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Barnes completed the home and away double against Worthing last weekend, winning the game in the last play, a mirror image of the previous week against Taunton - except we won

Barnes completed the home and away double against Worthing last weekend, winning the game in the last play, a mirror image of the previous week against Taunton - except we won

Michael Whitfield13 Mar 2019 - 23:43
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Barnes 1st XV won in the last play of the game last Saturday, winning at home 28-26 against Worthing Raiders.

Squeaky bum time yes, but the result was never in doubt!
- Michael "Rhino" Whitfield

What a weekend for Barnes Rugby last week, with the 1st XV overcoming Worthing at the death, and the mighty 2’s continuing their resurgence, just at the right time, this time overcoming a surprisingly off-colour Richmond Vikings 19-35 at the Athletic Ground. The Occies were also imperious, crushing Bec Old Boys 14-60, and they have now reached the playoffs.

On Sunday the Under 15’s used their rugby brains against a much larger opposition from Old Emmanuel, winning 5-21 in the Quins Cup.

Well done to all of the Barnes teams last week, long may these excellent performances continue!

This weekend is a rest weekend so there are no senior mens’s games, although the Ladies are back in action on Sunday.

This Friday sees our world famous Barnes RFC City Lunch take place, where 400 players, former players, and the many lovers of Barnes RFC gather together for a humdinger of a rugby lunch, talking crap for hours, and listening to legends like Will Greenwood.

The lunch will be all the better, and the wine will taste all the more sweeter, for last week’s epic win, I dread to think how we would have felt if we had not overcome Worthing! This coming weekend, is a reserve weekend, for previously cancelled games to be played. As none of ours have been cancelled and lost ad weather, the boys can put their feet up and enjoy the rest that they have deservedly earnt. The next 1st XV game is on 23rd March, as we travel across the universe to Redruth. We are looking forward to that clash big time, having lost narrowly to them 12-14 at Barn Elms, earlier in the season. Time for payback!

Here is a bit more about the game itself:

Barnes 1st XV 28 Worthing Raiders 26

I said in my previous gut wrenching report of the loss against Taunton, that the game at Barn Elms was massive. And it was. By winning in the last play of the game, Barnes leapt from 13th to 10th in National League 2 South. With five games left, we are looking for a strong finish, Redruth, Birmingham and Wild Geese away and, in between, Clifton and Canterbury at home. All to play for but I am expecting a strong finish!

On Saturday, the gnarled and pugnacious Frank-the-Tank-Macarthur, barged over after only three mnutes to put Barnes 7-0 up, the metronomic Josh Hammett bagging the extras, only for Worthing to draw level only three minutes later. Just before the break Curtis Strange, the Raiders prolific scoring winger, grabbed his second score to make it 7-14 to the visitors, and that looked like the half time score. Freddy Avis was having none of that and bundled over the line, giving Josh Hammett the opportunity to make it all square at the break, which of course he did with aplomb - 14-14 at half time.

The second half was much the same as the first. Barnes scored first, on 51 minutes, with Miles Wakeling scoring, and Josh Hammett adding the extras, and we led 21-14. Surely we would kick in from here? Well that would have been nice, but it was not to be. Worthing scored twice, Curtis Strange completing his hatrick in the process, and led 21-16 with ten minutes left.

But then Barnes laid siege on the Worthing line, and huffed and puffed to try and blow the door down. Once, twice, thrice we were denied, before the final winning score occurred, new boy Ollie Smith scoring the try for the 100% boy Hammett to convert. I think that this was THE try, not just any try, and when we look back at the end of the season this will be the pivotal point which secured our place in National League 2 South for another season. The net result was that in the fifth minute of overtime, having camped on the oppo’s line for nearly 15 minutes Barnes scored and the final score was Barnes 28 Worthing 26. A bloody good result!
Other results last weekend:

I have already mentioned the 2nd XV’s romping victory away to Richmond, a game we never looked in doubt of losing apparently, and which we won comfortably in the end 19-35. With four games left, the mighty 2’s have the bit well and truly between their teeth, and are looking to finish at a canter after an erratic first half of the season.
The Occies crushed one of their old nemesis sides, Bec Old Boys, 14-60, securing a play off spot in the process. On Sunday 10th, Old Emanuel Under 15’s took on Barnes U15’s in the Quins Cup, Barnes winning the battle 5-21 in the end.

This was a game played in a howling gale, and a game that proved that size in rugby is not everything. A much larger OE’s pack, playing a pick and drive game were thwarted time and again, was repelled continually by ferocious Barnes tackling, and brave work on the floor. Barnes trys then came the Barnow way, through open running with backs and forwards interplaying, despite the awful weather. Well done the Under 15’s.
Games this weekend

All of the men’s teams are resting this weekend is it left for the Ladies to lead the way on Sunday:

Here are the details:

• Barnes Ladies 1st XV vs Millwall Ladies - 2.30pm KO
• Marlow Ladies vs Barnes Ladies 2nd XV - 2.30pm KO
Next weekend the 1st XV travel to Redruth for another incredibly important game, away to Redruth. As I said further up, we owe them for rolling us over 12-14 at our place earlier in the season. We will be rested, and we will be ready!

Have a great weekend, play your rugby in the spirit swe hold so dear at Barnes RFC.

Onwards and Upwards Barnow!

Michael “Rhino” Whitfield

Further reading