First XV
The team has to play a game that was postponed earlier in the season. Although it has no effect on league positions it would be good to finish the year on a positive note at Newbold the runners-up in our division.
President's Day at our club
The focus will be on our Vandals team who have performed superbly all through the season. The opposition will be a very useful side, Tamworth. Kick off at the club will be 3 pm. Come and cheer them on.
As you know, the tradition on this end of season day is that the club president, currently Uncle Sid, will be more generous than usual and if you tell him how good he was, and still is, as a rugby star then it's highly probable that he will buy you a drink
Minis and Juniors
Your presentation evening is on saturday 14th May at the club from 6.30pm. Not to be missed, refreshments available and parents are warmly invited to join us.
Other important dates
Friday 6th May Club AGM 7pm. It is your club so offer your support to it.
Saturday 7th May Presidents Day followed by an Evening of sophistication.
Friday 13th May Players annual dinner at the club with guest speaker Martin Corry.
Saturday 14th May Minis and Juniors Presentation Evening at the club from 6.30.
Congratulations
Firstly to Mr Wenger's Boys who defeated Man U with considerable ease.
Also, well done to the Edwardians who have booked a place at Twickers in the Junior Vase. Good luck lads and I actually mean it. However, no promotion this year. It's a funny old world really.
Vandals vs. Redditch 2nds - full match report
With no scheduled fixture our penultimate game of the season found us in the Pool initially with Harborne 3rds but after their late Friday night cry off Tom had to go fishing again Saturday morning and invited a combined Redditch side over to Fort Tilehouse, from the look of it mostly seconds with two or three first teamers and the odd Vet.
In the forwards this week Bill "Bilbo" Burrows at loosehead, Rick "Swing" Lowe at hooker and Mark "Gethin" Baldwin at tighthead, in the boiler room John "Casper" Lonie alongside Phil "BMT" Gouldbourn with Nick "the Assassin" Levey and Chris "Golf ball" Rowe on the flanks with Rupert "the Major" Young at No.8.
In the backs Lee "Coatesy" Coates at scrum half, alongside returnee Barry-John "Baz" Cole at fly half, Nick "Barrel" Palmer partnering Gary "Smokin" Williams in midfield, with wings Simon "Slippery" Singleton and Dave "Chicken" Hanson and Dave "Ralph" Rollins at fullback. A modest but brutal looking bench at our disposal this week, with Gary "Bobo" Robinson, Peter "Fridge" Butler, Alan "the Colt" Arkell, newcomer Paul McGlynn & Captain Slow.
On another unseasonably warm day with a bone hard pitch Stunt skipper Lonie again kept up his recent run of success and wins the toss and elects to play towards the beer in the second half.
Their pinked shorted scrum half kicks off and despite their first team No.8's best efforts Bilbo makes the catch and we set round, Redditch sneak round offside, Roger the ref spots it and signals advantage, but none comes as Coatsey's Dambuster comes bouncing out to Barrel in midfield. Smokin' takes it quickly gives it to Chicken whose onwards pass takes a deflection off a Redditch player and goes into touch. Gethin's throw is deemed not straight and we come back for the game's first scrum. (I was told on the touchline by their third team prop that their front row had a combined weight approaching nearly sixty stones!! Hardly surprising seeing the enormous first team prop they'd slipped in). They take it comfortably and the number eight tries his luck but gets no change as Golf ball makes the tackle, he does manage to offload it to his scrum half who kicks ahead and Ralph fields it inside our twenty two and kicks down field the ball landing around their ten metres line. Their young winger brings it back and passes to their No.8 who sends a wild one out, but gets away with it but the catcher is hit by Slippery, Baz picks up and pops it to big Phil who takes it into contact and we drive over.
