss and implementing Einstein's unified beer theory opts to play towards the Clubhouse in the second half.
So Spartans kick off and it's a deep one into our twenty two, it's fielded off the deck by Johnno who pops it to Barstool and he goes searching for traffic and bludgeons his way through the first three would be tacklers before we set and Johnno puts a wind assisted box kick over the top and it goes out a metre or so outside the Spartans twenty two. Lineout Spartans, they throw to two and come down with it, their scrum half snipes down the narrow side but he's caught by BMT, and they have to set, ball comes out to the fly half who kicks to touch. But Mr Ian Roberts our referee for the day, resplendent in his baseball cap (a first for me) spots that he took it back into his twenty two so what little ground he made is erased, and we are awarded the lineout on the twenty two line.
Knife hits BMT cleanly at four, we set and then we drive, Barstool peels off infield and takes it into contact, Steps is up next and he gets to within six or seven metres of the Spartans line, we set and Johnno looks to spin, but the ref blows for hands in/coming over right in front of the posts. Most teams would opt for the sitter but not us and Johnno takes it quickly to Nev and out it goes through fast hands to Slippery and he goes over in the corner 5-0. In the howling gale Ralphs conversion goes wide.
Restart again finds Johnno, who feeds the Horse who puts one over the top, and it's fielded at the second attempt by their hooker who sets off into midfield, then spins it and the receiver is brought down by the Assassin and we all pile in, but we're pinged for not releasing. They try to take it quickly, but the ref's having none of it, and with the element of surprise gone they elect to kick to touch, but make little progress in the head wind the ball going out a metre or so inside our half. Greg's up at two and tries to spoil but Spartans come down with it, ball goes to ground and they have to set again. We spread out, then counter ruck but we're pinged for coming in from the side. They kick but it doesn't find touch but Horse instead and he sets off, hands off the first couple, comes into midfield and passes to Ralph, he's tackled but pops it up off the deck to Nev who has to stand it up, so the 677 gather round, Barstool peels away with it and goes through the first couple and big Phil takes it on next and breaks through the line, gets held, Johnno gets it away to Horse standing at centre, who finds Shannon but ball goes to ground, looks like it's gone backwards but Mr Roberts disagrees and gives the game's first scrum to Spartans midway between the halfway line and our ten. Steady scrum by Spartans, ball comes out scrum half and fly half go blind but the fly half knocks it on into touch for a throw in to Yards.
We fluff our lines and the Spartan's hooker takes the errant flap down, and they set, drive and the scrum half spins the ball out to their big fly half who pops an inside pass, but Barstool takes the runner and they knock it on as they try to set. Scrum to Yards just inside our ten metre line, we hold firm and Johnno whips it out to to Nev who fires one down into the half; the fullback looks to have knocked on but gets away with it and he starts to run, and cuts through our midfield and it's Barstool who scrags him in the end and we all line up in defence, they look to recycle and scrum half chips over the top and the ball goes out seven or eight metres from our line, for a throw in to Yards. Lonie takes it safely at two and we set, before Rob splinters away with it and creams the Spartans scrum half in the process, Nick's first to the breakdown but ref's whistle goes for the tackler not releasing (meanwhile the scrum half's taking a while to get back on his feet). Ralph puts the kick long the ball going out just on the halfway line.
Ball comes in evades big Phil's hands but it's cleared up by Rob at the back, and we all go on the trundle first right then left as we counter Spartans' efforts to halt our progress, the ball's safe at the back now (unlike when England do it) and in Rick's hands as we change the direction of the maul to counter the defensive effort. Rick hands over to Ali G at the back and Barstool standing off takes the short pop, he offloads to Lonie who takes a great catch off his size twelve's and we all pile in as do they, but again we are undone by the ref who gives Spartans a penalty midway between their twenty two and ten metre lines. The fly half though just about makes the halfway line. Big Phil's unlucky not to pluck it out the air, as Spartans come down with it and spin straight it out into midfield where the Assassin takes the inside centre and we pile in and this time Spartans are penalised for coming over the top. Great kick by Ralphy the ball going out about ten metres from their line, and the Knife hits BMT at four and Johnno takes it off the top and wangs it out to Nev and barrel comes on his first pair of the day and breaks the gain line and takes it into contact, we set round him and Horse comes and lends his weight to it, Johnno digs it out and looks to spin but there's nobody at home so he has to go it alone, gives a flea flicker out the back of his hand to Ali G who gains more yards, and keeps on going he goes to ground and Spartans come over, penalty Yards. We take it quickly but the pass to Alistair is deemed forward so scrum to Spartans about fifteen metres out from their line. And the first wounded Spartan trudges off. Looks like foot up but they get away with it but we "unintentionally" wheel the scrum round the 180 whistle goes and we get the put in.
