Writtle Wanderers RUFC

Writtle Wanderers RUFC
(Founded 2002)

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Tries: A A Lock, Wallbank, Rawlinson, Cooknell, Battye 2, Messo 2
Convs: Battye 3, Cooke 2

A blustery spring day saw both sides turn out looking worse for wear and one or two players light in this lower team clash.

The visiting side saw a return to the field for a number of players following long absences, either through injury or for other turkey related reasons. Nonetheless confidence was high despite the appalling conditions. The Tangerines were also buoyed by a doubling of numbers of travelling support, to 2 spectators.

Owing to the number of tries the writer cannot be expected to put them in order, or indeed to give any detail as to the manner of scoring. Needless to say that each and every one of them was a stunning display of electrifying pace, deft handling and silky skills, especially the try that saw the mystery guest lock rumble over from fully 3 yards out taking the wiry 'Riccay number 9 with him. This was soon mirrored by his lock partner, Wallbank, adding yet another position to his increasing portfolio.

With this makeshift second XV came some makeshift set piece work. It is credit to the Wanderers that they managed so well with so many key players out and it is surely a step towards the total rugby that Manager and Chairman, Scott Taylor, has on the drawing board.

With Richards, the erstwhile utility forward and Captain, playing in his chosen position at hooker this week, the scrum looked steady and turned the screw on their opponents in the second half. After sustained pressure the home pack elected for unopposed scrums which served to take the vigour out of the game but inject some much needed energy into the visiting pack.

The first half ended with the visitors up 24-19 and it was looking like a close game. Following the turnaround the Orange visitors took advantage of both the searing wind and the huge slope. Turning both to their advantage, and with Messo looking like a wild Gazelle, the visitors were sure to walk away from this game with a handsome win.

Disaster almost struck halfway through the second stanza though, with Battye going down heavily with what can only be described as a bellow. He had taken an unexpected blow to the neck. Fears were soon dispelled though as he bravely regained his feet and moved to Fullback, allowing the capable Wayne Cooke to deputise at 10. It's not just England that play with two Fly Halves you know! On a more interesting note Battye passed 100 club points today for which he will be roundly congratulated by all at the Wanderers.

Both Rawlinson and Cooknell played well, relishing the chance to re-ignite their onfield partnership that must now have been ongoing for longer than Cliff Richard's singing career. Both running in excellent tries that put the game beyond doubt.

A good win all round but it is clear that many of the players who took the chance for a week off must now begin drawing in the wagons for next week's double home clash with Burnham in the merit table and the 2nds XV up against Upminster.

Also - let's not forget tickets for the Dinner and Dance. See Jim Cooknell, Paddy Bidwell, Lou Rawlinson or Graham Dawson for details.

A depleted 2nd XV turned out this week against a strong Upminster outfit. A staggering lack of front row, unusual for the home club boasting 3 hookers and 7 props, meant that the game had to be played with unopposed scrummages. As a result the match never really took off as a spectacle with that vital front row battleground missing.

On the plus side the hosts battle well at the lineout with the jumping unit of Sullivan, Blanchflower and A. A. Mystery-Lock taking almost every ball that was thrown into the lineout. Sadly though, and despite this superb athletic display, the home team could do little or nothing with this source of ball, largely due to being outnumbered 7 to 6 in the back line.

Herrmann, on his return to action, battled well at the breakdown and tackled superbly all game. Much of his ruck work was, however, offside and had the referee had the option it is likely that the Orange Orchestrator would have taken a 10 minute rest at some stage.

For the first period the home team battled well, keeping Upminster at bay until almost the last throw of the first half as the strong scum half for the visitors forced his way over. The conversion was missed leaving the Tangerines with a small lead to chase.

The riposte came soon after the second half opened with a long 22 drop out from Herrmann. Calvin chased superbly and just as it seemed the Upminster wing must recover the ball he went down clutching his right leg. Surely the Sniper that the Wanderers enlist for all home games earned his pay this week. Calvin gathered and ran in under the posts for Herrmann to convert giving a 2 point lead.

Sadly it was all downhill after this with Upminster depriving the Wanderers of any possession save for at the lineout. Stolen ball after stolen ball opened the Wanderers defence and the tries surely came. A popular score was the Upminster Right Wing, Will, who ran a delightful line off the big Lock to crash in unopposed. Clearly his 10 minute spell as a guest for the home team in the first half had paid off. An invoice for the coaching charge is on it's way to Upminster.

Notable for the home team was Richard Reid, a late soccer convert and debutante for the Wanderers, having played a few games previously for the Academicals. His grazed knee and grass burned back end giving him no end of pain in the bar. He will soon learn that Rugby differs from football in that no-one cares! Still - a creditable performance from him despite these hideous injuries and the Committee look forward to him coming into his own as the season goes on.

All in all this was a game played with good spirit, although lacking as a contest due to the depleted sides. Were both teams to field a full 15, and given that they were closely matched in many departments, it is likely that this would have been one of the better games of the season. The Wanderers must wait until next week to make amends.

Scorers:
Tries: Rawlinson, Challinor
Conv: Rawlinson
Pen: Rawlinson

An under strength Wanderers outfit battled against the traffic for this tough away fixture against an experienced and canny East London team. With West Ham playing at home and the A13 in ruins the visitors arrived looking somewhat dazed and certainly with their minds on things other than the game.

This showed from the start with the visitors slow to get up to the pace and power of the game. The only player to have arrived switched on was the ever present Herrmann, playing at stand off in this scratch side. Sadly he was alone in this, just as he was too often alone on the field as his battered body later bore testament.