Coatesy sends it out to Baz who finds Golf ball who goes up the middle and breaks the gain line, we set again, Coatesy to Baz who changes the direction of the attack and sends it back across the grain to Smokin' who finds Barrel, to Chicken who's pass back inside goes loose and forward, scrum Redditch. They take without fuss, scrum half whips it out the fly half, he dummies goes through a bit of a gap, offloads to his centre who kicks ahead but straight to Ralph who still nursing his pelvic injury from the Woodrush game is forced to meekly chip it into touch and has to admit defeat. He comes off and debutant Paul McGlynn latterly of Kings Norton, who arrived an hour earlier looking for a game comes onto the wing.
There's a knock on at the line by Redditch and we get the scrum as a result just on our twenty two; they put the wheel on and turn it 180 and they get the put in. This time we have a go, put the wheel on, whistle goes and we get the all back. At the third time of asking the ref decides they're deliberately pulling it round...d'oh and gives us the penalty. Coatesy puts in a great touch finder the ball going out on their ten metre line.
Big Phil takes it cleanly and we drive it on a couple before Coatesy sends it out, Baz taking it around his knees, he pops it back inside to the Assassin, but it goes forward but no matter as ref's been playing penalty advantage for an infringement at the line. Coatesy puts it out on their twenty two, but it's overthrown and slightly off course and the ref awards Redditch the scrum back on the twenty two.
Steady Redditch scrum, the scrum half plucks it out from the base and spins to his fly half, Coatsey's breathing down his neck and has to clear to touch. Gethin hits BMT at four and we set then drive a metres before Coatesy sends it out to Baz who brings Barrel in on his first scissors of the day, he cuts through, finds Paul on his inside shoulder. He goes to ground and the Green Machine drives over and Barrel steps in at scrum half, snipes and makes half a yard before he too goes to ground. Bilbo picks up passes to Swing who shows a dummy and gets past the first man, is tackled by the next, but the ball comes safely back and Coatesy spins to Baz but whistle goes for offside. Coatesy takes it quickly, to Baz to Barrel who knocks it on on the excitement, scrum to Redditch. From which we get a free kick, and we go quickly and Redditch are pinged for not being ten. We go again this time Coatesy gives it to Casper who takes it into contact and then to ground and we pile over, but are rather harshly penalised for holding on (not that we would in the red zone mind!). The Redditch fly half clears to touch the ball going out a metre or so beyond their twenty two. The Major steals it at two and we spin quickly through the hands, Baz misses Barrel, straight to Smokin', to Chicken to Slippery who sprints in and goes over in the corner almost minus his head for our opening score of the afternoon 5-0. Conversion missed.
In Shannon's absence Casper takes the restart, and their obviously very fit No.8 is first to him, but he lays the ball back successfully, Coatsey picks up and passes to Baz who kicks to touch, but we fall foul of one of those reasonably recent law changes, having passed back into the twenty two, so the lineout takes place just on our twenty two. They take cleanly, quickly organise and drive towards the line using their weight advantage to good effect. We finally halt their progress about five metres out from our line, the ball goes to ground and appears to come back normally but the referee signals penalty advantage to Redditch for hands in, but they don't need it as their No.8 picks up and spins it out and one of their backs gets through to score the equaliser 5-5 Conversion missed .
It's a bit nip & tuck for the next five or so minutes until we're awarded a penalty well inside our twenty two, Coatesy kicks to touch the ball going out just shy of the half way line. Redditch compete well at the line but despite the pressure it's the Major who eventually comes away with it and finds Rick, but the ref's spotted something (don't they always) and awards a penalty to Redditch. They opt to run but the first pass is wayward but eventually collect and one of their young centres makes the break but he's tackled by Rick on our ten metre line, big Phil's first to the breakdown but Redditch manage to recycle and go blind and Nick Levey makes the tackle and Redditch have to set again. This time their big bulldozer of a lad has a go and makes good yardage before offloading to some poor unfortunate as Chris Crash puts in one of his dump specials just on our twenty two. Referee blows, calls Chris & Casper to him, and a long chat ensues no doubt about what goes up must come (safely) down and then awards us the penalty...go figure.
