Three Wise Old Men…….

However, before we attend to the detail lets deal with the usual backdrop preceding matters.

A big response from all the Guys with availability nicely sorted by Wednesday though there were good odds on at Paddy Power that London Irish would yet again be unable to fulfil the fixture; I think they are trying to catch us out for when we actually have our league encounter! So again huge thanks to Jane for finding us an excellent opponent in Crags Crusaders – more on that later.

Mind you we did loose a few guys to injuries with Jonny, my dependable always there when you need him Vice, now nursing a sore finger and Jose had a reoccurring Netball injury flare up! Likewise, new recruit James Carlin had to step down after a big hit – hope to have you back soon Mate…..

Best of all our new weekly campaign of ‘Calling Codo’ worked as the little Italian nugget surfaced from his Barolo and salami to confirm he will be around to play this season; he knows that unless he wants to wake up with a Donkey head in his bed, (or Duncan – similar thing really), he will need to honour his pledge!

By Friday we were ready to rock, other than a few emails which need to be made public!

Now call me a cynic, but I can picture a scene where a quite and cosy Pub in SW London played host to a meeting of minds, being Clappy, Dizzy and Gundog around Thursday night last week. Most probably where they each hatched cunning plans to help excuse them selves from already committing themselves to playing.

Gundog went for the hard to argue with – ‘Child related matters’, conversely Clappy sat back on his laurels of last weeks previous compliments from Skips in complaining of a ‘back spasm’ and emailed me at 9AM on Saturday to step down! But the worst has to go to Dizzy, who didn’t even front up himself, but instead Skips receives a pleading email from Mrs Dizzy who had hatched a surprise dinner at one of Oxfordshire’s more prestigious dinning rooms to excuse her husband from playing! Of course Skips duly conceded to this polite request in the knowledge that I am now ‘owed’ handsomely!

And thus the three Old Men took an oath!

And so to Saturday, with no 1s or 2s playing at home, we upgraded to the 1s changing room only to find that they too have low level showers trickling scolding hot water and the paint is just as flaky as the No 3 changing room! But we did have a physio, purely by chance, as the 3s game was cancelled and I have never seen so many guys suddenly need strapping, I think Pini was in there the longest going for the full back massage option – he is a winger! Jade many thanks for looking after my boys, and I apologise you didn’t actually come across any muscle on the lads!

In taking to the pitch, (firm and dry, mild breeze, some sunshine and Fulham making a lot of noise across the river at the ‘Cottage’), a fairly casually dressed Crags Crusaders (CC) threw the ball around.
If I’m honest I was a little concerned at how young they looked and when you know that they are only a new Club in London this season, you have to assume there is something there to galvanise them, as we found out.

Our warm up was brisk and the boys had a good attitude about them – gee we were going to need it!

From the kick off CC were up on us very quickly and contested with huge intensity, but some how from a loose kick through, the flying Horse in Si Curran picked up a tricky ball and managed to run down the touch line to go over for try. But I am not sure if that helped us as after that CC unleashed a sustained attach which we absorbed to the best of our ability. CC had a good pack which didn’t look that big but was very well drilled and from that their 9 was able to constantly deliver fast ball way out wide.

We were simply on the back foot for huge periods as CC punched holes and recycled ball at an incredibly fast rate and it was at the ruck where we were constantly penalised conceding far too many pens! It’s always easy to argue that the ref is the oppos 16th man, but he wanted to see to a faster game than perhaps a Vets side are used to and that frustrated us. Sadly we lost Marek to a ten minute rest at the insistence of the ref!

In the lineout we also struggled with no real natural jumpers to put up, though I take nothing from Nicky Bellis who put in a sterling effort both in the lineout and around the park. Conversely CC sent their ball wide all the time and on occasions mauled very effectively, either way we had to defend – a lot. And it’s on this point I must commend every single individual, as we defended gallantly and passionately and never once gave up, as far as we were concerned despite the score margin we believed the game hung in the balance and was still for the taking.

CC must have scored a few times and a few of them were easy tries capitalising on our mistakes so at half time we were down by about 17-5, shattered, wounded but still in it!
The second half was even harder with the chasm in fitness between the two sides starting to show and its moments like than when you realise the three old men were in fact Three Wise Men to have not endured the relentless pace of this game……hmmmmm!!

We did score though!

Not sure how, because Gus sent a pass to Marek which is best described as a ‘worm burner’ and I think what happened is that CC all stopped in utter amazement that such a style of pass existed and were perplexed that the ball stayed up! It was more reminiscent of skimming bricks in the North Sea during a hurricane! But Marek collected it, stepped, dummied, stepped and scored under the posts converting his own try!
When we did have the ball we seemed to panic and force too many errors with far too many knock on’s leading to uncontested scrums, (not sure why – or was that simply to nullify our only advantage!) and thus more defending!

However I take nothing from Crags Crusaders, they were an exceptionally well drilled side and with fitness to match it, they played with very effective lines and off loaded really well…… as far as I am concerned we did not loose, but Crags did win and deservedly so!

This side with an average age near 25, compared to our average at 41, would be more evenly matched against our 3s or 2s, having said that we would relish a re-match if ever you are in need of a local fixture!
Special mention must go the back row of Harley, Russ and Nicky B who played immensely well and of course all the guys did and I thank you for that, but not a fairy tale ending!

May I also use this space to salute the 2s who beat Richmond 19-17 – Spence and all the Guys AWESOME! So VETS our time will come soon – 23 November!!!!!

The team that played was:
1 Jerry G
2 Marty
3 Finche
4 Brucie
5 Beney
6 Nicky B
7 Russ Barnes
8 Harley
9 Gus
10 Marek
11 Pini
12 Curran
13 Barney
14 Morgs
15 Slats
16 Stu Osborne
17 Nick Hamilton

Next week we may have London Irish, but likewise our (finally) more liberal Pope, may be getting married – we will see!

Have a great week and remember to get your training in!!!
Finche/Skips
29.09.13