A wet and windy morning provided the backdrop to our visit to Old Saltleians. Old Salts have had an impressive run of form so far this season, so we knew it was going to be a difficult challenge for us. The twelve boys available for selection were formed loosely into an older more experienced A side and a less seasoned B side with some interchange between the two. We then played 4 halves of 10 minutes alternating between the A and B side. The A side were up first and boy were they up for it! With in the first few minutes they had scored two tries and taken six tags from the well-drilled Old Salts. As both Yards and Salts parents commented this was the best rugby we had seen all season. The half ended 3-2 to Old Yards with tries from Josh H, Ollie and Alex. The B side took over and continued the try scoring. However, Old Salts started to regain some of their composure and ended the half ahead by 4 tries to 3 with Ellis, Alex and Charlie taking the tries for Old Yards. The A side returned. The scoreline was once again 3-2 to Old Yards with jinking runs leading to tries from Josh H and Ollie. The third try went to Archie with his greyhound-like run leaving Old Salts standing. Cold and tiredness were starting to take their toll in the final half, but the boys were enjoying themselves making it hard to find volunteers to leave the pitch. The score ended 4-2 to Old Salts with tries from Ollie and Josh H. Overall, it was a marvellous performance against the toughest opposition we have faced this season. We won one of the matches and Old Salts the other so a fantastic result. The quality of rugby is going from strength to strength. The Old Salts coach commented that Yards were the best opposition they had faced all season, our win being their first loss of the season, well done all!
Tamworth 3rds v Vandals - 12th March 2011 - hidden match report
Saturday 12th March and our twenty fourth game of the season saw in in action over at Wiggington Park to play our third match of the season against Tamworth 3rds.
In the mere mortals this week a welcome return to Shannon "Steps" Killarney, birthday boy, sexagenarian (yes that is a real word) & Club President Steven Walter Sidwell, with Rick "Swing" Lowe switching to tighthead, in the second row Phil "BMT" Gouldbourn & Rupert "the Major" Young, with Nick "the Assassin" Levey and Chris "Crash" Rowe on the flanks with Rob "Barstool" Bastock tying the bums together at No.8.
Amongst the Gods Phil "the General" Evans at scrum half alongside Ian "Nev" Neville at fly half, Nick "Blind Date" Palmer partnering Gary "Smokin" Williams in midfield, with wings Phil "Horse" Watson and Sean " Bean" Byrne, with Dave "Ralph" Rollins tidying up the rubbish at fullback.
A compact & bijou bench this week (with both Ones & Twos calling on our experience) in Alan "the Colt" Arkell, Simon "Sideways" Singleton & Captain Slow
.
As a birthday present Sid took the metaphorical captain's armband and won the toss and decided to play against the slight breeze and up the gentle slope in the first half.
Tamworth's kick off evades all our hands and they secure possession, and immediately a familiar face in their second row big Andy takes it on close, breaks the first tackle, offloads to their flanker who again takes it close. We defend as Tamworth build the phases and again the second row comes through, then one of the youngsters and finally we stop them on our twenty two and we counter-ruck aggressively and the ball dies, the whistle goes for an attacking put in at the scrum. It's a bit of a feed but they get away with it then spin fly half to his inside centre (& someone our age) Andy Jones who has a go and breaks the first tackle, but is felled almost immediately by Nick Levey and Barstool gets it off the deck and goes on a trundle and makes good ground before being tackled. Barrel scoops it up but his onward pass is deemed forward.
Scrum then to Tamworth a few metres midway between our twenty two and ten metre lines, they get away with a knock on at the base and the young No.8 picks up and goes, he offloads to big Andy, then former skipper Graham Hakes then has a go as they get inside our twenty two, he offloads back to his partner in crime Andy but he's tackled by Chris Crash. Again they recycle as our warm-up continues as they build up the phases before spinning it out into midfield where Smokin' makes the tackle and Barrel strips away the ball and passes to the General who box kicks over the top and Sean gives chase. The Tamworth youngster takes it cleanly and just about evades Barstool but is double teamed by BMT & Horse instead and it's Smokin' who steals it and goes, he gets through a couple but he's finally brought down though the Gods smile as Tamworth are penalised for not releasing in the tackle.
Ralph takes the kick and reaches the halfway line. Big Phil takes it cleanly at four and Rick tidies up and we drive it on, it's a good one as we cross their ten metre line, and then Rob splinters in field and is mugged and Tamworth turn it over and kick ahead but it goes straight into touch for a lineout to Yards just a few metres outside their twenty two. We throw to two, it goes a little awry but we manage to secure it and Phil sends it out to Nev he brings Barrel in on his first scissors of the day and he goes clean through the middle, he's finally stopped but again we are fortunate as Tamworth are penalised for coming over the top. We kick to the corner, the ball going out about twelve metres from their goal line. The throw goes to the back and drifts off course and ref decides for a scrum to Tamworth, at which point one of their youngsters appears to walk off in a strop. When asked by Slow he confides that it was because as a flanker he was being asked to play centre, mind in fairness I wouldn't like Barrel running at me either.
