Week 8 Review from Rugby Round Up

SSE National 1 Review 26-10-2013
Week 8 Review

Home T S S T Away P O
Cinderford 2 15 10 1 Old Albanian 04:02 04:01
Richmond 1 5 24 4 Blaydon 05:01 00:05
Tynedale 3 21 24 3 Loughborough 00:05 01:04
Coventry 10 63 21 3 Blackheath 04:01 05:00
Esher 3 27 24 4 Fylde 05:00 04:02
Henley Hawks 1 11 10 2 Doncaster Knights 00:05 04:01
Hull Ionians 3 25 32 4 Wharfedale 00:05 01:05
Rosslyn Park 7 48 17 3 Worthing Raiders 05:00 05:00
T = tries. S= score P = Prediction O = Outcome

Check out this weeks ROUND-UP for more information

Home wins 4. Away wins 4.
History was made in National 1 last weekend, in that the Hawks, relegated in 2005 fromnlevel 2 sneaked a tight win from the crusader Knights promoted to the old National 1 in the same year. That game apart, surprises also at Richmond, their visitors Blaydon travelling well and securing their first win in the south east this season.

Cinderford V Old Albanians
The Foresters needed something special to record their second only win this season. Albanian generosity maybe in a predicted tight game.
Forester Pride Restored. “Play continued to evenly contested in
the early stages of the second-half until Albanian prop Sam Staff and
second-row Billy Johnson were shown yellow cards in quick succession and
Cinderford took advantage to score twice while they were off the field”
Cinderford RFC website.
Discipline or lack of it or referee tendency to play to the gallery (the cynical view) is worthy of closer examination, when time permits.

Richmond v Blaydon

A fourth successive win for the Racers against Richmond. Mistakes at home, frustration for some and once again the referee steps in to restore order. An opposite causal condition to the previous game.
“Blaydon were in irresistible form on their latest trip to the capital despite fielding a weakened side and suffering disruption through injuries. As early as the 13th minute they lost winger Tom Bramwell, replaced him with Simon Barber who only lasted 2 minutes, and scrum-half Andy Davies came off the bench to play out of position for the rest of the game.” Blaydon website

Heroes all; a capital confidence boost for the next time London beckons.

Tynedale V Loughborough Students

The Students won the game with 3minutes left on the clock. Two successive close range lineouts produced the winning score and a margin of 24-21. The lesson for many national clubs this season is to secure 100% lineout ball on your put in. Testing winds are rarely taken into account when calling the option.
“Tynedale narrowly lost a see-saw encounter where the lead change hands seven times. Both sides will probably feel they could have registered more
tries, with near misses the order of the day“ — ”This match really could have gone either way, but with Tynes’s pack slightly on top, it was ironic that the
younger Student forwards won the game with a couple of frontal assaults.”
Tynedale Website.

Coventry V Blackheath

An unexpected away win at Loughborough earlier, delusional certainly, exceptional possibly as near neighbours one month later, made amends Coventry grabbing a bagful of tries, 10 in all. The Students had managed 6 only to be pipped with 7 by Blackheath. This time the Club managed only 3 and endured their biggest defeat in 4 years.

CARNAGE AT COV. A scoreline that makes for grisly reading from a Blackheath perspective, but one which, nevertheless, emphasises the gulf between the two sides in this mismatch of a contest. Club Website. All that said, the first half could in reality be described as a Defence Coach’s nightmare! Although at that point “Cov.” had run in six tries, they had conceded three themselves & at times the defence had been worrying slack, with players dropping off tackles. The second half though was a different story. Facing the strong wind, Coventry conceded no more, whilst they continued to inflict pain after pain over their visitors, the final margin however failing just short of the biggest league win achieved over Blackheath (74 -10 back in 1996/97).” “Now facing the strong breeze, Coventry came out into the second half by firstly stealing two line out throws. Unfortunately early pressure saw a close in scrum lost through a crooked feed, before Blackheath were to play a high price for losing possession just inside their own half. Replacement Ian Clark snapped up the loose ball, nothing was subsequently going to stop the young wing replacement, try number 7, converted by Hodgson for 46 -21. Rampant Cov. were now in total charge against their rather beleaguered visitors who in all honesty never came close to a second half score despite having wind advantage.” Coventry Website

