2nd XV
Matches
Sat 11 Feb 2017  ·  West Conference
Battersea Ironsides 3rd XV
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The Old Haileyburian RFC
2nd XV
OHRFC 2nd XV 0 v 17 Battersea Ironsides 3rd XV

OHRFC 2nd XV 0 v 17 Battersea Ironsides 3rd XV

Philip Huckin16 Feb 2017 - 13:31
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A slow start as half the team went to the wrong pitch!

On a misty, barbarically-cold February morning, the mighty OH 2nd XV made the long trek from the Alma to Battersea Park to take on Battersea Ironside's 3rd XV.

With a solid turnout an hour before the game, there were high hopes the notoriously-late warm-up specialists were going to buck their trend and get a decent run through in prior to kick off.

It was at that point that OH's 2nd XV stand-in skipper decided to check his WhatsApp to ask where the change rooms were.

A response with a photo from our resident-Saffa Chris M showed a well kitted out shed; however, when asked where it was in Battersea Park, the stand-in skip was quickly informed that he and the other 8 members who had arrived on time were in the wrong location two suburbs over.

It was a quick-scramble but 20-odd minutes later the remaining members of the team got to Earlsfield where Battersea Ironsides play their fixtures.

With a lovely 5-minute warm-up and some shifting of players into positions they'd not played before, OH started with a full 15 including a front row which included one genuine prop in Rosco, a backrower in Tom, and our usual number 9 Andy hooking.

Despite the setbacks, OH started extremely bright, defending brilliantly with new boy Ash Hudson making some strong early tackles and Rosco, Rory, Purley and Rhys joining the fun making some big hits.

With the score nil all for the first 15 minutes, OH were hanging tough, and despite a desperate attempt from the stand-in skip to prevent the opening try and hold it up with a last-ditch tackle, the ball hit a few blades of grass and the try was rightly awarded.

OH then looked bright, but an unusual fast break out-wide from Battersea created a significant territory and after some loose OH play not to clear a kick off their try line, a scrum was awarded to Battersea on their 5 at the 25min mark. A try was promptly scored by Battersea's scrum and the kick converted to gift them a 12-0 lead.

Having already noticed our inexperienced front row was battling and wanting to prevent our second row from having their backs broken, the call was made to go uncontested.

This caused the first of many pieces of shit-bloke-of-the-year award efforts from an Ironside player for the rest of the day, as they demanded we forfeit the match for not having a scrum for 60 minutes. This fired up the wild-haired stand-in skip who played a straight bat and told him where to stick that idea. With some sanity injected into proceedings, the ruling was made OH would drop a player and go uncontested.

Another loose try saw Battersea take a 17-0 lead to the break, which was a shame as OH had a strong showing towards the end of half and should have really pulled a try back but not for some loose handling close to the meat pie line.

Some stirring words at half time from a few of the old heads lifted the OH and, despite playing a man down, their defense was exceptional after the break.

Rory, Purley, Rhys, Rosco, Alex, and Gaz really led the way and some good counter-rucking from Ash, Aussie Tim, Robin and Andy saw us defend the breakdown far greater than previous weeks.

With a man missing, gaps appeared at the back and two clever kicks from their 10 who in fairness had played a smart game all day ensured they would end the contest 29-0 victors.

A definite shame, but after several players pulled out mid-week, a ton away for various trips and then a couple more due to injuries on the morning of the game, OH 2nd XV can stand proud with the effort. Big ups to Rhys, Purley and Rosco who had big games.

MOM - Rory (no brainer, tackled like a bull and ran the ball well)
DOD - Aussie Tim (no brainer, sent half the team to the wrong ground)

Match details

Match date

Sat 11 Feb 2017

Kickoff

15:00

Competition

West Conference

League position

2
Battersea Ironsides 3rd XV
3
Old Haileyburians 2nd XV
Team overview
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