We put their scrum under pressure and it starts to turn and the nine puts it up and not for the last time in the match finds Horse and off he goes, cuts lateral, passes to Smokin' who goes into traffic, Barrel's there to him offloads and Horse takes the pass and makes a break, passes back to Barrel who takes it to ground, we set, the General sells a great dummy and goes, gets through the first couple and it takes a fine tackle to stop him with the line only six or seven metres away, we look to recycle but Tamworth infringe and come offside.
Captain Sid for the second time this season opts for the kick at goal, Slow goes mental, the air turns blue and Ralph bangs it over 3-0.
Big Phil takes the restart and sets off in characteristic fashion and reaches the halfway line before he's held up, we drive over and Crash gets the opportunity to have a run and he makes good yards before going to ground, ball is locked in there so we get the scrum. Rob picks up and goes blind finds Sean but he's driven into touch by the cover defence. In what turns out to be their only real potent set piece weapon they take the ball at two, set and drive, then spin but Nev makes a great interception and sets off for glory, but has an attack of self doubt en route and chips ahead but it goes over the try line and the Tamworth defence dot it down for a drop out twenty two.
From there they kick it direct into touch, so we go back for a scrum on the twenty two, ref doesn't like the first attempt and we have another go, and Rob picks up and goes, he makes progress in the manner of Singleton before passing to Barrel who finds BMT who gets held up on the Tamworth line. We recycle and go again but the Tamworth defence holds firm and we go in a somewhat southerly direction losing a few metres before Tamworth concede a penalty for offside and we kick to the corner the ball going out about six metres from their line. Sid's throw goes over the top and it's taken by that renowned jumper Levey, but the ref decides it wasn't straight and the birthday boy looks on in disgust.
So scrum to Tamworth about five metres out from their line. A good strong shove from us puts the Tamworth Eight under pressure and it starts to wheel, the scrum half passes to the fly half as they try to run from behind their goal line but he's forced to dot down under pressure from Chris Crash and the General. So scrum to Yards five metres out, they try to spoil it and Rob has to pick up and go, he only makes a metre or so before weight on numbers bring him down and we try to recycle but ref's whistle goes as Tamworth come over/hands in/tackler not releasing, take your pick. We line up in what looks like a practised penalty move and Shannon takes the short pass off the General and goes through the middle of them to "score", but the whistle has gone the referee deciding that his own positioning has given "Steps" a bit of an advantage (possibly Shannon brushed him on the way through) so we have to settle for an attacking scrum.
Rob picks up again and offloads in the tackle to Chris, we recycle and the General comes away with it and offloads to an unsuspecting Rick, who returns the favour to an equally unsuspecting General and the ref blows and gives a scrum to Tamworth for something I've obviously missed. The first one looks to have gone down, but ref seems happy until Barstool points something out to him and whistle goes and this time we get the put in, shove on and turn it slightly as Chris or Rob picks up (sorry couldn't see) and takes it into contact. Ralph comes in at scrum half and ships to Nev, he does a step and comes round the back, pops one out the back of his hand to Rick, way too clever for Rick but it doesn't go forward and he regathers and passes to Shannon who sells one (oh how we've missed the theatre) not many takers so we have to set and Barstool steadies the ship the ball protected under his not too inconsiderable a frame. The General relieves him of the ball and passes to Nev, to Barrel to Smokin', who tries to go himself, gets tackled but still manages to pop it off the deck to Horse who rumbles over from close range about five or six metres in from the posts 8-0. Then something I can't recall ever seeing before as one of the Tamworth whipper snappers hares out and manages to get a hand to Ralph's conversion attempt and it's deflected wide.
The restart comes to Shannon via the floor, and we set and drive, five metres then ten, with good body positions then we spin, General to Nev to Barstool on his shoulder and he bounces a couple before he's stopped and the General sends it out again to Nev to Barrel to Smokin' to Ralph in the line, to Horse and he's finally driven out by one their seniors just outside their twenty two. They shuffle their line backwards, we watch admiringly on and the ball goes long and straight in to the hands of Barstool who takes it to the deck and the Major digs it out for the General who ships it to Nev, to Barrel and it's a long pass out which goes to ground. Ralph's on it but a Tamworth player's on him and the whistle goes, we think for not letting Ralph get up but no, the ref's seen something else, possibly a forward pass and awards Tamworth the scrum. The No.8 picks up, it looks like someones tried to take Chris off the ball, but he hasn't seen that either and gives Tamworth a penalty on their ten metre line.