Despite a rocky start the Tangerines held the hosts well, and where tackles were missed the vagaries of the oval ball often covered for the lucky Wanderers. A series of knock-ons a resulting scrums, however, only served to emphasise the E London dominance in the tight. Despite this the home XV could not resist having a sneaky root over the top in one of the rucks resulting in the opening score to the visitors through the deft boot of Rawlinson, deputising the kicking duties in place of the similarly built Battye, absent on turkey business this week.

With 3 points to the good the Wanderers should have stamped their authority on the game. Sadly the only thing that was stamped was the oft-isolated Herrmann. Far from laying fault at the door of the E London forwards, the Wanderers pack must take responsibility collectively for letting him down so badly in the loose. The ball was turned over innumerable times despite the brave 10 giving 100% to the challenge and this was simply due to a lack of support in the loose.

An easy run in, from turned over ball, let the hosts go into the break 5-3 in the lead. Cometh the second half, however, and all to often cometh the Wanderers. For 20 minutes or so the dominance that had been so lacking came back with Wilkins and the captain, Richards, towering in the lineouts. Some useful hands and the inclusion of Messo, a late arrival, saw a number of breaks through midfield. Suddenly the game was not beyond the visitors and they regained the lead with a try worked well to the left and Challinor springing over to score. Rawlinson was cruelly robbed of the conversion due to the Referee's angle of sight, and despite the touch judge's flags being raised. None the less there was now all to play for.

This tempo could not be maintained by the visitors who seemed to have lost interest (and the will to live) at the Beckton flyover and the purple and blues ran in two further unopposed tries taking the score to 15-8. Only a superb solo effort from the stalwart Rawlinson along with his skilful conversion dragged the scores level. Until, that is, 5 minutes from time, when the defending Tangerines infringed at the breakdown gifting a penalty to the E London stand off.

The kick was converted breaking the hearts of the visitors and relieving the home side. The Wanderers can now only look forward to next season's repeat fixture with anticipation of revenge.

Whilst your correspondent doesn't normally single players out for special praise (apart from the Mystery second row who occasionally straps on his boots) this week Sam Herrmann deserves a special mention. If every player on the pitch had his spirit and keenness this team would march unbeaten to the top of any league that would accept them. As it is the Tangerines can only wonder what it is that fuels this miniature dynamo of a tackling machine - and hope that they can get it on prescription!

Yet again the Wanderers turn out with an under strength side, this week for a potentially tough test at the hands of Witham. Despite a comfortable 20-3 win earlier in the season the visitors were right to approach this game with some trepidation.

Witham have a substantial pack of forwards, however at this stage of the season it is clear that some are playing with injuries. The Wanderers, on the other hand, are a shadow of their former selves with veteran players and last minute guests littering the side. Notable by his presence at full back was Geoff Janes, Father of the outstanding young centre, Tim. it's clear to see where the Janes boy gets his talent from, with his Pop marshalling the back division and providing much needed on field coaching to the back line.

In an early attempt to settle the nerves, Battye stepped up to a moderate penalty kick. His miss, whilst uncharacteristic, may have been the result of an under inflated ball. Still, a bad workman and all that........ In the 12th minute though, Battye atoned for his miss with a superb darting try, sending the defence one way and then the other. The gap opened and Battye was through. The easy conversion followed.

The hosts, playing up-hill in the first half, fought back robustly. A series of short bursts and strong scrummages held them in the game and led to an excellent effort from the No. 8, who went in to bring the score to 5-7.

The Tangerines fought back well with a series of rolling mauls and some good work in the loose and the lineout. Their scrummages let them down today though with Culleton under pressure; a series of balls taken against the head clearly leaving the solid hooker in a blind rage. Still, without experienced performers around him it is testament to the young forwards that any ball was won. Redfern, from 8, supported them well and made the most of the scraps that came his way.

On the stroke of half time Messo took the ball wide and streaked in from distance. Battye, sure with the boot this time, took the score to 5-14 and the expectant crowd looked forward to a try fest in the second half.

This never came though with the Witham scrum dominating. The visitors had to rely on their lineout and loose play to keep in the game and this functioned well, despite the loss of so many regulars to injury. Still - the veteran Janes had a part to play in this game yet and just halfway through the second stanza he gathered well from a wayward pass and jinked the opposition. Having sold the dummy for 10s 6d he hurried across the line unopposed. An excellent try from a very honoured guest taking the score to 5-21.

Not to be outdone by Dad, Janes junior, who had looked strong and dangerous all game, cut a delightful angle across the flow and replicated his Father's effort five minutes later. This set the seal on the game at 5-28 and there was little Witham could do to come back with the time ticking away. They did hold out though and played well enough to poach a try through their fullback with 8 minutes still to play.

Sadly though this did not spark the fight back and one thought that the Witham boys had had enough by this stage. Thoughts turned to the forthcoming England/Ireland extravaganza and to the soccer international later in the day. As such the game rather fizzled out and the referee, who, along with his touch judges, had a great game, blew up shortly after.

It is a credit to the players who do appear, that the Wanderers continue to win with a weakened side and at this stage of the season. What is more concerning is that a number of players appear to be going off the boil and losing interest. It is the distasteful side of the game that some simply cannot live up to the commitment that is shown by so many of the other players and management. The club must strive to rectify this otherwise difficult times and choices lie ahead.

Finally - the dinner and dance takes place on the 23rd May at the Shire Hall. Let's hope the club get behind this. Tickets are on sale now.

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