Quins Ams Vets Start Season with a win

Excuse the nautical reference but as it turns out this was very apt......The new season kicked off for the vets on Friday night against Weybridge Vandals by the river Thames. Having lost quite heavily the last time we played under floodlights in part due to aged eyes being unable to see the ball, especially PA who enjoyed a nightmare at fullback your match day reporter turned up with a degree of trepidation particular as Weybridge had appeared to make use of the Friday night fixture to bring in a few rather youngish looking players. Nonetheless we had a great squad on paper (see below) and with mild weather and early season enthusiasm the scene was set for a great opening game.

We kicked off, albeit to the other direction to where most of the forwards were and immediatley it seemed as if the vandals were better prepared or more 'up for the game' than we were. They played a nice offloading game from their fly half to a couple of their big forwards, which combined with some (very) poor tackling from ourselves led to Weybridge being two tries to nil up after 15 minutes and their confidence brimming. At this point, credit to our team & our new captain, Matt Ferraby, gathered the team together under the sticks and gave the sort of motivating team talk England will need if they are to get out of the disaster that this World Cup is turning into for the hosts.

Immediately we began playing to our typical game plan with the likes of ryan miller and big jim crashing forward and making good yards. Not to be outdone, Tom Newbrook, available given the Friday night game and house viewings finised by six thirty and Liam also started making very good yards and pushing the opposition backwards. Combined with Paul Baker snaffling any loose ball on the ground, whilst headbutting the oppositions boots and Loisoz keeping the opposition pinned back in their half through some superb kicking we started to pin weybridge back. Foz playing at fullback (before injury took his toll after a few minutes) looked very secure and played some nice interplay between the backs and forwards. Eventually after some sustained pressure from quins with Paul Lister and Greeny barreling through vandals forwards, loisoz spun the ball to marren who dispatched a couple of their players to the ground with a nasty hand off and scored in the corner.

Having realised how to win the game from this position, we regathered for the kick off and went to go again. Matt Stait was marshaling the forwards well by now with Emmanual Meyer, a vets debutent, picking up where our forwards had left off and driving into the opposition. Some further pressure from our forwards led to our new captain, Matt Ferraby crashing over from five yards after Ryan, Paul Lister and Big Jim had again made good ground.

We were now tied and were starting to get on top, some further sustained pressure by our forwards collectively led to Loisoz, shipping the ball to chimpy and mawson who fed a delightful pass to marren who handed off his opposite number but was let down by the sands of time and eventually caught comfortably by the opposition on their 22. This was followed by a further lapse in concentration with Vandals scoring a third try and Quins again being on the back foot by the end of the half.

The second half showed a huge amount of collective spirit from the team. Dan playing on the wing or fullback and sometimes both at the same time showed superb pace when chasing kicks and tackling the opposition like a demon whenever the opportunity presented themselves. Greeny was again making good yards and from a solid scrum by our forwards on their 22, picked up the ball ran hard and with half of vandals hanging off him and some of quinns as well crashed over to make it all square again. At one point, the opposition fullback gathered the ball after a loose kick and ran hard at Kirk (AKA Slamming Sam Burgess who to the bemusement of your match day reporter was playing inside centre) and was completely munched! He left the field clutching his ribs and face....Weybridge Vandals kept coming and only some good tackling and bad luck on their part stopped them from scoring again. However with 15 minutes to go, Paul Lister, showing a turn of pace, which has not been seen before and may never be seen again, dummied the opposition and from 80 yards sprinted for the try line giving us a vital lead. Well done for the try of the game!

A huge effort by all the team in the last ten minutes and some tactical substitutions, including importantly mike goodman who made one vital tackle on his opposite number meant we came out eventual winners in a close game. So congratulations all who took part to get us off to a winning start. In three weeks time though we play Richmond, a great team and it is fair to say we'd recognise that fitness, tackling and intensity needs to go up a few notches to be competitive in this fixture. Thanks to Weybridge for putting on a great game, their hospitality in the bar afterwards and some lovely pizza's. Good luck England this weekend!

Adrian Mawson
Emmanuel Meyer
Jim Edwards
Matt Ferraby
Greenie
Dan
Paul Lister
Ryan Miller
Paul Baker
Nic Marren
Dom Crabb
Brando (team manager)
Mike Goodman
Matt Stait
Loizos
Chris Hugall