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BRFC 3rd XV - Captain: Mark Gilhawley
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15th March 2008
Barnes 33 – CL London 17
Barnes came into this top-of-the-table tie against the Newcastle University alumni team the Cheeky Ladies, following a painful loss against Twickenham last week. A strong Thirds team that gathered in Richmond on Saturday were also out for revenge following a loss earlier in the season to a team that are neither Ladies, nor in any way Cheeky.
After some stirring words on St Patrick’s weekend from Mark ‘My blood runs green’ Gilhawley, Barnes were a little dejected to find that a team of floppy haired, ski-tanned Sloane Rangers scored a breakaway try within the first five minutes. Following a swift team talk and a few stirring verses of The Fields of Athenry from Captain Gilhawley and fellow Oirishman Julian Broadhead, Barnes began to play with a bit of sense, utilising a monster pack to march the willowy public schoolboys back up the field.
Flyhalf Dom Wilson had a solid game throughout, foregoing some of his usual Danish flair, for some canny nudges with the boot, as well setting up some hard yards in midfield by Gilhawley and Owen, facing a surprisingly big-hitting Ladies team, fuelled presumably by hearty suppers of fresh venison shot on their father’s grouse moors in Scotland.
Wilson had an opportunity to show his ability with the boot early on, when Barnes caught and drove magnificently off a lineout to score their first try, taking the lead with the conversion. I can’t remember exactly who scored.. (it was Tom Berry), as the match report writer was gesticulating desperately for a cross kick that never came.
Barnes then proceeded to let the Ladies back into the game, when an errant pass from the never less than quite good Tom Berry led to an intercept try, and the lead again. Barnes then decided to show that they too had wheels to burn when a strong run from Huw Owen in the centre met Jeremy Pearce haring down the right wing to finish in the corner.
Barnes proceeded to close down the game from half time, further pushing the Ladies back into their own 22. Fresh impetus arrived in the form of Mark ‘Silent but Violent’ Tettenborn, Ean Evans and team druid Rob Down, who continued Barnes’ front-on assault
Two well worked tries came from Will Helmsley, finishing long range efforts from 2 and 4 yards respectively. The rangy Celt Broadhead was also held up twice over the line, proving beyond all doubt that he is to scoring tries what Hans Blix and Tony Blair are to finding Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq.
Clever kicking and positional play from utility back James Langdon at full back kept the Ladies pegged back in their own territory, an admirable performance that he conspired to ruin utterly when in the closing stages of the game he dropped the ball on the try line, an error that was followed moments later by being on the receiving end of a huge tackle that saw him soundly levelled in a manner reminiscent of a small child falling of a swing. The error was compounded by the fact that replacement wing Ollie ‘I am not Dean Gaffney’ Powell was outside him ready to take a pass into space having expertly fielded a Ladies kick and offloaded to Langdon. Selfish.
Bar an excellent individual try from the Ladies late in the second half, Barnes showed their dominance and tactical awareness to comfortably close off the game taking the win 33 – 17.
Honourable mention goes to the entire pack who beasted away like the mud-eating illiterate trolls they are, grinding away tirelessly in an epic performance, and strong-running wing Ben Chambers, who, following a blow to the head, bravely played the remainder of the game with what looked like half a boiled egg nestling on his forehead.
An excellent win that puts us right in contention in the closing stages of the season.
Ben Chambers
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