They kick for position the ball going out a few metres outside our twenty two. They secure at two and drive it on a few metres at which point Rob's penalised for coming in from the side. Hakesy takes it quickly and they get another ten for not retreating quickly enough, this penalty putting them five or six metres from our line. They put it in the corner, and take it at two but we get a good nudge on and stall their advance, Chris and Rob standing guard. the ball goes to ground and Tamworth are forced to move it via their big second row but again or defence is firm and it goes to ground and then Rob goes mountaineering and he and the ref have a little chat. Again they put it into the corner and go with a shortened line, they take at two and drive again and get over the line and it goes down, but he can't give it if he can't see it and they have to settle for a scrum on the five.
The No.8 picks up and he's hit first by Nick and then Rob and the ball goes to ground, at which point the whistle goes and the ref has a chat with Barstool and one of their guys who appear to be having some fun and games. Rob protests his innocence. But it's another scrum to Tamworth, but the ball squirts out and the General picks up, but we have to go again as it's come out the side. This one Sid wins against the head, and the General ships it out to Nev in the in goal area, who tries a step but is caught and has to dot it down and we're back to square one, scrum five. We wheel it round 180 and we get the put in. The ball comes shooting out the back and their No.8's on it like a flash and the General makes the tackle, but they recycle and Nick Levey makes the first up tackle, then Sid as we refuse to budge, finally the monotony is relieved when the General disagrees with the ref as to what's out at the back. Thankfully Tamworth take the pot at goal 8-3
Nev's restart finds Hakesy's shin pads and he gathers and pops it to his mate big Andy who's brought down by Chris and they set then spin, we spread and it's Rick who takes the ball carrier a little high and Barstool finishes the job and we turn it over. The General digs it out and ships it to Shannon, to Chris Crash, to Horse who sets off and goes over to score his second wide out 13-3 Conversion missed, but that's the last real meaningful action of the first half.
Halftime 13-3 Sid has some stern words (as leadership has clearly gone to his head) then Slow has his two penneth worth, mainly about over complicating the essentials and slowing things down a touch .
We start the second half with fourteen men Barstool having dislocated his thumb, and he has to await the man from the St Arkell's Ambulance to go get some insulating tape from the changing rooms.
Nev's restart goes deep dropping in front of the Tamworth twenty two, evades any contact and bounces into touch for a Tamworth lineout. Nurse Arkell arrives and Rob's running repairs begin, but we have to continue to compete with a man short.
Tamworth take it cleanly at two and drive it on a few metres before we decide they've had enough forward progress and mysteriously the maul goes to ground and they're forced to spin and their inside centre comes in on a scissors and Nev takes a nice hand off but still gets enough of a tackle to bring him down but we're quickly penalised for my hands in the ensuing ruck.
Tamworth opt to kick for touch the ball going out on our ten. Again they take it at two despite the Major's best efforts and they set and drive but with good body positions we stall their forward momentum and they have to spin, ball comes out to the fly half, to inside centre who pops it to another one of their seniors popping up in the line and Ralph puts in a cruncher and the ball comes free and Bean picks up and goes and makes good ground before getting stopped. Smokin' and Barrel are to him first and Nick Levey's in at scrum half and he takes in on a yard before getting stopped and their skipper is pinged for not releasing, and Nev puts it into touch the ball going out on their twenty two. Sid being more than generous throws it over the heads of the Tamworth line and big Phil has to stretch over their side to take it, but the ref decides this is not straight, despite the fact in my mind that we have given them more than enough of a chance of catching it than BMT.
No matter then, scrum to Tamworth on their twenty two, scrum half picks up but goes lateral, then opts for the kick pass to Horse who powers up and from the touchline it looks like none of the youngsters are interested as they make like the Red Sea and it's left to Hakesy I think to finally make the tackle but Horse pops it of the deck to Crash who takes it into contact and we set. General ships it out to Nev to Smokin' to Barrel (yes in that order) to Ralph as we hit their twenty two. He's held and it goes to ground and the Major goes short, makes a metre gets tackled and then someone comes in (sorry didn't see) and clears two Tamworth forwards out completely, the General passes out to Smokin', he's on his jack so does a step to buy some time, passes to Rick who more by luck than judgement finds Sean who takes it on.
We set, Barrel comes in at scrum half and passes to Nev and he kicks ahead, but it's a club or two too heavy as it goes dead for a twenty two drop out. Luck's on our side though as two Tamworth players are in front of the kick and we come back for a scrum to us on the twenty two and in front of the posts. Barstool picks up and goes, he's held by Hakesy but he gets the ball away to Phil and he sends it out, Barrel goes through the middle. He's stopped, short pop by the General to Chris and he's keeps the legs pumping and makes good ground, before presenting the ball back, where the General picks up but there's no one outside and has to back himself but is forced to go to ground, and the referee spots something and awards Tamworth a scrum.
