OBRFC record season opening victory

Walcot 3s v Old Bristolians 3s
Welcome to the first 3s match report for over a season... and indeed to the first 3s match of the season.
This state of affairs apparently only came about because Somerset RFU demanded that the fixture was played this weekend. They then proceeded to look like total morons by not being able to provide a ref, having loaned all their available officials to the Gloucester leagues this weekend. Still, however the match was arranged it allowed 16 OBs to work up a pre world cup thirst on the wide open fields of Walcott RFC on Bath’s Lansdown Hill.
Pre match interest revolved around Tan going to the wrong venue (standard), and Andy Green arriving late and in a bit of a rouge state.

Andy’s excuse was that he’d been to Cardiff two nights on the trot. Anyone who has made the journey over the bridge will sympathise/ marvel at the scrum half’s effort to play rugby on Saturday. I made it to Australia v Fiji, but only after surviving a train journey, which was akin to being buried alive in a tin can with 400 live inhabitants for company. I only even made it into the carriage because 12 people were holed up in the toilets and I politely suggested to a middle aged lady that she might want to wait with her husband for the next train on the platform rather than continue alone. It was hell on earth, especially when those who had been merrily glugging through ciders, realised the toilet was full of passengers. By the end of the ordeal people were hugging and crying, with looks in their eyes that I imagine survivors of Shackleton’s doomed trip to the South Pole in 1913 would have shared. The whole thing has been a disgrace and this is from someone who knows the score when travelling to Wales. The poor French, Fijians and Australians spent the journey looking perplexed that this how we go about business in our country. So congratulations Greeny for surviving.

There was a worry shortly before kick off that the jovial atmosphere might mean a less than tuned in start to the match. But this wasn’t the case. OBs took a strangle hold immediately and were 3 tries to the good within 15 minutes. Greeny, Stu Mac and HRD all got on the score sheet. To their credit Walcot hit back through their big pack and scored a decent try out wide but OBs made the game safe with more tries from Stinger, LDG and McGreevy. The latter scorer was at pains to get round under the posts, having missed every conversion up to that point.
The second half was far more even as Walcot, playing down the hill got their pack going with pick and drives but OBs held on comfortably enough. Other moments of note throughout the match were HRD squealing before going down with an ankle injury. He later said he did this so that their big no 8 didn’t jump on him; LDG taking every single restart with aplomb except one which was caught by captain Colton, who immediately ran across to Liam and shovelled the ball to him with a panicky pass to restore normal service; Hugh, having done a relatively tidy job all match, even putting in a pass, ruined his good work by holding up the match with 5 minutes on the clock because his boot was broken. Some of the less kind members of the team suggested that we should carry on during the repairs as it would make no difference to our side whatsoever.
The champagne moment of the match came towards the end when Rob the Tan, our bronzed Welsh winger found himself with a one on one near the Walcott line. He initially went with the hand off but realising he wasn’t going to make it, slipped a ghost pass inside for Greeny to stroll on for the score. It was a great play, spoiled only by his own team’s looks of disbelief. Indeed Liam cheekily asked him later whether he knew someone was there when he released the ball.
Anyway, with job done, we were happy to retire to the club house to eat and watch a massive Burger. Foley was awarded MoTM by default due to being the only one not driving. The rest of us breathed easy as we watched him get presented with a pint of creamy looking liquid before losing a down in one race against the youngest looking person in the club house.
Talk turned to the Annual OBs Rider Cup Match in 2 weeks with Golf Pro, Andy McGreevy being tapped up by the unders. He was curious about the event and who the danger men were in the overs team. When I told him that Lambo was our best player, he laughed uncontrollably. This is not unusual as Lambo doesn’t appear to be the most co-ordinated player on the field, so the idea of his golfing prowess is difficult for most people to swallow. With Andy it wasn’t quite this reasoning which caused his mirth as he had already seen the former club captain on the course. He just couldn’t believe that Lambo actually played rugby.
If anyone hasn’t given their availability for this prestigious event, it is on 18th Oct at Woodspring GC. Give me a shout on 07968 286703.
And make yourselves available for rugby! We should be getting a 3s out every week (if required). Let’s make this our aim.

Walcott 3s 24-51 Old Bristolians 3s
Tries: Green 3, Stu Mac 2, HRD, Stinger, LDG, McGreevy
Cons: McGreevy 2, Stinger
Debut: Scrum Half Tim. Good solid match. Quick service.
MotM: Not sure who Colton gave it to. Greeny and LDG had very strong games, whilst Smudge, Coughlin and Al Watson put in a lot of work. You will have to ask him.
BoH: Tan for wrong venue, HRD for squeal, Hugh for boot debacle, whoever’s in charge of how match fees are meant to be paid?
DotD: Somerset RFU?