Coatesy rifles a massive kick down field the ball going out on their twenty two. Redditch knock it on in the line and we get the scrum. Good steady ball from our hard working pack and Coatesy picks up from the base and decides to take matters into his own hands, lights up the afterburners breaks the first couple of tackles and simply gasses the rest to restore our lead 10-5 Conversion missed.
Bilbo takes the restart and the Vandal massive gather round and just about see off the Redditch player who's infiltrated his way through the middle, ball goes to the deck Coatesy picks & spins to Baz he breaks the line, gets caught but stands it up, super fit BMT is first there, Baz goes to ground big Phil builds the bridge and we set. Ball comes back to Baz, he's on his own so he steps the first man, then a second before passing to Coatesy and he sets off. It takes a great tackle to bring him down just shy of their twenty two but our other speedster Slippery is there in support, picks up and kicks ahead for the line and is tackled so late it hasn't happened yet...penalty to Yards.
Baz takes it quickly and admittedly we get a lucky break as the ball appears to go forward, but it's not spotted and Barrel comes in on one of his trademark runs and carves his way through the middle to score 15-5 Conversion missed.
But that's the last bit of meaningful action of the half, other than some handbags being thrown (thinking of Saturday, more clutch bags really) and Slippery's last ditch try saving tackle on their big unit when the score looked certain.
Halftime 15-5 New recipe isotonics taken on board, and Casper lectures the boys on not being bullied and fronting up. Just the one change, Gethin comes off and Fridge comes on at tighthead.
Not the best start as our kick off doesn't go the ten and within five minutes after a spell of sustained pressure we're pulled in field, and the young Redditch wing forward (also 1st team I believe) rounds our flank, evades Chicken's last ditch tackle to go over in the corner 15-10 Conversion missed, Slow muses not a game for kicks then.
Our restart goes straight out so we come back for a scrum to Redditch on the centre spot, but Rick and the boys have other ideas and we take it against the head, we go blind Coatesy finds Baz who pops it to Paul who makes good ground before being driven into touch by sheer weight of numbers just on the halfway line. We get hands in at the line, and their scrum half knocks on, ref looks to play advantage and BMT picks up the loose ball and takes it on and then to ground, and we drive over but Redditch are pinged for the tackler not rolling away. We opt for touch the ball going out five metres inside their twenty two. We shorten the line, trying to be experimental and then throw it to them...Slow mutters some obscenity. Rupe tries to dig his way in but they drive on regardless and reach their twenty two before we halt their progress and they lose it for not using it.
But the ref gets a bit precious and pings Fridge for engaging too early and Peter looks a little bemused. They take it quickly and try to run it out of their twenty two, Nick Levey makes the tackle, the ball goes to the deck and their scrum half picks up and flings a bit of a wild one out missing most of his backs and a Redditch player is forced to stand it up as he's floored by big Phil and Paul showing his back row credentials steps in ans strips out the ball and passes to Coatesy who brings it out feeds Barrel on the scissors, he's tackled so lays it back, Coatesy picks up passes to Baz who feeds big Phil five metres out and he barges through the smallest bloke on the park, their scrum half to score in the corner 20-10 Coatesy then puts a screamer over from the touchline to increase our lead to 22-10 and to you Vandals scholars the point of no return for our opposition.
Chris and his troublesome Achilles comes off, the Major moves onto the flank and Bobo comes on at No.8
We knock on at the restart and Redditch get the scrum inside our ten metre line, despite a good nudge the ball reaches their No.8 and he picks up and feeds their live wire young flanker who gets to within a few metres of our twenty two before offloading to their big unit who runs into Bobo and they must of felt the shock wave of that collision in Fukushima! Gary's impression of a tank trap though does just enough to stall the big fella and the ball goes to ground and I think it's Lee who's pinged for hands in the ruck. Their No.8 takes it quickly, we're not ten, he feeds his winger no advantage, ref blows, No.8 takes it quickly again, whistle goes again and Smokin' tries to engage the referee in some deep philosophical discussion. The ref seemingly peeved calls Captain Casper over and after a long discussion, rather curiously Redditch opt for a scrum rather than the penalty about ten metres from our line. It's a good scrum and the scum half picks up and the Assassin picks him up and they've lost best part of ten metres in the process, but they manage to recycle and their behemoth takes it close, but there's been an obstruction in the process of the pass and the ref gives us the penalty.
