The Two Towers

The penultimate match of the season in the middle of April and it’s still cold and wet.
Nevertheless we had eighteen players arrive and prepare to play and play we certainly did.
It did however take us the customary 1st half to get up to speed with too many mistakes at both ruck and maul, putting us back under pressure every time we looked like breaking out.
On the first occasion that we did break out on 17 minutes, we forced a penalty that Ash duly converted. 0 – 3.
Unfortunately the mistakes continued and they eventually told when Tiffs scored under our posts on 35 minutes. Even then we could have stopped them but for two or three missed tackles. 7 – 3.
Tiffs then added a quick penalty to make it 10 – 3.
By this time though we had just starting to show some of the consistency that would see us through the second half. Not long after the Tiffs score and after some tidy play, Sam Rickman went over cutting a superb line to split the Tiffs defence. Ash converted the extras. 10 – 10.
Line out was going well with both Angus Munns and Mike Lovelock going up (The Two Towers) and we were getting a platform and success with ‘Go forward’ from this area.
Unfortunately one of the oppo props didn’t turn up so scrums were uncontested.
Off the back of scrums Tiffs were running well rehearsed backs moves but not really penetrating as they were pretty obvious and our defence was solid. Si Rowland and Sam Rickman shoring up that area with Angus covering the ground from 7.
Half time 10 - 10.
Having made some changes at half time, the second half commenced and immediately we were a different animal. The ‘Go forward’ was still there but the mistakes were much less. The forwards were driving on but now keeping the ball safe and retaining possession.
On 47 minutes and from a long clearance by Ash, we had Tiffs under pressure in their 22. Josh Carter, on for the injured Simon Wood, latched onto a short pass and went straight through a gap in the defence. Again Ash added the extras. 10 – 17.
Tiffs weren’t done yet and if you let teams play then they probably will. The mistake curse hit again with us trying to force the ball in wet conditions in our own 22. The ball inevitably went down resulting in a Tiffs try out wide with the conversion missed. 15 – 17.
That was to be Tiffs last. From then on we played some of the best rugby I’ve seen from us this season. Si Wood, back on for the now injured Josh Carter, was driving us forward along with Jon Hamilton, Matt Forrest and Mike Watson. This was now giving the backs room to work.
Dave Thornton playing at 10 organised by harassing and cajoling our team into shape. Our lines of running were starting to tell with Si Rowland and Sam Rickman cutting through the gaps with ease and Ash supporting from 15 intelligently varying his line of attack. Angus Munns and Mike Lovelock enjoying the loose play from 7 and 8, running hard at them.
All Tiffs could do was scramble the ball back and kick out. On one such occasion they kicked long into our 22. Mike Lovelock picked up the ball and in open play and with a disrupted defence, Mike did what he does best. He ran it in from 80 meters. 15 – 22.
Still we were driving forward putting Tiffs on the back foot. Si Rowland hit a line, off loaded to Sam Rickman who off loaded again, another pass to Dave Thornton who dived over for the score. We could have been the Baa Baas at this stage. 15 – 27.
The Two Towers were still going up but this time and in the oppo 22, Mike Lovelock was the support runner. From the short pop he hit another great defence splitting line and crashed over for the final try of the game on 70 minutes. Ash converted so giving us the score line of 15 – 34.

Matt Forrest, Duncan Threadgould, Mike Watson, Josh Carter, Tom Rider, Luke Nugent, Angus Munns, Mike Lovelock, Alexander Tippett, Dave Thornton, Matt Kew, Si Rowland, Sam Rickman, Jake Walker, Ash Armel-Close, Adrian Husband, Jon Hamilton, Si Wood. Kerensa Robbins (Physio)
Dennis Stewart (Touch Judge)

Well done guys and don’t forget, this team beat us 18 – 12 earlier in the season.
I look forward to next week.
Dave Samuel
Coach.