Barne s Vets sharper; Richmond heavier

Richmond secured the visitors' kick-off and after two kicks were awarded the first penalty. A good kick took them well into the opposition half; another penalty took them to 13 metres out. In between Barnes well-defended the first attack and won a penalty but their kick had failed to find touch. Next the visitors held out the second attack to get a put-in 5 metres out. After it and one recycle they kicked for territory; Richmond went wide and one pass sent a runner down the touchline to come in to the posts after 6 minutes. The conversion missed.

After the restart a Richmond error sent them backwards; they recovered then kicks were exchanged. These, with Barnes' longer resulted in a scrum for Richmond 5 metres from their line. That resulted in one for Barnes then another for the home team at the same place. Just after that and still close Richmond were penalised; Barnes ran the ball then lost possession from a weak pass; Richmond cleared to touch 28 metres out. Barnes attacked from the line-out to a 5 metre scrum for the defence, from which the ball was cleared to touch 25 metres out. The visitors were forced back to their penalty at the opposition 10 metre line. The kick gave them a line-out just inside the 22; from it their scrumhalf chipped through the defence. Richmond got the ball but were dispossessed and Barnes scored at the posts after 16 minutes. The conversion by the inside centre gave them the lead.

The visitors secured the restart and kept possession then broke through before losing the ball. Richmond went wide and recycled well until the defence forced an error to get a scrum 17 metres from their line. From that centre Morgans made a break after which Barnes soon kicked to touch past halfway. Following the line-out Richmond recovered from tapped ball then kicked for territory. Barnes ran back and after recycling once their no. 8 broke through and passed to flanker #7 who sent Croft to the posts after 22 minutes. The conversion was good.

The restart resulted in a scrum for Richmond 12 metres into the half. From that they attacked strongly out wide deep into the 22. Barnes forced an error and got the ball then cleared to touch just past halfway then stole the line-out. That was immediately followed by a penalty against Richmond and the kick went into touch at the 22. Barnes released from their line-out then dropped ball was hacked ahead by the opposition. The visitors got it again but an error after one recycle gave Richmond a scrum near halfway. From that they released to centre then one pass took them almost to Barnes' line where one recycle got them their second try near the corner before the half hour. The conversion was wide.

The restart resulted in a scrum for the home team at their 22. From that they released to the fullback in the line then Barnes forced an error and got the ball. After advancing with 2 recycles they were awarded a penalty 12 metres out; this was run and flanker #7 got over not far from the posts at 32 minutes and the conversion was successful.

Richmond regained from their restart' kicks were exchanged then they went wide before kicking over the opposition. The visitors dealt with that and after one recycle their scrumhalf broke through and one pass from him got them the 4th try at the posts with the conversion making it 28 - 10 just before the halftime whistle.

Richmond's second half restart resulted in a penalty for the visitors 18 metres inside their half. The kick gained them 28 metres and from the line-out their no. 8 broke through at centre to 8 metres out. After recycling they were forced into touch near the line. From their line-out Richmond cleared to touch 17 metres out. The line-out was soon followed by a scrum for the home team a bit closer to their line; from that a no. 8 pick-up resulted in their penalty at the 22. This was kicked for a line-out 4 metres from halfway; errors after that preceded good retention by Richmond with 6 phases advancing not far to a Barnes' line-out 3 metres past halfway. The visitors advanced from that before losing possession; exchanged kicks then resulted in a line-out for Richmond 5 metres past halfway.

From that they attacked strongly with 5 phases to get a penalty 20 metres out and their kick went into touch less than 6 metres out. They kept the ball close from the line-out and advanced before the defence forced an error to get the ball and used a long up-and-under. Richmond ran back well with 5 phases to get another penalty just inside the 22. The kick took them to 6 metres out then the line-out resulted in their free-kick before the throw. They chose a scrum there and went wide from it. A chip to the corner was regained for their 3rd try at 12 minutes. The conversion was unsuccessful.

Not long after the restart Barnes were penalised for crossing; Richmond made ground from their line-out after the kick then had the next scrum after which they were forced into touch at the opposition 10 metre line. The line-out was thrown not-straight and from the next scrum they went wide to another opposition line-out. After that one a recovered error and a charged-down kick gave Richmond possession. They were then held up and Barnes got another put-in at which they were penalised. Richmond kicked to the 22 and after the line-out they advanced before being forced into touch 15 metres out. They stole this line-out and advanced with 3 phases until the defence forced an error to get a scrum 5 metres out.

A very good kick took them almost to halfway; soon after the line-out an error and some chaos enabled Richmond to advance again back to their opponents’ 22 and their scrum. After that and 3 phases they got a penalty at the same place and ran that. An error sent then far back to a Barnes’ scrum just inside their half. Barnes soon kicked ahead to their opponents’ line; Richmond had to carry over giving the visitors a 5 metre scrum. They were awarded a penalty at that and chose another then after that fly-half Przychocki sent centre Morgans to the line wide out at 28 minutes. The conversion missed.

Barnes secured the restart and soon chipped through the opposition line. Richmond ran back and put together 7 very good mixed phases to score at the posts at the half hour and converted the try.

Richmond got the ball from the restart but were soon dispossessed. Barnes broke out to the opposition 22. Richmond got the ball back and ran out well to their opponents' 10 metre line where they were penalised. The kick didn't go far and from the line-out Barnes went wide and advanced then were penalised and sent 10 metres further back. The kick took Richmond to 8 metres out. Their pack was forced into touch 7 metres out and after the line-out the visitors cleared to touch for the whistle.

Light drizzle throughout, the pitch good.