Writtle Wanderers RUFC

Writtle Wanderers RUFC
(Founded 2002)

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Scorers:
Tries: Janes, Iles, Dawson
Conv: Clark
Pens: Clark 2
Man of the Match: Dave McKenna

After the heartbreak of last week's quarter final knockout the question was, could the men in orange pick up their game again and claim retribution for the events of November 22nd? Those regulars at the website will recall the 33-3 spanking handed out by this Chelmsford outfit to a weak and half-cut Writtle side on world cup final day. This was never going to be the same game though with Chelmsford playing on experience against a fired up hosts XV.

The game started robustly, a theme that was to run through the full 80 minutes. With so many players being close acquaintances off the park, the risk was that tempers would spill over. Happily this was not the case, although strong play was the order of the day for both sides. McKenna displayed all his skill in this area taking hit after hit at scrum half and returning to the fray for yet more.

The enthusiasm showed by the Tangerines to join the fray had to spill over at the breakdown, and it did regularly. As early as 10 minutes in a penalty was given within the home 22, a theme that again continued for the rest of the game. The skilful Cheema, captaining his side, took the quick ball and coasted over unopposed. As clear a case of players referee watching as was ever seen, at a cost of 5 points.

This galvanised the hosts and they clawed their way back into the game through the boot of Clark. After 15 minutes the Orange took the lead, 6-5 and were to hold the advantage for a further 30 minutes or so. During this purple patch the orange men ran in two excellent backs tries. Janes opened the book, and the visiting defence, with a crafty take. Sending the tacklers the wrong way he cruised in unopposed with Clark to convert. Next Iles gathered a Clark pass, who has come into his own in the 15 shirt, and snaked over the line to break his try-famine. After the sun must come the rain however and Chelms, always in contention, managed a score within minutes of the halftime whistle. The Wanderers taking an 18-10 lead into the break.

The second half opened scoreless and remained that way for 10 minutes. Exit Taylor, and off come the wheels of the Orange juggernaut. Within the space of 15 minutes, while the erstwhile lock put his feet up, the score reversed to 21-18 to the visitors. Chelmsford kicked off with a well worked try and two penalties to take the lead. The try could be considered a mistake, the penalties were unforgivable. Skulduggery, and being good at it, is part and parcel of the game. Cheating and getting caught in front of your own posts is something else entirely different. The Writtle Wanderers must learn the difference, and fast, if they are to stand any chance of a reasonable placing in the 2004-2005 Essex Leagues.

Return Taylor for the injured Slaughter, leaving the field with rib damage. 15 minutes on the clock and trailing by 3. The pack, who worked superbly in the tight all day, took clean lineout from Manson who excelled at 2 in the line. From fully 18 yards out they drove the visiting pack backwards at a rate of knots. Dawson peeling off at the last minute to make the extra yard alone and open his scoring account with the Wanderers. 23-21 to the hosts.

A nail biting 10 minutes left to go and you almost sensed that the Chelms players knew a penalty was in it for them. Given the way that orange hands had fallen into rucks all day you would have bet your house on it. If only the orange could resist for 10 minutes and, instead force the attack wide and into touch. But no.......the Chelmsford side worked back upfield well and pressured the Wanderers into mistake after mistake. With tempers fraying and both sides keen to get hold of the ball. Something had to give, and give it did. The referee had been keen on handling in rucks all day and this was no exception. 15 yards out and bang in front of the posts. Kick, convert, lose 24-23. Heartbreak round 2.

In fairness the Writtle men have only themselves to blame for this loss. They gave away the penalties and displayed the naivety that loses games. One hopes they will use this and last weekend's games as reminders of how to play the game. It is also clear that the team need older heads around them to lend the experience and calming influence that keeps games won when teams are ahead. They lack this at present and get over-excited at the smell of victory. Like Spaniel Puppies this team can mature and do it well. They just have to avoid fouling too many doormats and think before they act, otherwise the prospect of achieving maturity is a slim one.

