Writtle Wanderers RUFC

Sorry - no report submitted! However, it was an exceptionally poor team performance - admittedly with a weakened side and a lot of people playing out of position - but we fell apart and didn't play as a team!

Despite the visitors scepticism, this was a pretty genuine 2nd XV with only 4 regular 1st XV players starting in their normal positions - and 3 of those were in a pack that in no way dominated proceedings despite the scoreline! The Colchester Roundheads arrived with a mixture of experience and youth - there were plenty of wise old heads in the forwards and dotted throughout the back-line! Considering that Colchester IV have run us close in the BL Merit Table, we did not expect this to be that easy a game.

From the kick off, the visitors showed initial promise with some good recycling of the ball, but the orange forwards eventually managed to gain a turnover and got the ball out to the back-line. After some slick hands the ball was finally passed out to Williams with only two or three strides to the line, but in a Ben Kay-esque faux pas, he knocked on!

However, this was to be a temporary delay in the home side opening their account. A few minutes later, Tim Janes, playing in the unfamiliar role of fly-half sliced through the Roundheads to score the first of his tries under the posts. Steve Clark converted. Regular fly-half, Taka Masuda the Satsuma Shogun, was understood to be pre-occupied by several Geisha girls following Friday Night's Writtle Valentine's Ball!

From the restart, the Wanderers were once again put under a bit of pressure, but managed to work the ball upfield. Eventually Colchester were forced into a clearance kick which landed in the arms of Clark who was playing at full back. We all know what he is capable of with open space in front of him and he did not disappoint - showing searing pace and cutting the defence to ribbons to go in for his first try of the day. We often forget that this man was a convert from football just a couple of years ago and has missed almost a full season with travelling and a leg injury! He converted his own score to take the Wanderers into a 14-0 lead.

Just a few minutes later, Clark was back on the score sheet - this time showing a true rugby brain and determination to chase a speculative kick over the top. The Colchester defence seemed to have things covered, until the ball hit the post and bounced back for Clark to gather and take over. The simple conversion duly followed and the score was 21 - 0.

Clark's hat-trick was completed almost before your correspondent could write up the one above! This time a messy bit of work on the floor, with the ball bouncing of shins and calves and no-one seeming to want to pick it up, eventually led to the ball finding its way to Clark on the half way line for a relatively easy run in for the speedster. He converted his score to take it to 28 - 0.

Following this score there was an ugly incident involving one of the Colchester players who seemed to be taking extreme offence at the scoreline! Your correspondent was not in a position to see exactly what happened, but it appeared that there was an altercation following a legitimate tackle. The language and attitude displayed by the Colchester player concerned was nothing short of disgraceful and he was lucky to only be sent to the bin to cool down for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, Wanderers' lock Paul Arnold had to be taken to hospital to check out damage sustained in the incident!

At this point your correspondent had to take the field to replace Arnold and so is unable to give a full commentary on the remainder of the game. Despite periods of pressure, the visitors were unable to breach the Wanderers' defences. They also failed to learn the lessons from their earlier mistakes and insisted on still putting poor kicks over the top for Clark to run back at them. He was able to secure two further tries for himself, with Janes also bringing up his own hat-trick with another brace of tries and Mike Brown also crossing for a score. Clark converted two of these efforts.

The game was eventually brought to an early close 12 minutes early with the score at 57 - 0. Colchester had continued to threaten to walk off in the latter stages of the second half - a somewhat strange reaction to a game in which their forwards were certainly competitive and most of our tries came from their own mistakes and poor kicks! No one likes to take part in a one-sided contest - whether winning or losing - but we have all been there before and know that it happens occasionally.

As a special treat this week, we have had two reports submitted! Take your pick:

By Scott Taylor:

The Writtle back row took to the field with the strains of Bud Flanagan's theme from Dad's Army lilting in the stiff winter breeze. At a combined age of 105 and a combined weight approaching 60 stone these three monoliths of the modern game were in for a tough test against the Braintree Hornets, a young, impetuous and quick development XV.

And a tough test it proved with early pressure almost leading to the trademark early opposition try. Happily a clearance from the alert Cook eased the pressure. With Tripcony and Taylor in hot pursuit the waiting received was snagged like a rabbit in the headlights. The debutante centre turned the man expertly with the 8 rumbling up to steal the ball outside the opposing 22. This signalled an early turn in the game and led to a period of unprecedented pressure for the Writtle men.