The pressure of our eight begins to tell as Spartans intentionally wheel and concede a penalty about twenty metres out in front of the posts and once again they turn their backs expecting us to take the easy option but Barstool has other ideas as he retrieves the ball, jogs back to the mark and takes the quick one in front of Mr Roberts and runs through the middle of them with Shannon & Lonie in hot pursuit to score just to the left of the posts 10-0 Ralph makes no mistake 12-0 (this one's on Facebook).
One restart, two quick penalties and a couple of scrums later Spartans are awarded a penalty about five metres from our line for collapsing the last one; they load the right hand side side (Captains note: that's a hint) and with only Shannon & I think one other opposite them, strangely enough they come that way and score about a metre in from the corner 12-5 The kick goes no where near, but still game on.
It's a good long restart which drops inside their twenty two, they bring it forward but we hold them on their twenty two, with tackles coming in from Greg & Nick, they continue to try and play themselves out of it, as we counter ruck and John showing his footie skills for the second week running manages to get a foot to it, kicking it through, the Spartans player doesn't make much of an effort to get off his arse with it, but ref allows play to go on as they recycle and spin and continue trying to bring it out the hard way, Nev makes the next tackle then Barrel and we turn it over, Nick takes it and gets a real fizzer and has a lie down for a bit to collect his thoughts and lungs. The ball goes forward off the tackler so we get the scrum, ball comes out we go blind but Slippery knocks on.
Scrum Spartans five metres outside the twenty two. Again our eight put the wheel on but their scrum half digs it out and is forced to box kick it over, Ralph traps it with his feet and puts his own sand wedge over the top but it's too long and is dotted down for a drop out to Spartans. They look to take it quickly but change their minds, they look to kick long towards the 2nd team pitch but then kick short right, clever bit of play in fairness, but undone by a knock on almost immediately after. Scrum Yards, our turn to feel the squeeze as we go back half a yard, their scrum half comes round, whistle goes, looks like offside but bizarrely the ref gives the penalty to Spartans.They take it quickly into midfield and Fitzy cleaves his man in half and gets a Brucie Bonus as the ball goes forward in the tackle.
So it's a scrum midway between the ten and the twenty two, and again the Spartans eight put ours under pressure and Ali G is forced to pick up at the base, and gives a big loopy pass to Ralph, which gives the defence plenty of time and Ralph knocks it on in the tackle. (Captain's note: did I not mention loop passes!). Scrum Spartans, the first one breaks up, and we have another go, steadier this time, scrum half to fly half he does a step but it doesn't fool the Assassin who nails him, Alistair's net to him, Spartans look to set, as the "enthusiastic" Barstool is pinged for coming in from the side.
The wind is now howling into the face of the fly half as he kicks for touch, the ball going out just inside their half. Greg's up an hour early, but it obviously puts the Spartans' hooker off as Lonie takes it, and we all drive over; Johnno picks up and Shannon takes it on the burst, bish bash, Alistair clears them out, then Rob takes it on and makes more yards, Rick picks up, offloads to big Phil, he takes it into contact and again Alistair clears them out, Barrel's snook in there somehow and he takes it on another yard, Johnno looks to go short but he gets clobbered but manages to offload it, then carries on having a cuddle with his tackler. Barrel stands in at scrum half, and he takes it on again. Lonie's to him, then Nick and we set, short pass to Rob, he breaks the line, and we're about twenty metres from their line, he pops it to BMT, does a step and comes inside, looking for his brother as he goes into contact and they come tumbling over, penalty Yards. We take it quickly and Horse would have scored, had the ref not decided to come back for injured Spartans.
We have another go but get turned over, they run a couple of phases before getting a penalty from which they kick to touch the ball going out about fifteen metres from their line. They look as if they've secure their own ball but Barstool comes away with it wannabe scrum half Barrel's in there again but he's overruled by Johnno, and we spin wide to Horse and he gets to within ten metres of their line before getting tackled but we're penalised for handling on the deck. Spartans look to clear but only as far as their twenty two. Greg's up at two tries his best to spoil but they come down with it and we're done again for coming in from the side. Again with the wind in his face the Spartans' fly half only makes seven or eight metres. The throw comes in and Greg makes contact and Rick clears up, but whistle goes again for a scrum to Spartans. Then we get pinged for a deliberate wheel, Spartans simply grateful to eat up the clock with each of our misdemenours, again it's the fly half making seven or eight metres. At which point Mr Lonie & Mr Roberts have a deep & meaningful conversation. Spartans opt for a three man line which initially confuses us somewhat, so Shannon, Phil & John line up, and pile through and the Spartans' scrum half knocks on in the tackle. Ref plays advantage, we recycle and ball finds Ralph who kicks over with pinpoint accuracy the ball going out a metre from their line.
Spartans don't panic and secure it at two and drive the jumper on, we give them some space and the ball goes to ground at which point the ref's baseball cap finally gets blown off, and the scrum half digs the ball out and punts it into touch, ref blows for half time in order to retrieve his cap.
Half time 12-5 Drinks all round and just the one change young Arkell coming on for the younger Barstool. Still much to do now as the breeze is in our faces, and one of the Spartans remarks it's a twenty point wind. Lots of chat in the huddle all with a differing view but all realising that the penalty count is killing us.
Its a steady scrum Johnno ships it out to Nev who brings Barrel in on the scissors and he carves straight through, looks like he going all the way, but get's brought down about fifteen metres from the line, pops it up but his searing break has also left the support for dead and the Spartan fly half hacks it forward but only in to the arms of Nev, who seeing nothing on puts in an excellent kick that goes out on the Spartans twenty two. The throw comes in and it's the Colt Arkell who takes it at five or six and we set, Johnno sends it out to Nev and Slippery comes in off his wing and cuts in field, but it goes loose in midfield and their speedster centre picks up and sets off and makes great ground evading tackle after tackle, gets past our ten metre line before spinning it out to his centre partner, who finds their fly half but it's a poor pass and with our cover arriving he has no option but to welly it into touch. They win our ball and it comes out to the fly half who pops one back inside, but they make no real ground and we all pile in, they set, they're midway between the halfway and our ten metre line, its all gone a bit static and their nine puts an excellent box kick over the top and it goes out just in front of our line. Chris Rowe comes on for the industrious Nick Levey and Gary Williams comes on for Tony Fitz.
So it's a lineout five metres from our line, throw comes in and it's knocked forward by us and then by them. Scrum Spartans same distance, balls at the back and Johnno's over their nine like a rash, he's tap tackled by Johnno as he makes the pass, it's a loopy one and Chris "Crash" makes an immediate impact and we drive them off it, we spin comes to Nev he's caught and we're pinged again for coming in from the side Ali G this time. They take it quick and again Chris bladders the fly half, but he manages to offload to one of the second rows so Barrel gets him, they're centre field ten metres so out they shift it wide, looks a certain score but Horse is there to save the day and ball goes out, though deflected off a Yards player. Throw to Spartans, they throw short, too short and we get the free kick to clear our lines. The wind keeps it in and it drops around halfway their fullback takes it and sends it back with interest, Symes goes back for it turns the corner and sets off with it, he's almost clothes lined, so we set and BMT takes it on with first Crash in support and then his little brother Al and going forward we win the scrum. Alistair picks up from the base and goes, looks for someone to pass to and it's Symes who cuts inside, and does a step, gets over halfway before he's stopped, Arks clears the Spartans scrum half out the way as only he can, BMT's there, Johnno sends it out to Nev, does a step, looks for support, and comes back to the relative warmth of the forwards.
There's a bit of pushing & shoving between the grown ups and the ref takes the easy option and blows up and awards us a scrum. Difficult ball for Johnno to take as it comes rifling out, he spins to Nev and our mercurial fly half dummies first Barrel then Smoking and gives the perfect flat pass to Horse at full tilt moreorless on the halfway line and he carves his way through the Spartans defence to score under the posts 17-5 Still a tough kick for Ralph given the gale blowing in his face, so he gives it a real leathering 19-5.
Long deep restart finds big Phil he takes it a few yards and his brother comes to him, and the 677 gather round but somehow we lose it forward, and ref plays advantage and Spartans come away with it, the ball comes to their fleet footed young centre who makes good ground before his pass to the winger finds touch instead. They steal at the line and ball comes out to the fly half who tries to cut back inside and gets Chris Rowe again, they recycle and ball comes out into midfield where it gets knocked forward in the tackle by a Yards player. Spartans scrum just inside our ten metre line, they spin their two quick centres again make good ground before big Phil makes the tackle about five or six metres from our line; and again we're penalised for coming in from the side. They spin quickly and the fly half not having the best of days throws a forward pass, scrum Yards about twelve metres out. Steady ball and Ralph puts one over the top, doesn't find touch but doesn't bounce either and Smoking's first to it, he gets up Ali G in support, we recycle, Dewi Palmer in at scrum half and he goes route one, goes to ground and we drive over, Rick picks up and goes but the whistle's gone.
Andy comes on for hard working John, and Shannon assumes command. Ball comes out cleanly and we clear to touch. Spartans throw comes in, but it goes to ground and Rick's in like a flash and toe pokes it forward and their winger obligingly knocks it on, and we make ten metres in the process. Scrum Yards, Alistair picks up and goes but loses it in contact and they spin, but Smoking clatters his man in midfield and the ball spills loose, Horse picks up and tries to get moving, but there are too many around him. Referee sees something and blows, penalty Yards close to the ten metre line and not for the first time the ref has a word with the No.16.
Ralph doesn't find touch, but the fullback does his impression of the dying fly and whilst making no real attempt to get up Symes & Smoking are the ones penalised about eight metres from their line. They kick to clear their lines, and a couple of lineouts and scrums later they've worked their way up the touchline to a position just outside our twenty two. Barrel makes way for Dave Howlett in his first outing in a couple of seasons. The game's becoming a bit of a war of attrition now as Spartans look for a way though.
Scrum yards, we're under pressure and Johnno improvises and flips it between his legs to Simon who sets off on one of his mazy specials from inside our twenty two, and keeps going past the ten before hoofing it further up field and it's a foot race, their fullback goofs it and Squealer's to him first, we're deep inside the Spartans twenty two, but whistle goes I think for not releasing. They try to run it out from their twenty two, we spread and defend, they get to just inside their ten metre and ball goes to ground, penalty, we feel their No.16 is all over it and vent our spleens as does the touchline, and we're marched back ten, then another, and another, Mr Roberts gleefully giving the verbal gesture all the way.
The final ten minutes becomes a trial of defensive strength for both sides in deteriorating conditions as Spartans press hard to get back into the game; and whilst Spartans did manage another unconverted try to bring the score to 19-10 it was only a consolation as they never really threatened to overtake our lead.
Final Score 19-10 Final age 641 maintaining our average of an average age of 43.
Captains note: one thing we got pinged for throughout the game was for coming in from the side, I've got at least four or five on tape, you bigger units go through the gate and not over the bloody fence in future please!!
Man in the dirtiest shirt this week goes to one of our usually unsung ones, Rick, after being pitched in at tighthead and despite admitting to being up against a real handful, he stuck with it and competed with his man throughout the game and also for his tireless work in the loose. And apologies to Sean who through my own ineptitude didn't get on.
Our 19th win of the season, and by a margin of three points now our closest game this season, and a mark of how just a tough a fixture it was, the first occasion our offensive machine has been pegged to less than twenty points. That said now only 145 points away from the magic 1000.
This Saturday sees us up against the previous holders of the closest game 22-10 Aston Old Edwardians at Tilehouse Lane.
Slow