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Sat 09 Apr 2016
VetsMagor RFC
Tries: T AndersonConversions: G Hooper (5)
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Vets v Magor RFC
Gavin Hooper12 Apr 2016 - 20:25
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Vets win again in 2016
A win against a team who absolutely stuffed us last year is always special, but this was a very much enjoyable match than last season's debacle at Caldicott RFC. The it rained horribly, they were up for it and we weren't, and Leader squealed like a pig when he popped his shoulder, and we had a coach driver who refused us any stops on the way back to Bristol. That all but 15 points came from the back three was especially gratifying after the largely forward orientated battle of attrition lasr year!
We lost the toss and the oppo skipper chose to play with a strong wind behind him, and given that Magor had been out warming up for at least 45 minutes, I anticipated a drop off in the second half. In a fairly dominant start to the game, the wind was to feature strongly as the pack won clean ball, Spotty was able to release the backs and before we knew it, a huge pass was sailing off behind all and sundry. How the pack must have enjoyed that as they were working their socks off to get that ball, with a front row of Sam Hawke, Steve and a 62 year old Tony just holding on in the scrums against a bigger oppo pack, and Ferg, Ed Fraser and Owain standing firm in the second row. In the back row, Ettsy, TT and Tinks were scrapping hard in the first half, and then Angus and new boy Dan Smith coming to the fore in the second. The backs were mouthwatering with Spotty, Ed Mckenzine, Zonks, Gareth, Dan Evans, Tony and Hooper playing the first half, before Ted, Burrows, Pool and Tim King entered the fray in the second half.
Having fairly controlled the opening exchanges, a wayward long pass in midfield allowed the Magor 13 to sweep through for a converted try and after a lot of huffing and puffing, OB's needed a bit of Zonks magic to get over the whitewash. With the ex-chairman playing some of his best rugby this year, it was a pleasure to see him swerve around his opposite man, stand the full back up and then have the presence of mind to pop a delightful pass to Dan Evans who had been tracking his run like a faithful sheepdog does a grizzled farmer. Hooper added the extras, and before we knew it another wayward pass had been latched on to and Magor went through the phases to score a well worked try. Having played a lot of the rugby, and against a strong wind, we were turning around in defecit before a sweeping move from side to side saw Tony - having his best run in an OB shirt - put a lurking TT down the wing for the flanker to dot down. Again Hooper added the points from the tee, and referee Burty blew time on a pulsating half.
As we talked things through and made a swathe of changes, the wind dropped to non-existant and it was B's who started strongly with Burrows to the fore, and the forwards again getting some ascendancy at the scrums but again our Welsh friends pulled clear with a try when Dan Smith welcomed himseld to OB's Vets by telegraphing a pass so clear that even the ref said he was close to intercepting it, before their centre moved to scrum half, picked up the ball and ran umolested from the base of the scrum whilst our back row looked at each other! It wasn't a time for shouting and grumping, but just as quickly as the momentum had shifted one way, so it ran the other as Owain and Burrows in particular started to get physical, and it was the portly centre who bounced off a tiring oppo midfield to dot down for a converted try, and then he came closer to a ruck to claim a try that was again converted by Hooper. The full back then turned creater by delivering the final pass for Pool to skate down the line at lightening speed for a cracking try (safe in the knowledge that baby Samuel was being looked after)
Magor kept us honest by again scoring but a second Pool try - after glorious approach play from hooker Steve - allowed a converted try before Tony rounded off another team try to score the final try of the day, and as Hooper's conversion hit the post from wide out, the sun set on a topsy turvy match with plenty of tries, and some superb rugby played in excellent conditions by two honest teams...what was slightly bizarre was the oppo chose Ed 'fling it wide in a strong wind' McKenzie as MOTM, before we had a word and explained that he had left, so they then chose Spotty
We lost the toss and the oppo skipper chose to play with a strong wind behind him, and given that Magor had been out warming up for at least 45 minutes, I anticipated a drop off in the second half. In a fairly dominant start to the game, the wind was to feature strongly as the pack won clean ball, Spotty was able to release the backs and before we knew it, a huge pass was sailing off behind all and sundry. How the pack must have enjoyed that as they were working their socks off to get that ball, with a front row of Sam Hawke, Steve and a 62 year old Tony just holding on in the scrums against a bigger oppo pack, and Ferg, Ed Fraser and Owain standing firm in the second row. In the back row, Ettsy, TT and Tinks were scrapping hard in the first half, and then Angus and new boy Dan Smith coming to the fore in the second. The backs were mouthwatering with Spotty, Ed Mckenzine, Zonks, Gareth, Dan Evans, Tony and Hooper playing the first half, before Ted, Burrows, Pool and Tim King entered the fray in the second half.
Having fairly controlled the opening exchanges, a wayward long pass in midfield allowed the Magor 13 to sweep through for a converted try and after a lot of huffing and puffing, OB's needed a bit of Zonks magic to get over the whitewash. With the ex-chairman playing some of his best rugby this year, it was a pleasure to see him swerve around his opposite man, stand the full back up and then have the presence of mind to pop a delightful pass to Dan Evans who had been tracking his run like a faithful sheepdog does a grizzled farmer. Hooper added the extras, and before we knew it another wayward pass had been latched on to and Magor went through the phases to score a well worked try. Having played a lot of the rugby, and against a strong wind, we were turning around in defecit before a sweeping move from side to side saw Tony - having his best run in an OB shirt - put a lurking TT down the wing for the flanker to dot down. Again Hooper added the points from the tee, and referee Burty blew time on a pulsating half.
As we talked things through and made a swathe of changes, the wind dropped to non-existant and it was B's who started strongly with Burrows to the fore, and the forwards again getting some ascendancy at the scrums but again our Welsh friends pulled clear with a try when Dan Smith welcomed himseld to OB's Vets by telegraphing a pass so clear that even the ref said he was close to intercepting it, before their centre moved to scrum half, picked up the ball and ran umolested from the base of the scrum whilst our back row looked at each other! It wasn't a time for shouting and grumping, but just as quickly as the momentum had shifted one way, so it ran the other as Owain and Burrows in particular started to get physical, and it was the portly centre who bounced off a tiring oppo midfield to dot down for a converted try, and then he came closer to a ruck to claim a try that was again converted by Hooper. The full back then turned creater by delivering the final pass for Pool to skate down the line at lightening speed for a cracking try (safe in the knowledge that baby Samuel was being looked after)
Magor kept us honest by again scoring but a second Pool try - after glorious approach play from hooker Steve - allowed a converted try before Tony rounded off another team try to score the final try of the day, and as Hooper's conversion hit the post from wide out, the sun set on a topsy turvy match with plenty of tries, and some superb rugby played in excellent conditions by two honest teams...what was slightly bizarre was the oppo chose Ed 'fling it wide in a strong wind' McKenzie as MOTM, before we had a word and explained that he had left, so they then chose Spotty
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