Scoring five tries in the first 20 mins isn't good

Farnham 19 - 25 Originals

It shouldn't have been a surprise to us that Jonny Wilkinson's parent club knows about comebacks and last-minute drama should it? Yet it was.

Your author was still nervy about having enough players until he'd checked his phone on Saturday morning (those Friday Flakes are still around). Without the support of our beloved Occies and Codo cancelling his family skiing trip in Italy so he could play, we wouldn't have a starting 15.

But we did. A boy didn't we get off to a blistering start. Some of our broken field rugby and the simplicity of our play was nothing short of superb.  We scored a slick team try from a set-piece on Farnhams 22. The Forwards secured first-rate ball, the backs ran a scything move that resulted in a try. Rugby Football Union is a simple game, it seems.

Sean Gibson's ability to catch restarts above his head like an NFL wide receiver was mind-boggling: every time. Our forwards had a tough outing against a solid and highly capable Farnham pack. The graft required at scrum time was significant. Our forwards must have stood up from scrums with hollow legs and breathing through their eyes, only to be told by some quiff in the backs to "get around the 'effin corner". Chapo forwards.

Gibbo's aerial brilliance was trumped by a supernatural event at the end of the first half. After our full-back had been helplessly done in a two-on-one he performed a metaphysical miracle. He instantly relocated himself from the 22 to the try line to dislodge the ball while Farnham's 13 was in the act of scoring. Dave Riley can add 'being in two places at once' to speaking French and having great hair. Some people.

It would be remiss of me not to mention one player whose contribution was simultaneously nothing and everything. Lewis Hammond did not play one minute. He didn't even participate in the warm-up. Lewy actually played for his parent club (Chiswick) on Friday night. Replete with injury and ache, he schlepped to Farnham and stood to post for the Originals. In that same spirit, Nick Hamilton drove from Norwich to play. That, gentlemen, is the Original spirit. 

We give a proper welcome to Kurt Won who played his first game for the Originals. Our Russian sleeper agent (named Boris, of course) recruited him from the Mini's section of coaches. Kurt came to watch our friendly with London Irish in November and afterwards concluded: "doesn't look that hard". And he was right (ish).

And my last mention in dispatches is to Adam Libbey who said after the game that no game had ever stressed his cardiovascular system that much. After playing rugby in Barnes senior team for years and within the Army, that was quite the compliment. Nothing to do with the fact that he had Covid 10 days earlier. Nothing.

What better way to finish a rugby match than with two things lads love: changing room beers and stash. An Aladdin's Cave of new gear was generously provided by our sponsors 1Cap Consulting & Convert Construction. On behalf of the team, thank you very much Rich Fenech & Marek Przychocki.

Dates for your diary, as it stands:

19th Feb vs. Old Reigatians
5th March vs Guildford (team social afterwards)
19th March vs GAME
26th March vs GAME
2nd April vs GAME
23rd April vs GAME

Keep turning right boys...
Mase

https://convert-construction.com/

https://1cap.co/