Chicken takes it quickly, they've not retreated the ten but the ref seems happy to let them get away with it, and eventually we cough it up and the ball goes forward and Redditch get the scrum. The No.8 picks up and he's clattered then driven back by the Major, he offloads but we press and they lose more yards, finally the fly half gets the ball and Fridge and then Barrel and we turn him and steal it and out it goes to Baz to Slippery who takes it over his shoulder and it goes marginally forward, scrum Redditch.
The Assassin comes off and the Colt Arkell trots onto the flank and creates probably one of the heaviest eights we've had all season. We get the shove on and Rick goes fishing and we take it against the head, Coatesy picks up and makes the initial break, he's tackled, Baz picks up and spins it to Barrel, who finds Smokin' who steps the first man, then gets gang tackled and their winger comes away with it but Smokes shows great fitness as he hunts him down and makes the tackle, and Lonie the next, and then Chicken as our defence drives them wide and eventually into touch on the far side just outside our twenty two. Big Phil takes it cleanly at four and sets off making his customary ten metres, Coatsey's in there, passes to Bazza who puts in a great kick down field and their winger's forced to run it into touch just inside their ten metre line.
It's a great throw by Rick who hits Casper at two, Fridge is in there and we drive it on a yard before releasing it, Coatesy to Baz, double dummy in midfield, pass to Chicken to Slippery but it's knocked on, for a scrum to Redditch on the halfway line. The No.8 picks up and passes behind his fly half and the centre is forced to pick it up and we snaffle him up and it goes to ground. They recycle and come blind via the young flanker, he breaks the first tackle but not Barry-John's, Barrel makes the next tackle and the ball goes to ground, and they recycle as we stand off and let them have it, they come blind again and we cover across, they come back inside and we turn it over. Coatesy finds Baz, he sees a gap and he's gone, then sends a great timed pass to Chicken who puts it back inside to Barry-John who's a bit isolated so hurls one into space and Slippery picks up and puts it back inside to Smokin's but it goes to ground with only the line to beat. Scrum to Redditch about 15 metres from their line but they contrive to knock it on at the base and we get the put in. Some old school French named cleverness is called by Bobo and he picks up feeds it inside to Arks, who pops it back to Bobo who takes it into contact but we're pinged for something and Redditch get the opportunity to clear their lines the ball going out just inside their half. Big Phil steals their ball and the ref blows and gives us the scrum!!!!!
Steady ball, Coatsey to Baz, Barrel comes in on the scissors, breaks the line and gets all the way to the Redditch twenty two, looks inside finds Coatsey on his shoulder he steps on the gas, steps in, steps out, looks, but backs himself and goes over for his second try of the afternoon 27-10 Conversion missed.
We knock on at the restart and Redditch get the scrum just inside our ten metre line, but Rick goes fishing again and we take it against the head, Bobo has it secure at his feet and Coatsey plucks it out, to Baz long miss pass straight to Chicken, run round by Smokin' to Paul, back inside to Chicken to Simon in off his wing, who after a season of earning dodgy nicknames finally does like the song and goes straight down the middle to score under the posts 32-10 Lee adds a second conversion 34-10
And with that the ref blows for full time.
Final Score 34-10 Final Age a spritely 621 and our 29th victory of the season.
Man in the dirtiest shirt goes to Bilbo this week for sticking with his behemoth in the set pieces.
We wish a safe voyage to Paul McGlynn who's game was his first & last (but hopefully not for too long) as he's off to fight the pirates and wish him a safe return.
Saturday President's Day, our 30th and thankfully our final game of a very long season against Tamworth before donning our gowns and taking Moseley by storm.
Finally would 1300 points be too much to ask for??
Slow