Esher V Fylde

One of those rare occasions when the losing side runs in more tries than their opponents.
That rare 4:2 result, predicted at Cinderford popped up at Esher. A spirited
assault by Fylde deserved a win away. Both website reports peppered with
clichés – “snatching victory from the jaws of defeat” and “last gap wins” not
to mention my favourite “over/across the whitewash”. A better account from the losers —- “For Fylde, if ever there was a case of defeat plucked from the jaws of victory this was it against high flying Esher on their own ground. With 15 minutes to go in the 2nd half the visitors had deservedly carved out a winning position with some excellent rugby and four good tries to lead 24-10. Esher were on the ropes but, to their great credit, they don’t know when they’re beaten. They came back with two late tries and, heartbreakingly for Fylde, an 80th minute penalty kick which stole the points.

In the rawness of this defeat, the two bonus points they earned were hardly a
consolation for the Lancastrians.”Fylde website.

Hawks v Knights.

The Match of the Day and the surprise of the season.
“with Will Robinson, on loan from London Welsh, they were able to use
the kicking skills he demonstrated when with the Hawks for the second half of
last season to keep the game in the Knights half as much as possible” “In these last 30 minutes the Hawks defence held firm but in the process they leaked four penalty goals, awarded from positions, averaging 35-40 metres from the posts. The responsibility for the first two was given to fly-half Paul Roberts their regular kicker, who had failed to convert their two first half tries and then the remaining two to replacement wing Elliot Davies. All four were sent wide!” Hawks website “Doncaster tried and failed in the dying stages to rally once more but the courageous home defence held firm to see out the game. The Knights will rue missed opportunities particularly the 16 points at goal that went wide but all credit must got to Henley who played with real passion and resolve for 80 minutes and on balance probably deserved the victory.”
Knights Website Praise indeed, a rare Yorkshire export so savour it whilst you can. Difficult to add anything except a stroke of the feathers for Henley and a sense that immortality, once again, is an elusive quality away from home.

Rosslyn Park v Worthing Raiders

Worthing ventured not so far inland. This Raiders went back, outscored 2:1 in tries and empty handed in points. A fair day’s pillage? Hugo Ellis and Charles Broughton shot from both hips, two tries apiece. Job done at Roehampton, unbeaten run preserved. The visitors had started well, matching try for try and in the game at half time. The Broughton second came within three minutes of the restart yet followed a penalty try. Sunk by a double salvo.
“Trailing by only ten points at the interval Worthing were still in the game but Park pretty much sealed their victory in the first few minutes of the second half. They were awarded a penalty try when the visitors could only halt yet another scrum demolition job illegally. This was converted —– immediately followed by speedster Broughton intercepting a pass and running half the length of the field to score his second try of the afternoon.” Park website

Team of the Week. Hawks
Tip for the Top. Knights (work to do on that shining armour)

Preview Week 9

A lunch time kick off in Doncaster means an early start from Corbridge – tough unremitting Yorkshire tactics. Blaydon may clip their opponent’s wings – the hardest match to call. Hopefully the Park invest in a Friday night at the seaside and will field an unbeaten and rested side. Otherwise so much depends on the weather and game management. Five home wins as the autumn weather favours those who master the conditions better.

Home P Away K O
Doncaster Knights 05:00 Tynedale 12:45
Blaydon 04:01 Henley Hawks 14:00
Loughborough 02:05 Esher 14:00
Wharfedale 05:00 Cinderford 14:00
Worthing Raiders 01:05 Coventry 14:00
Blackheath 05:00 Hull Ionians 15:00
Fylde 02:05 Rosslyn Park 15:00
Old Albanian 04:00 Richmond 15:00

P. Points Prediction