12 Dec 09
Midlands 2 West (South)
Old Laurentians 32 – Berkswell & Balsall 0
OLs controlled this game from the first whistle to record a comfortable victory, one that would have been by a much wider margin but for some strong defensive work in the second half by a Berkswell side who never gave up the fight.
Laurentians scored five good tries, with a brace each for wing Simon Bayliss and full back Jamie Brightwell and one for scrum half Richard Parker. OLs had already come close on three occasions when Bayliss grabbed the first after ten minutes, Brightwell taking an awkward pass to put the wing man away. OLs showed their intent from the re-start when Glenn Todd initiated a move deep in the 22 that went through several pairs of hands before scrambling defence stopped the movement eighty metres on and just short of the visitors’ try line.
After Denzil Evans added a penalty for 8-0, Richard Parker broke from a scrum just outside the visitors’ 22 to power over for a fine try, converted by Evans for 15-0 on the half hour mark. OLs were well on top by now, the back row of Glenn Todd, skipper Carl Adams and Tom Gleghorn dominant in the loose and stifling any Berkswell attacks at source.
As half time drew near OLs added the try that effectively killed the match. Brightwell fielded a kick in his own half and made ground before passing to Andy Coleman. The wing offloaded brilliantly from a tackle to Brightwell looping round and the full back outstripped the defence to run in from near halfway for a 20-0 score line at the break.
Berkswell fought hard to stay in the game as the second half unfolded, but OL’s pack were dominant in the scrums and quicker to the loose ball. Ten minutes into the half, Parker pressured his opposite number at a scrum, Glenn Todd snapped up the loose ball and it was moved smartly left for Brightwell to again show a clean pair of heels to the defence, scoring under the posts after a 50 metre run, Evans adding the goal points for a 27-0 lead.
The visitors kept OLs at bay despite some relentless attacking until their defence finally cracked again as full time approached, a half break by Evans following a lineout giving Bayliss the chance to go over for his second try.
The win, together with results elsewhere, has lifted OLs back into the race for league honours as they now lie in fourth place, just two points behind second placed Droitwich. This Saturday they travel to Earlsdon, who are one place and one point higher in the table, and an OL’s win will be a major boost as the halfway mark in the season is reached.
report by Bill Wallis
Warwickshire 1
Earlsdon 2nd 7 - Old Laurentian 2nd XV 29
After the disappointments of the last two weeks results, OL’s 2nd team got back in the winning habit in their pursuit of the Warwickshire 1 league title. .
The preparation was disrupted as Earlsdon firstly notified OLs of their inability to raise a front row but minutes later managed to pull together a team featuring quite a few colts., OLs started very strongly and were soon on the score sheet when Dean Graham picked his way through the midfield for a try. Minutes later Jon Deenik drove over from a scrum and stretched out his arm to score.
Then, capitalising on forward domination, captain Ricky Reed brushed aside the defence to score. Ben Roberts had, for him, an off day with the boot only adding one conversion.
In the second half, early disruptions caused by an over officious referee who dished out yellow cards like confetti and numerous players receiving treatment allowed Earlsdon to pick up a wayward pass and score under the posts, converting the try to bring the score back to 17-7.
Back at full strength OLs finished off any glimmer of an upset with Mike Coburn scoring and converting his own try; followed by a stroll over the line when big Paul (can’t drink vodka) Amor received a tap penalty and scattered the defence in all directions rather than risk a tackle.
The 2nds also cleaned up in the clubhouse rafffle but the skipper’s cunning plan expensively backfired later when badly beaten at spoof on the Xmas night out in Leamington.
The team bade farewell and send their best wishes to Jon Deenik who has returned to South Africa after his very impressive spell with the club.
Report by John Edwards
Friendly
Old Laurentian 3rds 45 – Rugby St Andrews 3rds 7
A bright, if chilly afternoon set the scene for a greatly anticipated local derby as OLs thirds entertained near neighbours St Andrews who made their intentions clear by bringing a whole squad to Fenley Field.
The somewhat makeshift home side comprising the usual sprinkling of the old, the infirm and the coerced were buoyed by the most welcome of returns of OLs stalwart Dave Middleton at scrum half.
Fears of Middleton's ring rustiness were quickly dispelled as, rolling back the years, he marshalled his pack from the kick off to recycle through four phases before releasing to Price who skipped over for the first try of the match which he duly converted.
St. Andrews were struggling for parity with the OLs pack who were quick to capitalise on any errors made. Saints won their own line out on their ten metre line only to see the pass to the fly half dropped and the eager and able OLs openside Nealon hacked through for the Laurentians second try of the afternoon which was unconverted.
Old Laurentians pack, now imperious in the November sunshine were to supply their backs with such quality ball that this makeshift outfit began to look like they had played together for years. Incisive and intricate interplay from Walters, full back Owen and Adam Mitchell brought another OLs attack close to the Andrews line. A scrum was awarded to the home side - Middleton passed swiftly to Price whose perfect pass to Owen was shipped out to the wing, through the legs a la Carlos Spencer, to the unopposed Walters on the wing . . . well he's not called Fumble Phil for nothing. Ball dropped, scrum St Andrews.
Minutes later an almost identical situation saw a more conventional pass from Owen to the lurking Walters. To the relief and surprise of the Fenley faithful, Walters did not live up to his monicker this time and dotted down in the corner and the two extra points were added by Price.
For the first time in the game, St Andrews managed to get the better of OLs and the last 10 minutes of the first half saw them exert pressure in the OLs 22. Resolute defending and the whistle signalling the end of the first period meant that this pressure could not be turned in to points and OLs turned round 19 - 0 up.
Shortly after kick off and with Page waiting, nay begging, to pounce on the right wing, Owen displayed greed worthy of an MPs expense claim form. A dummy, a shimmy, another dummy a sidestep and a jink and he was over for five points. Shameless.
Following Owen’s score, OLs were guilty of a lack of concentration as there was clearly no way back for a spirited but ball less St Andrews who began to get the rub of the green with some of the refereeing decisions. Nevertheless Spriggs, Sherriffs and Brimley dominated the lineouts on the Andrews throw and, when straight ball permitted, on their own.
A lineout in the Andrews 22 saw fly half Price run through three defenders before offloading neatly to the impressive Mitchell who was held up close to the line. The St Andrews pack were mugged of the ball by Middleton, clearly enjoying his best Saturday for years, whose pace was enough, just enough to get him over the line for the most popular score of the day - once again Price added the two points.
OLs took the ball deep into Andrews territory from the kick off. and recycled time and again as the imperious Rapsomanikis, Nealon and Brimley continued to ask questions that the Andrews couldn't answer. A ruck around the 22 found Walters in an uncharacteristic excursion from his wing actually running what pundits would call "an angle". It is not entirely clear if Walters knew what was going on as he received the ball but the timely intervention of the right hand post gave him all the clues he needed that it was time to put ball to ground. Price converted.
Andrews only score of the afternoon happened when a determined Koe hacked and chased a dropped ball to score a try which he then converted.
The last play of the match was a 5m scrum deep in Andrews territory swift ball from Price to Nealon and Nealon scored between the posts - another Price conversion and the whistle blew to signal the end of a fine performance by the threes.
brilliant report by Tim Chambers