A pushover try looked on the cards however the ham-fisted 8 knocked on over the line to the delight of his front row. With Richards and Dawson taking opposition ball at will though things looked bad for the visitors. Sure enough the pressure told in the end with Janes opening the account from first phase ball. Clark converted under the posts.

Things stepped up a gear as the returning players got into their game. Horne played well in his first start for some months and Howarth looked sharp in the tackle, despite being well felled by a man fully half his size and age. Janes excelled out of position at 10 with his inside centre partner, Tripcony. One hopes that this follicularly challenged man from Southend can make himself available more often.

Iles and Clark had strong games as did the locks. Both stood up to the challenge and were masterful in lineout and scrummage.

By half time the scores were 24-0 to the home side and, thinking they were leaving the team in a winning position, Taylor and Rowan took the chance of an early bath. Although both bear a striking resemblance to Bagpuss, the fat, feline daytime kids TV favourite, neither could have expected the team to go to sleep in quite the same way as his mousey friends would.

A shocking period of play followed the departures with the Orange men leaking 15 unanswered points. Much credit goes to the dreadlocked Braintree wing and the nippy scrum half. Both ran rings around their opponents as the orange heads went down. Cue the return of Rowan, on for the injured Wilkins. The ship steadied a little and the leaks were plugged. Taylor returned for the injured new boy, Tripcony, and the mast was back up to full sail. The game finished with a flourish and some strong forward play letting Clark in for his hat-trick.

All in all a job well done in the end. The shocking middle period of the game will be a concern for the Writtle men who face stiffer opposition in the form of Burnham in the President's Shield next Saturday.

By Tim Janes:

The Wanderers needed to get back into winning ways and stamp some authority onto this game, in readiness for Saturdays cup clash at Essex 2 side Burnham.

With new and ‘old faces’ appearing in today’s line up, The club chairman, started the warm up with some strong words, which set the tone for the opening 20 mins. Wanderers started the game well, with the forwards dominating the young Braintree pack. With a good base to work off this gave the orange backs some good ball to get the first score of the day. Janes, the stand in Fly half, gave the simple crash ball to his guest inside centre, with strong running he crashed through the Braintree defence, Janes following in support to receive the pass back, went in under the post. Clark the kicking genius duly added the extras.

The pressure continued, and it didn’t seem long before a scrum 5 metre out was awarded, with the strength of the Tangerines pack evident, they went for the push over. With Taylor controlling from No8, a score was almost certain, However the scrum was reset 3 times, on the 3rd occasion the ball was over the line and all the giant back row had to do was touch the ball down, To the supporters dismay, he knocked on! Braintree cleared their lines from the resulting scrum.

It wasn’t long before, the wanderers where applying the pressure once again. This time, quick ball down the back line, put the lighten quick Clark in for the first of his three.

Excellent rucking and mauling from the Tangerine pack, something that needs to continue in next weeks game, gave a good platform for Janes to rip the Braintree defence apart. With his dancing feet and dummy that could only have been taught by such masters as Wilkinson, Grayson and of course the legend Geoff Janes, allowed him to split the defending back line in two, a great score under the post!
The likes of Takka, Batty and Dempsey, must be concerned by the promise he is showing in his newfound position.

After this I believe your reporter must have received a knock to the head, because things become a bit hazy. What is clear is that after the break Braintree put in a spirited performance and with the Wanderer’s resting on their laurels, they got back into the game. First with a penalty in front of the post that gifted them 3 points. And then from half hearted tackling, 2 tries followed.

Somewhere in this mayhem, Clark pick up another 2 tries, with his lighten pace and strength in the tackle, I feel for any opposing winger. He also clocked up another 2 conversions, which is increasing his points tally for the season.

A good game of rugby was enjoyed by all. We must however look forward and concentrate on the clubs biggest game, Burnham in the cup. If concentration isn’t maintained and 100% isn’t given for the full 80mins, the cup success will all be but a dream.

Burnham I v Writtle Wanderers 1st XV
Essex President's Shield Quarter-Final
(Report by Tim Janes/Martyn Howarth)

LOST 13 - 5

The last Saturday in February saw the Wanderers travel across to the capital of the historic Dengie Hundred, Burnham-on-Crouch, for the quarter-final of the Essex President's Shield. The Travelling Tangerines arrived in plenty of time to prepare well for the Cup clash. With a good warm up and prep talk done, 2.30 saw the start of what was to be the best performance ever played in the orange strip!

