South Woodham Ferrers RFC v Old Cooperians RFC

Saturday 21st March saw South Woodham RFC 1st XV travel away, to Upminster, to play Old Cooperians RFC who are currently in a relegation battle at the bottom of the table. SWF knew they were in for a hard match as Old Cooperians were fighting for survival in London North East 2 and could not afford to lose this game.
The match kicked off to a fast, furious start with both sides getting the measure of each other. Early on an Old Coop’s player was sin-binned for a late tackle and this seemed to set the tempo for the first half. Woodham had the better of the possession but mistakes in the middle of the park saw neither team gaining a real advantage. However SWF continued to push forward and with an increasing amount of the play happening in the Old Coop’s half they looked the most likely to score. The SWF pack were getting the upper hand in the scrum and when there was 3 scrums, one after the other, on the Old Coop’s 5-metre line Adam Brown secured the ball from the 3rd scrum to cross the line only for the try to be disallowed by the referee who judged himself to have impeded the defenders. At the ensuing scrum the home side had to desperately defend but scrambled the ball up field. Old Coop’s were proving the more aggressive side at the breakdown and it was one of these instances that saw Sammy Sharp (Hooker) injured, and having to leave the field, to be replaced by Ryan Marshall who slotted in at No.7 with Lewis Gilbert moving to the front row. Lewis himself was soon in the ‘wars’ and played the remainder of the match with a rapidly closing blood-shot eye and a suspected broken nose. With Old Coop’s finally mounting an attack which saw them move into their opponent’s half the pointless first half drew to a close.
The second half started with SWF playing patient rugby and slowly building their attack but Old Coop’s managed to turn-over the ball and break from their 22-metre line to score under the posts. With an easy conversion kick the score went to 7 – 0 and the vocal home supporters really started to get behind their team. In the build-up to the try David Langley (Prop) was injured, and had to leave the field, to be replaced by Olly Trig and the front row had to be re-arranged again with David Bull moving to prop. This against-the-run-of-play try saw Woodham regroup and, almost from the restart, Lewis Gilbert ran through the defence to offload, about 4metres out, to Warren Duggen who scored the try. This was not converted (Jack Reeve) so the score moved to 7 – 5. There followed a period of play which was basically a war of attrition in the middle of the pitch with no quarter asked for and none given. SWF were playing patient rugby and slowly building their attack when a great break from Greg Tighe saw him run half the length of the pitch, offload to Sam Randlesome who ran a great line to score under the posts. With the try being converted the score became 7 – 12. Woodham now kept up the pressure on their opponents and Adam Brown went over for a well earned try. This was again converted by Jack Reeve for a 7 – 19 score line. A penalty, given away by Woodham, in front of the posts allowed Old Coop’s to close the score to 10 – 19 but the visitor’s were in the ascendancy and a lovely take, in the air, by Joe Dukelow led to Old Coop’s giving away a kickable penalty which Jack Reeve put between the posts for a 10 - 22 lead. SWF now had Old Coop’s reeling and they had no answer to the superior passing rugby being displayed by their visitor’s. Another great build-up by SWF saw some excellent teamwork being finished off by Warren Duggen for his 2nd (and SWF’s 4th bonus point) try to take the score, with the conversion being missed, to 10 - 27. Old Coop’s tried to mount an attack from the restart but a great break-out from deep in the SWF half saw Warren Duggen hand-off the winger and run half the pitch, through the flailing Old Coop’s defence, to score his third try of the afternoon. The conversion kick was missed so the score moved on to 10 – 32. Leon Gatson now came off to be replaced by Alex Baker. A final phase of flowing passing rugby, by Woodham, lead to Sam Randlesome crossing the try-line for his 2nd, and SWF’s 5th try, in a comprehensive 10 – 37 victory.
At the end of a bruising, but ultimately victorious, encounter the injury update confirmed that the only serious injuries were to Sammy Sharp who has a broken collarbone and Lewis Gilbert with a broken nose.
With next weekend (28th March) seeing the final home game, against Holt RFC, of the season for SWF RFC 1st XV all supporters, and new fans, are encouraged to come along to Saltcoates at 15.00 to support their local team for the last time this season.
South Woodham Squad – Neil Gittos (Captain), Sammy Sharp, David Langley, James Wilson, Greg Tighe, Sam Randlesome, Lewis Gilbert, David Bull, Joe Dukelow, Adam Brown, Curtis Apthorp, Leon Gatson, Warren Duggen, James Price, Jack Reeve. Substitutes: Ryan Marshall, Olly Trig, Alex Baker. Coach: Tony Woods.