10 Apr 10
Midlands 2 West (South)
Berkswell & Balsall 0 - Old Laurentians 18
OLs came through a tough test at Berkswell on Saturday and completed a double over abrasive opponents to keep their promotion drive on track, keeping a clean sheet defensively for just the second time this season, the first occasion being in the home game against the same side.
Just two minutes into the game, Scott Wiles narrowly failed to gather a bouncing ball with the try line looming and Berkswell recovered the ball to clear to touch. Reacting quickly, Ben Wiles saw an opportunity and took a quick throw in to Simon Bayliss some 35 metres out, OL’s prolific wing doing the rest to outflank the defence and score in the far corner. Denzil Evans added the conversion points with a fine kick and OLs were 7-0 up.
After thirteen minutes play, Evans added three points from a penalty after he had set up the position with a sniping run through midfield. But the game progressively degenerated into stalemate as Berkswell played the one card in their hand of any value and set out to achieve mastery of the tight scrummages, putting OLs under heavy pressure in this phase of the game.
This tactic did limit OL’s possession and reduced their attacking options. But with a platform established, the home side were incapable of turning the possession gained on their own ball into anything meaningful, thanks largely to the close attentions of OL’s scrum half Richard Parker and his back row. When they did succeed in releasing the ball to their backs they were stopped in their tracks by OL’s midfield defence and regularly conceded possession.
The half time whistle arrived with OLs 10-0 up, suggesting a tight game. But in reality, Berkswell had failed to create anything from their plentiful possession and hadn’t threatened a score of any sort.
Early in the second period, Parker put in a cute kick down the touchline which was fielded by Berkswell’s number 8 covering back. Before he could do anything with the ball he was taken out by a superb tackle from Iain Wallis, Danny Murch stole the ball and Evans put in a raking kick down the right hand touchline. Bayliss gave his opposite number at least a ten metre start but outstripped him to win the race for the touch down in the corner for his second try.
Evans conversion missed but he successfully put over another penalty to push OLs lead out to 18-0 after a strong drive by the pack set up the position. The home side continued to play the game through their pack, but their pick and drive tactics were blotted out by OLs with Danny Murch, returning to the back row for this encounter, having an outstanding game. Close behind him were Glenn Todd and Ben O’Riordan, who, with Paul Willis, ruled the lineout.
OLs face a tough week, meeting Nuneaton Old Edwardians in the semi-final of the Warwickshire Cup at Leamington on Wednesday before taking on Droitwich at home on Saturday. The Worcestershire side will arrive at Fenley Field in second place in the league, just two points ahead of OLs. With OLs enjoying a superior points difference, a win will see them move up to second and the possibility of a promotion play off with just one game to come, so it is the key game of the season for both sides.
Droitwich prevailed on their ground in the opening game of the league season, coming through with an 18-12 win. But OLs go into this crucial encounter with confidence high after a great run of results in the latter part of the season and a fine home record.
Report by Bill Wallis
Nuneaton Old Edwardians 2nd XV 14 – Old Laurentian 2nd XV 22
After last weekend’s break, taking in the picturesque sights of Whitley Bay, OL’s 2nd XV were back in league action with the return fixture away to a Nuneaton Old Eds side who undoubtedly are the best team OLs have played this season and who comprehensively won the first fixture.
So for the final league game the challenge was huge and with several personnel and positional changes from the regular line up, OLs were really up against it. However the side that turned out had a lovely blend of youth and experience running through it and hopes were high
Nuneaton fielded a juggernaut type pack but it was OLs who settled much better and dominated their opposition. From a turnover, skipper Ricky Reed put in a precision box kick which was gathered by Howard Harris who rounded the winger to dot down the first points of the day for an unconverted try.
From the kick off it was OLs again dominating, the front row of Huw Sullivan, Gary Hammond and the particularly effective Ash “hairy lemon” McEwan standing up well against their larger opposite numbers.
