20 Mar 10
Rugby Lions Development XV 46 - 17 Old Laurentian 2nd XV 15
OLs travelled to near neighbors Rugby Lions to play a game scheduled as the semi final of the Clonmel Cup. But the game was changed to a friendly prior to kick off after the Lions conceded the tie, as they were not able to select a side that met the competition regulations. So, as expected, OLs second string met with a strong Lions side.
However the team has been having an excellent season and were confident that they could give the Lions a good game, and so it proved to be.
The hosts started very brightly, looking to move the ball around quickly, and found themselves 14- 0 up within the same amount of minutes. However OLs finally got their hands on the ball and started to work the Lions’ forwards.
The scrum was looking effective with Leigh Fisher, Gary Hammond & Ash McEwan in dominating form. Joel Gleghorn was, as usual, winning some good lineout ball which released “Charles Atlas” Amor on a couple of surging runs.
After a period of pressure, the OLs ran a planned lineout with Dave Longrigg peeling around the front and romping over the line untouched for an unconverted try.
The Lions responded to this but were now repelled by some terrific defence from Dave “Shaky” Wallis and the OL’s centres Ted Wallis and the outstanding Danny Murch. OLs were now playing some lovely direct rugby and were working the young Lions pack hard and Matt Miller, with a peach of an outside break, took OLs deep into Lions’ territory.
Driven forward by skipper Ricky Reed OLs forced the Lions into conceding a 5 metre scrum and with OL’s pack in full flow the inevitable pushover try came with Longrigg again claiming the touchdown, again not converted, this time by Eddie “Jonny” Edwards.
However Lions had the last say in the half with a missed tackle in midfield allowing their slick backs an easy try, for a half time score of 22-10 to the home side.
It was the hosts who started the better in the second half and the pressure told with OLs hooker taking a walk to the sin bin. The Lions took full advantage of this to run in three tries in the time OLs were down to 14 men and take control of the game.
With the OLs back to 15, and with the introduction of the hard hitting Volkman, they regrouped and refused to lie down and worked their way back into the game. Excellent driving play from Leigh Fisher and the OL’s centres took the ball to the Lions’ 22 and moving the ball out it was Eddie Edwards who fed Dan Volkman with a sublime pass, allowing him to score under the posts.
The Lions again threw everything at OLs but with Howard Harris and Jody Roderick both fielding high balls and tackling and chasing everything, OLs repelled the home side. But despite this superb resistance it was Lions who had the last word with the final try.
Despite the defeat. OLs can take great heart from this performance, in which the defensive effort, led by bookies favorite James Melvin, was excellent all afternoon. The OL’s forwards gave the Lions young pack a torrid time and the whole team came off with their heads held high.
The only area of concern is the goal kicking and things are that bad skipper Reed is thinking of giving the Bernai a go next week!
OL’s 2nd XV can now look forward to the remainder of the league season and another appearance in a cup final.
Report by Dean Cobley
Friendly
Harbury II 11 – OLs III 7
On a rainy afternoon, the thirds arrived early at Harbury to face a second team sprinkled with some first team returnees and with a full bench of replacements.
Playing into the wind and up the slope in the first half was not on everyone’s “to do” list that morning but, despite this, there was little to choose between the sides in the opening rounds where OLs learnt very quickly that the able, if annoyingly vocal, Harbury Fly Half would kick for the bottom left hand corner at every opportunity.
The thirds were guilty of giving away many needless penalties throughout the match and so it was that after about 15 minutes, the first points of the game were scored by Harbury.
From the restart, OLs frustrated and tied up the Harbury pack and managed to run the ball through a few phases, giving them the confidence to take the game to the opposition. Not that confidence was in short supply from the buccaneering Tom Middleton. Time and again the hardest of yards were made as he took the ball straight up the park leaving would-be tacklers in his wake nursing bodily harm and bruised egos. On a couple of occasions, Son found Father to off load to out of the tackle and the pace of attack inevitably slowed. Nevertheless, the Middleton, Middleton, Wade back row were more than a match for that of the home side. OLs, however, could not make profit from their possession.
Following a couple of unsuccessful penalty kicks at goal, Harbury’s second score of the afternoon came with about 10 minutes to go in the first half when the ball was shipped out to the left winger who scored in the corner and had obviously won a prize for doing so as his vociferous and jubilant celebrations seemed to far outweigh the magnitude of his achievement.
The try was converted and the teams turned round with the score at 11 – 0.
The second half saw OLs make significant gains with the elements and slope in their favour but they repeatedly pressed the self destruct button with a gradual deterioration in discipline made worse by questioning refereeing decisions and subsequently being marched back a further 10 metres.
A fine tackling and scrummaging performance from Hugh Sullivan was one of only a few highlights in the second half where the fresh legs of multiple replacements by Harbury made the OLs task even harder. Line outs followed scrums followed line outs but OLs did begin to operate in the danger zone and were rewarded with a try ten minutes from the end through someone, White converting to make it 11 – 7.
Confidence now grew in the OLs as much as panic did in the opposition and with just one try required, the ascendant OLs, now marshalled by the Napoleonic Wade in place of the injured Middleton, began to look like they could nick it.
With a few minutes left, the visitors had set up shop close to the Harbury 22 and the referee, now reduced to the role of speaking clock for the Harbury fly-half, left OLs unpenalised for long enough to launch one final effort but the ball was turned over and kicked into touch to end the game.
All in all, not a great game and not a great deal to write about, but still better than the alternative.
Report by Tim Chambers
