27 Feb 10
Old Laurentians 45 – Kidderminster 19
The two form sides in the league went head to head at Fenley Field on Saturday, OLs having won their last six games while Kidderminster had enjoyed a run of five consecutive victories.
But by the half hour mark it had become clear which record was going to be extended further as OLs had already built an unassailable 26-0 lead. By the final whistle they had run in seven excellent tries to their opponents’ three.
Kidderminster fielded a big, mobile pack of forwards and based their game around them. But OLs eight competed effectively with them throughout, produced the stronger scrummaging performance and provided quick possession through the phases to ensure that their backs had plenty of opportunities to use their superior pace and inventiveness.
Laurentians went on to the offensive from the first whistle and after a storming run by Ollie Cowley had set up the position, lock Paul Willis crashed over for the first try after just four minutes. Mrs Willis was ecstatic. Over 11 or 12 years, and close to 200 games, of watching her son she had never seen him score a try. It’s not that she had just been unlucky and missed them as this was Willow’s first ever touch down for the 1st XV at Fenley Field!
Two minutes later, Andy Orbinson snaffled a loose Kidder pass and burst through the middle to find Chris le Poidevin up in support, the prop feeding Steve Pike who ran in for the try and a 12-0 lead. This was increased after eighteen minutes by a trademark Simon Bayliss try after Evans was quickest to a loose ball in midfield. It was transferred smoothly to Bayliss on the right and the wing burnt off the defence in a 45 metre run to the line, Evans adding the goal points for 19-0.
Bayliss ran in the next after some excellent build up play gave him the opening, his eighth try against this opposition in the last four games between the sides. Evans converted to bring up a score of 26-0.
Kidder’s pack had been working hard throughout but their best efforts had been stifled by OLs, particularly round the fringes of the forward action. But they built up a head of steam as half time approached when, after good work by Kidder’s number 12 Pinner, a great drive took them 25 metres to OL’s line, where they released the ball to their backs queuing up outside and centre Martin crossed for a try to record his side’s first points and a 26-5 half time score line.
OLs were again quickest off the blocks as the second half got under way, Iain Wallis jinking and swerving over for a try after a slick build up featuring Parker, Adams and Pike. Evans added the points for a 33-5 score. But the Kidder pack responded with another irresistible drive from a lineout inside OL’s 22, muscling over for a try touched down by prop Rigsby and converted by McLellan, which reduced the deficit to 33-12.
OLs were not in the mood to allow a sustained Kidderminster recovery and after Pike and Ben Wiles had both gone close, scrum half Richard Parker scythed through to score after linking well with Adams when a Kidder scrum had been disrupted.
But the Kidder pack was not going to lie down and mounted another successful assault on OL’s line to record their third try, credited to Gauden and converted by McClellan, for 38-19 with five minutes still to play. This was enough for OLs to go back on to the attack and Garrie Reeve was first to the ball as another Kidder movement was broken up. Evans moved the ball left, releasing Ben Wiles on a penetrating run down the flank before he switched the ball inside to Iain Wallis, the centre running in for his second and OL’s last try. Evans put over his fifth conversion to bring up the final score.
The win consolidated OL’s third place in the league and put clear water between themselves and Kidderminster in fourth, now two points ahead of them with a game in hand. Next up is a visit to Barkers Butts on Saturday, the Coventry side occupying 5th place and having a good season.
The team are seeing the benefits flowing from a settled side, with quality back up in key positions, and the confidence to play an expansive game. Whilst Stu Birch and Carl Adams may wish to look at the way the Kidder pack took us on and won for their three tries, particularly with Barkers coming up, they will be pleased with the way we remained positive and counter attacked with pace and precision.
Recent weeks have shown that few sides can live with us when possession is quick and plentiful and our backs are capitalising so effectively on the hard work put in by the pack. This week saw five tries from wing and centre plus one from scrum half – not to forget the history making effort from lock forward!
Report by Bill Wallis
Barkers Butts 2nd XV 25 - 12 Old Laurentian 2nd XV
Report to follow.
Old Laurentian 3rds 6 - 12 Southam 2nds
Once again, a full squad of a third team turned out for the home fixture on Saturday. The opposition, Southam seconds, were a youthful looking side whose enthusiastic pre-match warm up drew admiration and incredulity in equal measure from the on looking threes.
In his first game back after a long, injury enforced, lay off Rhys Wade seemed to attract the ball straight from the kick off and for the first few minutes of the game. Two or three 30 yard runs back at the opposition forwards in the opening exchanges of the afternoon were not on Wade’s wish list when he dusted of his boots on Saturday morning but, to no-ones surprise, it was like he’d never been away.
From early in the game, it was obvious that Southam wanted to get their kicks down the A426 and had come to play some rugby at Fenley Field.
They were an organised and well structured side with several players who proved to be a handful over the course of the game. The fly half and fleet footed full back being the pick of the double figures. There was little to choose between the sides at the set piece but, despite the obvious disparity in age and pace, OLs spent long periods of time in the Southam half. If time in the opposition half were the recognised measure of superiority in Rugby Union, OLs would have been well ahead come half time, unfortunately it isn’t, and 3 points from a Price penalty were all they had to show for their first half endeavours. An unconverted try following a 5m scrum gave Southam the lead at half time.
Lomu, Underwood, Evans, Campese. The pantheon of great wingers may perhaps have to find room for another. In what was surely his best performance in an OLs jersey, Stuart Page tackled, ran, linked and generally did everything but score but, even this performance was not enough to prevent a second try from Southam early in the second half.
Whilst both sides defended well, OLs were never out of touch. An unsubtle centre partnership of Rigg and Ramsden were direct in taking the ball up the middle as the second half began to open up and the half time addition of Sir Mark Palmer added some rapier to their broadsword but still there was no way through.
Charge after charge from the tenacious Tom Middleton and industrious breakdown work from the second row partnership of Spriggs (enjoying the full 80 minutes for a change) and Brimley couldn’t force an opening as OLs turned the screw with the clock moving toward full time. A second Price penalty brought the score to 6 – 12 and the home side needed a converted try to winWith OLs in control and a sin bin full to bursting point, the Threes very nearly nicked it at the end as the last few seconds were played out on the opposition 5m line but it wasn’t to be.
Finally, a few words on our friend, Kevin Jones.
Those of us old enough to have had the pleasure of playing with KJ will remember a player of cool, measured intelligence, skill, style and class.
Those of us who never had that pleasure will remember a man who conducted his life off the pitch in exactly the same way.
Report by Tim Chambers