Due to a bit of an administrative cock-up with the meet times, a rag tag convey of Wanderers made their way to West Ham to face East London on a very blustery day. The early kick off time arranged to enable us to watch the 6 Nations' game meant that only about half the team - i.e. those who didn't manage to get lost despite the directions issues - were properly warmed up prior to the whistle. East London, on the other hand, had about 25 players all properly warmed up and raring to go!

As it was, and despite the gale blowing into their faces, it was the Tangerine Tornados who started the game with more composure and fluency - with forwards and backs working well in the ruck and maul to work the ball up field. As we have now become accustomed to, the front row of Wallbank, Richards and Theobald took charge of the scrums and the second row of Morris and "man of the match" Manson took pretty much all their own lineout ball and much of the hosts.

Unusually for the Wanderers, the rucking and mauling which has been an area of concern at times worked very well - with Theobald and back-rowers Swain and Howarth running the ball at the East End boys and the rest of the pack supporting well to recycle. This eventually led to some clean ball which half backs Szyczak and Dempsey were able to use well to get the ever-dangerous Janes, Brown and Clark attacking the home side's backline. Eventually, Janes managed to breach the brave defences and score under the posts, enabling Clark an easy conversion to give the Wanderers a 7 - 0 lead which they took into half time. Given that the wind could be said to be worth at least 10 points, this was a fine first half display which promised well for a second half playing with the wind.

However, half time saw two things happen. The home side, with our full agreement for what was a friendly fixture, made a large number of changes to their line up, bringing on fresh legs to run into the wind. At the same time, the visitors possibly relaxed a little too much, thinking that the hard work was done and they could let the wind do the rest!

After a bit of a bang on the head, I must admit that the second half is not very clear in my memory - but the East London backs certainly started to make in roads into the orange defences. In particular, the fresh East London centre carved some serious gaps which eventually led to a very well deserved try which brought them back to within 2 points.

This woke the Orangemen up a little, and eventually a penalty was won well into the opponent's half and in front of the posts. Clark stepped up to convert and give the Wanderers a 5 point lead once again. With the wind at their backs, one would have hoped that the Wanderers would have been able to extend this, but continually kicking down field for position gave East London plenty of opportunity to get their fresher runners attacking our tiring defence. With the minutes ebbing away, another clearing kick fell into the arms of one of the East London backs and, after a series of runs the ball was taken over in the corner to bring the scores level at 10 all. Fortunately the kick was missed and as both sides tired and minds (as well as spectators) turned to getting into the bar international, the game came to a close.

Writtle Wanderers 1st XV v Burnham-on-Crouch I
by Martyn Howarth (Match Notes taken by Steve Nagle)

WON 39 - 12

This was an eagerly anticipated match - a chance to revenge the narrow defeat away at Burnham-on-Crouch only a few weeks ago. However, the large contingent of players who had been called up were a little disappointed to find that Burnham were in fact fielding what I suspect was a mixture of 1st XV and Colts. However, you can only play the team in front of you, so the Wanderers lined up with a few returning faces and one or two irregulars in unfamiliar positions!

Please excuse any inaccuracies in this write-up, by the way! The match reporting was carried out by Steve Negle and I have prepared the report from his thorough, but sometimes a little difficult to follow report!

The game started a few minutes later than planned after Burnham had spent much of their warm-up on the far side of the sports fields watching the ladies hockey match - but who can blame them for that?! Anyway - it wasn't long after the kick off that Tim Janes, back in his more usual position of inside centre, demonstrated his pleasure at his reunion with Dick Battye (at 10) by making a run from half way. He scythed his way through the Burnham defence to score under the posts, giving Clark his first successful kick of the day and the Wanderers a 7 - 0 lead.

A few minutes later, Janes once again caused havoc in the Burnham lines, this time managing to pressurize their kicker enough to charge down his clearance on the 22 and then follow up to score his second try. Clark again converted to make it 14 - 0.

The Wanderers free running was beginning to get to Burnham. A few minutes later a visitors attack broke down on the home sides 22. Jack Redfern, making his return from a long lay off, showed that he hasn't wasted his time off - he's been handbag shopping and produced a fine range of the accessories in a bout with the Burnham forwards! The referee had to take time out to give a stern warning to the brawlers and the game was then able to resume.

