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Possibly the best team performance of the season |
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Posted on Tuesday, March 10 @ 22:57:46 BST by jacksonc |
 Warlingham 2nd XV 37 (?) Old Pauline 2nd XV 8
Saturday 7th March 2009
Surrey Conference One Merit League Game
Match report by Simon Carr
So I’m on the way to the club with Jon Savage, and I’m mulling over the decision of who to plagiarise for the team talks this afternoon. Today I think I’m going to go with Keanu over Pacino: Pain heals, chicks dig scars, but Glory lasts forever.
With Pavarotti (I’m 30 in a couple of weeks) pouring out emotion through the car stereo, the blood is flowing in preparation for this encounter with top-of-the-league Warlingham who have only 1 loss to their name this season.
I did however completely forget to mentally prepare myself for the intellectual headache of trying to put 15 players on a pitch in the most useful order.
It has been a few years since I last sat in the Captains chair, and the challenge eventually presenting itself was almost as tough as that which Radders faces every Saturday night beyond the hour of 8pm.
Yes, I had no team sheet or concept of who was on it, hoping that a fellow captain would of course present me with one, in the midst of 18 or more AXV players in the bar. Ever the optimist.
Crawshaw however had no news in that respect, and the bar was empty save for a very relaxed Irishman lounging on the sofa. So that made three of us spectating as Warlingham trotted out to warm up an hour before kick-off.
40 minutes to ko, and the cavalry of Extra A1 XV arrived led proudly from the front by JC, whom, upon a brief interrogation, presented a scrap piece of paper with some scribbled names down, with lots of arrows and lines. It sported no less than 5 loose-head props (who said there was a prop-crunch?) one lock, five back rows, but a reasonable selection of backs including an outside-half, three centres and a full-back.
Our initial interpretation agreed, we sent JC out with the back line, including Jamie (7) stepping up to play 9, and Phil (5) upgrading to 14.
Gavin Elliot, handed the heady responsibility of pack leader, waited with Hamblin, Savage and myself, whilst the straggling pack turned up.
30mins to ko, 20mins, 15 mins, 10 mins, ah, some have arrived. 2 minutes to go, and one prop still changing with a flanker-become-lock fussing over a missing stud.
Ricky and ‘his mate’ never show, and a quick call up from the B XV or Extra A1 XV provides the salvation of Tim Rogers. We start with 15 players.
Given the lack of preparation, new positions for players, and the lack of all-but-one of the front five until a minute before kick-off, there may have been some players on the field with some doubts about our effectiveness against a tidy and strong looking Warlingham. These thoughts proved as far from reality as the 4’s having to play a league game this season.
OP’s started incredibly strongly, and thus followed possibly the best 60 minutes of OP team rugby as viewed from the touchline.
Warlingham dominated the scrum, with a heavy hit, a consistent wheel of a couple of yards before any ball appeared and delivered a turnover rate of 50% or more of OPs ball. Their number 8 proved to be their main ball carrier and threat of attack, however neutralized by the tireless and impressive work rate of the OP back row, with Jamie finding a superb balance of scrum-half and additional openside that would have left Bergamasco humbled and embarrassed.
The lineouts were more evenly balanced, with the OPs pack doing a sterling job of securing nearly our fair share of ball. With the set piece defined for the duration of the game, one would have thought Warlingham would enjoy 70%+ possession, and the back line would enjoy 80 minutes of defensive practise.
However, our masterful selection strategy provided a back row that would turn the face of this game in OPs favour. Scholesy and Savage dominated the breakdown. They also somehow dominated the set pieces along with Jamie, turning lost scrums back into OP turnovers. With the 2nd waves including Gavin Elliot and our secret weapon of flanker Hodgson playing at lock, OPs edged Warlingham in possession, and the territory game ensued.
Regrettably, a brief moment of lax tackling in our 22 let Warlingham in for an easy 7 points.
Within a few minutes, OPs had secured a penalty in front of their posts, and converted (note to Sam Lawrence)
OPs looked more like scoring than the visitors, and were within inches of driving over towards the end of the first half. Warlingham narrowly avoided the score, and managed to score a drop goal from with OPs 22 a few minutes later – evidently unable to best the tough OP defence.
Sadly at this point, we lost Scholesy to an old injury, and were down to 14 men, and missing a vital player that could swing control of this game.
Superb aggressive lines from Ben at 12, and the pack running off JC, OPs made good yards from plenty of ‘go forward’ players.
With territory swinging, Warlingham managed to convert a penalty late in the half, taking the score to 13-3 at the break, but with OPs looking strong and unlucky not to be level or even leading.
OPs started the 2nd half well, and made even more progress than in the first. Somehow just unable to gather crucial points from field position, OPs were constantly pinned back down in their half from a good, and at times lucky, kicking game by the Warlingham outside-half. OPs still worked hard, continued to win back possession from lost set-pieces, and continued to go forward and threaten Warlinghams line.
Less than 20 minutes to play, the score unchanged at 13-3, OPs let Warlingham in for a try whilst defending in our own 22. The confusion subsided when it transpired Jon Savage was on the floor injured, and Ian was already off the field, we were playing with 12.
It was a crucial score in a close game, which extended the visitors to 20 points over our meagre 3. Enough to dishearten any side, only having 12 hearts to subdue instead of the regular 15, did not prevent the inevitable opening of floodgates.
The 12 fought on. Warlingham gallantly supplied a 13th man for us, and in between the inevitable 2nd and 3rd phase overlap scores, OPs still managing to get into Warlingham's half and cause trouble.
Despite the disadvantage, OPs won a penalty within range but cruelly pushed wide by the swirling wind it bounced off the post.
Warlingham only managed a few more tries in the last 20, testament to the superb efforts of those left on the pitch. In one last tremendous effort, OPs scored with a minute left to play. Some sublime handling and running lines from the backs - OPs conscious if late decision to attack Warlingham where they were weak out wide, took us close to one corner, quick recycling, intermixed forwards and some great offloads finally put Paul Ferry in at the opposite corner. The conversion from the touchline against the wind proved just feet out of range for the kicker. 1 from 3 is clearly not of a high enough standard for this level of rugby.
A testament to the club spirit of Old Pauline rugby, for such a mix of players from the A and Extra A teams to come together and play so well.
It is almost unfair to single out an individual man of the match. My thanks go to all those who played out of position, and played very well – Phil, Jamie, Hodgson, Ian, Alex and Pete.
A speedy recovery for Scholesy, Savage and Ian.
However one individual did stand out with his impact on the game, work rate, tackling, ball-carrying and crucial work at the breakdown – Jon Savage, Man of the Match.
A recruitment message out to OPs, we have possession-winning backrows and points-scoring backs in strength – we need front-five players, in particular tight-heads, hookers and locks. The team is ready for you, get your boots out and come back down to TD – you’re missing some fantastic games.
Team: Paul Ferry, Phil Nash, Simon Carr, Loic Echaubard, Ben Palairet, James Craig, Jamie Hepburn, Pete Hamblin, Eion Harvey (no-one), Alex Jezard, Chris Hodgson, Tim Rogers, Jon Savage (no-one), Chris Turner (no-one) Gavin Elliot
Subs: None
Tries: Ferry
Cons:
Pens: Carr
MOM: Savage
Shamed: Ricky for not turning up
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