Good ball was being produced which allowed Harry Bryan to test Old Eds uncertain full back. Every time the 15 looked up he was faced by the youthful and exuberant OL’s back row of James Orbinson, James Melvin and Dom Hammond, who smashed him time after time and set the tone for their mature, dominating performance.
A turnover ball 35 metres from the Nuneaton line put OLs on the attack again and a mesmeric break from the outstanding Harley Steel sent in Rhys Wade to score under the posts for a try converted by Harry Bryan.
This was the best possible start for OLs and the domination continued. Joel Gleghorn was dominating the lineouts and OLs were still controlling possession and territory.
OL’s full back cleaned everything up at the back, the rangy Will Sinclair looking dangerous and purposeful when being fed ball by the excellent Wade.
OLs finished the half with a well struck penalty by Harry Bryan after the ball was ripped off the opposition by the rampaging Dan Volkman and after several phases the home team buckled and conceded the penalty.
An outstanding half of rugby ended with the score at 15-0 to OLs.
Early in the second half a speculative chip over the top of OL’s defence was gathered by Old Eds allowing a free run to the line to for a converted try.
However OLs were straight back at it; but a nasty injury to Dom Hammond saw him leave the pitch and with no replacements OLs were down to 14 men
This seemed to buoy the home team who then pressurised the visitors for the next ten minutes. However resolute OLs defence repelled the home team.
The home side, rattled by OLs, allowed their discipline to deteriorate and a second player in the sin bin equalled the numbers up.
OLs were back on top and the defining moment of the game arrived after quick ball from the forwards. Skipper Reed fed Harry Bryan, who capped a commanding performance with a lovely inside break, dummying his way past two defenders and deep into the oppositions 22. With a sublime offload he found Gusher at pace with and with the swallow dive to follow scored under the posts, the try converted by Will Sinclair.
Unfortunately for Harry, he pulled a hammy in the process and was forced to stand on the wing as a passenger for the reaming 20 minutes.
So it was now 15 against 13 OLs, and backs to the wall. Nuneaton Old Eds, who have only been beaten twice all season, came on strong and a customary forward drive allowed them another converted try with 10 minutes to go
OLs were now out on their feet, but the boys refused to lie down and despite being on the rack for the last 10 minutes the whole team stood up. Bodies were put on the line and the OLs line was not to be breached again.
The spirit of the side was tested to the limit and once again it was OLs taking the spoils at the final whistle with an outstanding victory against a very good Old Eds team.
This victory was undoubtedly contributed to by the spirit of the Bernai, whose body was thrown into the North Sea early last Sunday and was resurrected in a Reggie Perrin type style, the Bernai appearing with renewed vigour and spirit and announcing he is now a fly half
“Long live the Bernai”.
This result leaves Old Laurentians top of the league in the regular league season with a record of P17 W13 D2 L2 for 515 against 168 points.
We are now in the hands of Warwickshire RFU to see if other teams are allowed to play rearranged fixtures outside the end of the regular league season to see if we end the season as champions.
However this has been an outstanding league campaign and skipper Ricky Reed would like to thank all the players who have contributed to this outstanding effort.
It is now the job of the 2nd team to support Carl and the first team boys in there quest for honours - and prepare ourselves for the Clonmell Cup Final.
Report by Dean Cobley
OLs Thirds 22 Towcestrians Thirds 17
Saturday sunshine brought out the crowds at Fenley Field with massed young and old on the touchline supporting the young and old of the thirds.
The threes had suffered frequent plundering from the seconds in the week leading up to this game but, such is their strength in depth, that they were able to provide succour to the seconds whilst fielding a full side to take on the visitors from Towcester.
Towcestrians had the look of a proper third team about them and the stage was set for an entertaining afternoon.
Two landmark dates of equal magnitude.
November 1963, Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas - John F Kennedy Shot.
April 2010, Fenley Field, Bilton - Russell R Kennedy returns to play for the OLs.
Observers on the grassy knoll of Fenley Field were in no doubt. Kennedy was back.
Sterling commitment to the cause from the big man, despite protestations of body and spouse, saw him called up at the last minute to fill a Spriggs sized gap in the second row. And how he filled it.