The game started with high intensity. Within the first 5 minutes scrum-half, Szyczak, was on the end of some rough treatment from his opposite number, resulting in an early talking to for both players from the referee. A few minutes later, flanker Cooknell became the first injury of the contest and the first customer for guest physio, "The Reverend" Richard Harper - cruelly nicknamed John Candy by some of the crowd due to his resemblance to the rotund Jamaican bobsleigh coach portrayed by the comedy actor in "Cool Runnings" (it must have been the hat, Dick)! Cooknell was unable to continue due to rib problems and Howarth made a rather unexpected early venture onto the park!

The first quarter passed with neither team clocking up any points. The Tangerines applied some pressure with good strong running from Clark, playing at fullback, and Messo on the wing. Burnham must have underestimated their strength and elusive pace. However, as the game entered the second quarter, the crowd saw the first score of the day. With good running from the large Burnham centre, ground was made down the left touch line. An inside pass to his winger saw Burnham over in the corner to take the lead at 5 – 0. The conversion - from the touchline in a stiff breeze - was missed.

This didn’t dishearten the Wanderers and a massive mention must go out to the efforts of the visiting pack. With the experience of the front row - Wallbank, captain Richards and Dawson - and backed up by the powerhouse of Kenny ‘the shirt’ Wilson and "Man of the Match" Morris, they had the Burnham pack on the back foot all afternoon. After some tactical kicking to take the Wanderers into Burnham territory, a penalty was awarded. Taking the wise decision to scrummage, "Capitan" Richards gave orders to his troops for the drive over. And so it happened - controlled and touched down by the awesome Shields at No. 8 to bring the scores back level at 5 all. Clark was unable to convert.

It was probably at this stage Burnham realised that they had a game on their hands. They may have initially under estimated the non-league Writtle side, but no longer - respect where respect is due!

The game continued for the next ten minutes with even blows from each team. The Wanderers were awarded several penalties in their own half, which fly-half Janes used to clear the lines. However, his kicking was slightly off-par and gifted the ball on more than one occasion to the Burnham full back, who ran it straight back. As a result of these runs, Burnham were awarded a penalty 30 yards out and in front to the posts. They duly took the three points to go into half time with a narrow lead, 8 - 5.

Early in the second half the scrum-half battle boiled over and resulted in 10 minutes behind the posts for each number 9. This was a physical encounter, with big hits and strong tackling continuing throughout the second half. An attacking Wanderers' side dominated much of the second half, with the ball being taken on up front by the strong Wanderers' pack. They gave a good platform for the back line, although some strong running by the likes of Brown and Horne in the centres did not manage to break the Burnham defence - despite another 10 minute period when Burnham were reduced to 14 men after a quite unnecessary punch was landed on Howarth right in front of the referee!

With 10 minutes to play, the Wanderers were awarded a penalty in a very similar position to the one converted by Burnham at the end of the second half. With the pressure mounting Clark stepped up for the kicking duties. However, the Wanderers' highest points scorer put the kick wide of the left post and the score remained 8 – 5 to Burnham and everything to play for!

Burnham turned up the pressure for the last 5 minutes and played in the Wanderers' 22. With just seconds to go and the referee already glancing at his watch, they tried to release their back line, but Janes intercepted from the fly-half’s pass and made 20 yards upfield. With quick ruck ball, the Wanderers released their fast back 3, with Messo, Clark and Iles taking things up to the Burnham 22. Iles was eventually brought down by the last Burnham defender and despite the efforts of the exhausted Wanderers' support players to get to the break down, the ball found its way to the Burnham full back who then kicked to clear his line and bring the home side the relief of the final whistle!

The banana-like kick ended up in the wide open spaces of the opposite wing and it was down to the luck of the bounce where it ended up! But luck was not with the Wanderers, as the ball ended up in the arms of the flying Burnham winger who had Manson and Morris to beat - and beat them he did despite their brave efforts! This left him with half a pitch to the try line, with the chasing Janes gaining on him painfully slowly! But with the 10-yard start, Janes had no chance and the winger scored in the corner to enormous and deserved excitement from the watching crowd - who, it should be noted, had swelled as word had got out of what a contest this game had proved to be! The formality of the conversion was missed and the referee blow for full time - but everyone knew that the epic duel had ended with that final dive over the try-line.

The final score of 13 – 5 perhaps flatters Burnham a little - they will know that the contest was really a lot closer than the two score margin suggests. But for the bounce of the ball, the result could have been very different!

With the Wanderers taking on an established team who are well placed in Essex 2 and former winners of the President's Shield competition, the only thing we lacked was experience. We have certainly earned deserved respect for the wholehearted effort all players put in and next year may well be a different story, with the experience that regular league rugby will bring.

Scorers: