17 Feb 10
Old Laurentians 27 – Rugby St Andrews 3
OLs did enough to see off the spirited challenge of St Andrews in front of a large crowd at Webb Ellis road in a largely undistinguished Warwickshire Cup tie not helped by the sticky conditions underfoot.
Saints were quickest into their stride with their strong forward pack prominent as they made the brighter start, earning due reward when fly half Jamie Clynes kicked a penalty after six minutes to give them an early lead.
OLs were beginning to ease into the game when a Saints kick failed to find touch on half way and Simon Bayliss ran it back, with interest. His inside pass was deliberately knocked on by a Saints’ hand as danger threatened, Denzil Evans kicking the resultant penalty to level the scores.
Jamie Brightwell, Iain Wallis and Ben Wiles were showing up well as OLs began to play with more purpose and cohesion and test Saints defence. Then a slick lineout ploy saw Ben O’Riordan catch and return the ball to thrower Mark Todd, the hooker just being held up as he drove round the front and over the try line.
But OL’s first try was not long delayed, coming after Evans put a testing high kick down the middle. Iain Wallis followed up hard to cause panic in Saints defence and flanker Andy Orbinson took full advantage to hack on the loose ball and touch down near the posts, Evans converting the try for a 10-3 lead.
St Andrews stayed in the hunt, their backs showing glimpses of their pace for Clynes and Helliwell in particular to test OL’s defensive capabilities. But OLs effectively sealed the game as half time approached after another good take in the lineout, this time by Paul Willis. Centre Iain Wallis took the ball up through the middle, committing several defenders, before it was moved smartly right where full back Wiles put Bayliss away for the winger to touch down in the corner for his 20th try, and 100 points, this season. Evans conversion from near touch hoisted the score to 17-3 at the break.
When Brightwell seized on a defensive error early in the second half to go over for a try converted by Evans, it looked as though OLs might go on to post a big total. But the game degenerated into stalemate with OLs dominating territorially but failing to convert this into points. Evans kicked another penalty to finish the scoring, shortly afterwards being replaced by Harry Bryan, who was making his 1st team debut.
Most of the key battles were being won by OLs, typical of which was a lineout stolen on Saints throw by Ben O’Riordan when a penalty had given them a good attacking position near OL’s line. For St Andrews, that old warrior Jason Hare was putting in some crunching tackles and using all his experience and strength to rally his side.
But the clock was ticking down to the final whistle, and Saints couldn’t secure enough ball in the right parts of the field to have any chance of adding to their score. For OLs, skipper Adams was forced to leave the field with a calf injury in the first half, a worrying sign with some important games coming up. They now go on to meet Earsldon in the next round.
Report by Bill Wallis