OLs had the upper hand in the early exchanges with the second row of Brimley and Kennedy getting acquainted early doors and Tom Middleton setting about his trademark tireless quest for man and ball that was to last the full 80 minutes, but it was Towcestrians, against the run of play who were to score first at the training pitch end. Their try was unconverted and, from the restart, OLs resumed their dominance up front.
A mix and match backs with 9 and 10 partnership of Middleton and White struggled to make significant capital from the wealth of ball won for them by the forwards but intelligent mid-field play from Adam Mitchell contributed to OLs first try of the afternoon. Not pretty, not subtle and very direct . . . it could only be Rigg.
White missed the conversion. 5 – 5.
Russ Kennedy was not the only welcome returnee in a Third team Jersey. Over from Ireland for the weekend, like a race horse drawn to Aintree, came Ian Heffernan. This Gaelic Footballer had his first and only game of rugby for OLs thirds a couple of seasons ago and scored with his first touch of the ball. Unlike last time, however, this time he was playing the full 80. When the ball got out to his wing in the first half, it was hard to believe it was only his second time out and a couple of runs showed some early promise.
OLs had total domination of the set piece. Uncharacteristically accurate line out throwing (yes, Chambers was injured this week) ensured that the home side’s line outs were all won (needless to say, Nealon, not Kennedy, jumped in place of Spriggs) and Brimley stole ball after ball from the hapless Towcestrians lineout. And so it was with the scrums with Smith winning his fair share against the head.
They say that the jaws of a pit bull terrier do not stop biting until the teeth meet, and that there is no point in trying to wrestle from the animal’s vice-like grip. It must be a similarly pointless exercise trying to maul the ball from Stingray, he just never goes in without coming out with the ball. Ever. Fact.
Stingray’s hard work proved a primary source of turnover possession for OLs throughout the match and his hard work was rewarded when he blasted over from inches out for a well deserved try on 25 minutes. White added the two points.
Nealon and Middleton proved a pacey back row and caused panic in the Towcestrian ranks on many occasions with some powerful running in the 15m channel. Nealon in particular was unlucky not to score from one of these breaks as he was held up over the line to wards the end of the first half. As if to add insult to injury, his out-of-tackle popped, certain try scoring back pass on the line moments later was fumbled in a most embarrassing and ham fisted manner by a prop forward who shall remain nameless.
Although they didn’t have too much ball, on the occasions that they did, the visitors’ midfield used it well. Generally, this threat was thwarted by the tackling of Middleton Jnr, Nealon, Mitchell and, on a couple of notable occasions, Lewis, but Tows did breach the OLs defence to score a try and conversion early in the second period to bring the scores to 12 all, but White put OLs noses back in front with a penalty.
As OLs pack regained superiority and the ball began to get wide again, Heffernan built on his early promise and, like the Irish contingent at Aintree rounding the canal turn for the second time, showed that the first half was just a stroll around the paddock as he ate up the turf making some strong runs along the right wing and gaining significant yards with some long, high kicks. He was genuinely unfortunate not to score on at least one occasion.
As the second half wore on, OLs began to make hard work of what should have been an easy day at the office. Perhaps due to players in unfamiliar positions, perhaps a bit of bad luck but with 15 minutes to go, the Thirds should have put Towcestrians to the sword.
An opportunity arose when, directly in front of the posts, White was “in the pocket”. The ball came back. Held in White’s fingertips, a shuffle of the feet, a quick, confirming glance at the posts, head down, strike and . . . missed. Ironic cheers and less than muted derision met the chance to widen the gap that went begging.
On came Budgie to play out the last ten minutes with brother Ian. Impact is not a word you will read in this report.
It was left to Nealon to seal the victory for OLs with a well taken try to cap a fine personal performance. With White adding the conversion.
OLs made hard work of it but the final whistle saw them the victors.
The April sunshine, another week, another win and with the end of the season beckoning, another step closer to a rest.
Well done chaps . . . not long now.
Report by Tim Chambers
