Wonderfully cohesive rugby from OBs

Well, the buildup for this one was an odd one.

Wales and then England being dispatched by Southern Hemisphere teams both bouncing back from poor performances meant Sunday was probably going to be the rugby highlight for both sides as the sun set on an otherwise brilliant RWC in the land of the rising sun.

Despite the hope of fireworks, Saturday had been a damp day, and I fielded various texts asking about the likelihood of any actual Sunday Rugby, while also frantically trying to find a Ref on the day of the RWC final.

So, the omens weren't brilliant, but a teamsheet with a fine list of legends - demanded a game, and Magor who are a lovely positive resurgent side also weren't to be let down. So after the gloom of Saturday, the sun shone through, and some glorious rugby was played.

Of course, before this were some additional moments of fun - Kirk's realisation he'd been selected when one of the other players offered him a lift "Where? and Why? O shit." The realisation from yours truly that my wife had planned a Sunday lunch with my parents as a thank you for dog-sitting - she'd assumed that when I'd written "Rugby" on the calendar it was referring to the Mini's game I was 'reffing' in the morning. Eating a full Sunday lunch in twelve minutes, that could be a record. Mrs T was very impressed, and not at all annoyed.

Brighter moments came when Sam H popped up asking if he was required. Of bloody course! Once again we were set to dominate with a tiny but mighty front row. A moment of worry happened when Stanni realised he'd forgotten his gumshield, but then found one, possibly on the floor. True tight-head spirit.

We had a healthy 17 at kickoff, which was handy - although they had offered to lend us some from their bench of 10 - they'd been out training since 1, and had possibly become worried when they could only count 10 OBs warming up a quarter of an hour before kick-off. Little did they know, we're all students of the Hawks philosophy that to turn up anytime before kickoff was in truth 'early'.

As an example, Alex and his A-team kindly text to say he'd 'only' be arriving at 1:15. Which I think put him in the first wave of arrivals.

Won't go on too much about the game. It started worryingly when Dan (El Captain for the day) took a lovely kick to scythe across the field and pop a floating pass to 7s wizard Garth, who then got obliterated. Even their supporters winced. Their lady physio (who had kindly agreed to help out with OBs in the absence of Peaches) almost took the field, but that was perhaps due to Garth's magnetism, and also might explain why he then did bounce back up impressively.

Good chat from the sideline them remarking on Zonks as being a particularly formidable player. 'Mind you, he has to be to get away with that hair'.

BOP goes to Al Hein(e) with 4 tries. I rewarded by taking him off as more than hat-trick is just a bit showy. Unlike Barney bear the previous game, he did buy his jug, so made up for outscoring the rest of the team.

Honorable mention to Gav Hooper, who - having recovered from fundraising at the Bristol-Sale rainfest - uncomplainingly played at 9, and had a stormer - also converting from a number of tricky angles.

The demi-Francais halftime talk clearly worked (in terms of invoking the French tradition of self-destruction), as the try count went from 4-1 in the first half to 2-3 in the second. Taking off Mark, Al and Zonks all of whom were playing well also were tactical master-strokes.

Talking of butchery, both sides murdered a couple of tries, for OBs this was mainly due to strong last-ditch defence. For Magor this was mainly due to the inexplicable tendency of anyone under the age of 30 to think wearing blades is clever. The Failand sniper had a field day, and there was much sly laughter from the old boys who live for the opportunity to break out the inch-long studs.

But it was a good and bloody physical match - exemplified by them holding up the mighty Tinks from 3 yards. Taking a leaf out of the Boks book, they had a bench of even bigger men and a couple of Faf sized youngsters who played good hard rugby for the full 80, rewarded with a classic no.9 try in the last play, as a tap-and-go left OBs cramboozled.

Good win, good lads and looking forward to the rematch in 2020!