Some good defensive work and particularly some fine covering tackles by full back Clark eventually saw the Wanderers awarded a penalty midway into the Burnham half. Richards elected to take the shot at goal and Clark duly converted to make it 17 - 0.

A bit of lull followed this, with both sides defences holding firm and some poor handling making the game rather stop and start. Both sides suffered injuries, with Wanderers having to replace scrum half Robin Saxton. Saxton has not had many opportunities in his favoured position this season, but he is clearly growing in confidence as a result of his appearances as a replacement and put on a creditable show until forced off. More regular 2nd XV games next season should give him plenty of opportunity to hone his skills and awareness and he could be a very useful member of the squad next season. A change around took place with Colin Jones moving from flank to scrum half and Albert Hess coming into the back row.

The lull was finally broken by an amazing site. Some spectators thought they were witnessing a scene from Lord of the Rings as what appeared to be an "Ent" came rampaging up the field splitting the Burnham defence in two. But fears that they had inadvertently taken whatever Tolkein was on when he wrote the trilogy were allayed when the bald pate of Robin Wallbank was spotted atop the mighty tree-like creature!

Following a series of plays the ball eventually found it way out to the wing where a scoring pass was sent out to centre, Luke Benning - but NO! With the line beckoning and simply requiring him to catch the ball and fall over, the be-gloved centre knocked on! I have never been a fan of these gloves which are supposed to aid grip - and the evidence of a few Wanderers players sporting them has done nothing to convince me that they are anything other than a gimmick!

However, the resulting scrum saw huge pressure exerted by the Wanderers' eight and the ball was retrieved by Hess. He managed to pass the ball out to Janes who streaked home for his hat-trick and a deserved Man of the Match award! Clark once again converted and the Wanderers extended their lead to 24 - 0.

At this point, the Wanderers seemed to once again go into their "the games won" mode and sat back. This allowed Burnham to come back into it and they were rewarded when their winger made a break down the blind side from a scrum to core in the corner. The conversion was missed but Burnham now had some hope with the deficit reduced to 24 - 5. This spurred the visitors on and it was only some desperate tackling, including a memorable try line block by Clark that prevented another Burnham try. This move also saw the Wanderers lose No 8 Redfern with a shoulder injury, which saw your correspondent come onto the flank with Hess moving to No 8.

The home side managed to pick their game up again from here and before half time there was a chance for a further try as Battye put in a huge clearance kick into the visitors' goal area. Clark outpaced all to touch down and followed with the conversion to take things to 31 - 5 as we went into half time.

Half time - or just after - saw another sight which delighted the watching crowd. I can only surmise that the reason for the swelling spectator numbers was the rumour of the return of one Patrick Bidwell to the field of combat, but the reception he enjoyed as his sturdy (?!) frame was tucked into the orange shirt once again certainly seemed to indicate such!

The second half continued with some sustained pressure by the Wanderers, spoilt by knock-ons and poor rucking. However, a penalty was won and it looked as though the Wanderers would get some points from their pressure - only for a crazed Battye (perhaps suffering from cabin fever after a long lay off) to upset the referee with some exceedingly coarse language. Despite a firm warning, the fly half continued to abuse the opponents and official and left the referee with no option but to sin bin him and reverse the penalty!

The game carried on with more penalties and a little too much back chat from both sides resulting in extra 10 metres being granted regularly by the referee. Some great tackling by both sides kept out promising runs - both Janes and Robin Havill were close to tries for the Wanderers - until eventually Burnham gave away another penalty in a kickable position. Clark duly converted to take things to 34 - 5.

Burnham once more steeled themselves and came back at the Wanderers, albeit in what was now a lost cause. They deservedly got another try and converted it to bring things back to 34 - 12. However, the last word was to be with the Wanderers, and in particular Havill, who scored a great unconverted try in the corner to give the Wanderers a 39 - 0 victory.