So scrum to Tamworth five metres inside their twenty two we go for the wheel and the General harries his man but he manages to get it away to his fly half who punts down field and Ralph takes it on the hoof and breaks through the first tackle but is brought down by the next, he presents it and BMT picks it up and goes, he's stopped ball goes to ground and whistle goes as Tamworth come in from the side. Ralph takes it quick offloads to Barstool who takes it into contact but it's spilled and goes loose, and eventually a Tamworth player decides on another kick pass to Horse and he winds it up gives a hint of a dummy and goes over five or six metres in from the touchline 18-3. Ralph gives it a good go but is unsuccessful.
The restart cannons off Rupert's manly chest but he takes it at the second attempt and then goes to ground and we drive over, the General's seen there's nobody at home and he puts a neat box kicks over for Bean to chase but it bounces cruelly and goes into touch for a lineout to Tamworth just on their ten metre line. They take at two (probably the best part of their game getting their young stripling aerial) and spin and the ball finds their mature but quick inside centre Andy (who reminds me of Kendo) who takes it on a yard before passing to his younger partner who runs into Smokin' & and is dispossessed by Barrel. Ball comes out Nev sees that his midfield duo are hard at it so comes blind and finds Ralph who pops it to Horse, back to Ralph, to Smokin' who 360's his man passes to the General who feeds Barstool and he goes over under the posts for the best try of the day 23-3 Ralph gets the easy conversion (no conversions are easy I hear Rick & Balders say) 25-3
Sean Byrne comes off and Sideways whose been moaning, muttering and champing at the bit since kick off finally gets his opportunity.
It's a deep restart from the Tamworth fly half and he finds Big Phil who sets off and breaks through the first couple of tackles before getting stopped, and we set, ball comes to the back with Chris and then Rupert and we spin, General to Nev to Barstool, to Barrel who makes the break before wanging a long one out to Ralph who chips a great kick into the corner and forces them to play it virtually on their goal line, which they do, Symes is there tracking his man and Tamworth are forced to kick deep. It drops over Nev's head who misjudges it brilliantly, but still has the time to collect, regain his composure and weigh up his options, essentially just the one and he passes to Smokin' who has to do the hard work and stand it up (does the phrase hospital pass mean anything?).
The General relieves him and puts one up and over the top, and they take it cleanly and try to come forward and Barrel makes the tackle. They recycle, spin and one of their youngsters makes a few yards before he's tackled by the General and Barrel, they set and Tamworth's big Andy takes it close, we tackle then stand off, Hakesy's next to have a go, and he runs into Sid. They set and spin but it's a poor pass out and they opt for another kick pass to Horse who takes it just outside our twenty two, he skips his man and passes to Simon playing sweeper, he breaks the first tackle and pops inside to Barrel, who flattens his man, then offloads to Crash who finds Symes inside who evades the first tackle, looks like he's felled by the second, but is not held and up he gets, gasses what's left of the cover and goes in to score under the posts 30-3. Ralph makes it a seven pointer 32-3.
Barstool comes off and the Colt Arkell comes on and Rupe's not daft and sticks him in the second row.
Shortly after the restart we secure good steady ball from a scrum and Nev calls a "suicide" (that forwards is one of those clever pieces of trickery that sadly the clever intricacies I cannot divulge over the air) but ball eventually finds Ralph who draws his man before passing to Sideways who gasses the fullback, ignores the support and goes under the posts 37-3. Straight forward conversion for Ralph 39-3 (I will give you Simon's original version of his second try in his own modest words "ran past lots and scored at three quarter pace with a couple of mesmeric sidesteps and acceleration of an extremely fast rugby player") what a guy!
The flood gates well and truly open now as the young Tamworth heads start to drop and oddly take off their two combative olduns Graham & Andy and our seventh try is scored in fairly short order after the restart by Ralph wide out , following a flowing move involving in Ralph's words "slick hands by many and I had the ball to score" 44-3. C onversion missed.
Nick Levey comes off to begin his journey down to Twickenham, which ends in a "lock in" in a nice Irish bar until three in the morning, and Slow finally comes on just in time to chase Horse over the try line for what looks like his fourth of the day but he unselfishly offloads over the Tamworth try line to Chris in support who dots it down to cap a fine display 49-3. The conversion and chance to pass the fifty mark is fluffed by Rick .
On the walk back Tamworth have a quiet word in the ref's ear, they've had enough and he blows for time about ten minutes early , just as Slow's starting to get going...bloody typical.
Final Score 49-3 Final Age 664.
Please no more disrespecting the opposition by unauthorised pots at goal by unelected kickers with a number on their back of less than 8 (and before you say anything Barstool has a couple of conversions to his name already this season)!!
Man in the dirtiest shirt this week goes to Chris Crash who appeared to take Slow's advice on board and ran with it a bit more rather than trying to tackle everything that moved .