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Senior Rugby: The Review

Senior Rugby: The Review

Laura Parker26 Sep 2019 - 19:09
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Jon Smith reviews an exciting weekend of rugby, with impressive wins for the 1st XV, Ravens, A XV & Cavaliers

Just from looking at their results, we knew that newly-promoted Harpenden would provide an extremely stern test; they are a club with big ambitions and a proud history, having produced a number of international players such as Maro Itoje, George Ford and Owen Farrell. A week earlier they came within a couple of points of upsetting the odds against Eton Manor and their performance on Saturday was a clear indication that they will be one of the stronger sides in London North 1.

We went into the game with a shuffled pack and a re-shaped backline because injuries and availability have made it difficult for our coaching team to select a settled side. During the week Alex Mitchell suffered a hand injury in a "DIY SOS" moment when he cut through his hand with a saw... this meant that twins Callum and Lewis Jeffrey would fill both prop shirts, but a clash of heads midway through the first half saw Callum replaced by Rhys Hartley who moved into the loosehead prop berth; this was his first game of the season and he did extremely well to last the pace considering the heat and the fact that he was short of game time. In the back division, both David Higgins (10) and Ben Murphy (13) made their first competitive starts of the season. Higgins made an impact; he provided the side with a game-changing kicking option and his defence was rock solid. In addition, he made a number of telling carries from fly-half; one of which led to an early opening try from Charlie Thorogood. All in all, this was a much-improved performance from the home win over Sudbury. It is very important to recognise that this is a team in transition, but they are beginning to find their feet and have shown, in flashes, what they could be capable of.

Harpenden are a dangerous side and their backs utilised the fast-paced artificial surface extremely well. On a couple of occasions, the Harpenden left-winger tempted our defence to over-commit and this enabled them to go into the half-time break with a slender 11-8 lead. Blooding a number of young players was always going to be somewhat of a challenge, but as the game progressed it became clear that our talented batch of debutants were very much coming to terms with the demands of senior rugby. This was typified by the performance of Sean Bundy. Sean has shown flashes of his ability this season, and as the game progressed he demonstrated his strength and uncanny knack of managing pressurised situations. On a number of occasions in the last two games Sean has made a crucial tackle, a strong carry under pressure or a timely interception, that have succeeded in getting our side out of some challenging situations.

There's no doubt that the second-half rally that led to our win was instigated by the determined James Crozier. Switching to full back, Crozier seemed to grab the game by the scruff of the neck with a series of hard carries, and his rally clearly inspired the rest of the side to action. Our second try, a move started by Crozier, but finished by Cutbush, visibly crushed the home side as a number of them began to falter in the heat and the intensity of the contact. It was an inspiring performance from James Crozier and his interjection came at just the right time; it heralded a period of Colchester dominance that led to a third and final try from skipper Dan Whiteman. It was a fabulous comeback from our boys - i predict that Harpenden will win the vast majority of their home games this season and based upon this encounter, even the more established sides in the division will find it difficult to secure points at Redbourn Lane as the season rolls on.

Ravens vs Shelford
The Ravens were once again in action against Shelford, but this time away from home. They followed up their convincing win at Mill Road with a nail-biting 37-39 victory on the artificial grass at The Davey Field. Spurred on by seasoned leaders George Liversidge, Andy Goodbourn and Jon Vine, the Ravens dominated their opponents when they earned the right to go wide and exploit the rapid pace of Jordan Milburn and Max Payne who, at times, tore the Shelford defence to pieces with their ability to break lines. Coach Rob Pickard also highlighted the work of tough-tackling utility back Sam O'Brien who put in another superb display, particularly in defence.

A XV vs Halstead & Cavaliers vs Harwich & Dovercourt
There were two games at Mill Road on Saturday; the A XV stunned Halstead Templars with a 72-0 win (12 tries) and the Cavaliers ran in nine tries to come away 53-24 win over Harwich and Dovercourt. The wins are a just reward for the hard work and dedication the squad have shown since preseason training began in July. The Ravens, A's and Cavaliers took on their games with a reduced number of replacements in order to ensure that their games went ahead, but this did not deter them one bit as they all finished their games with maximum points.

1st XV vs Amersham & Chiltern
The 1st XV are back in action at Mill Road this weekend when Amersham and Chiltern are the visitors. We have had some really tight games with Amersham over the last few seasons; like us, they have been into National Three and have a deep desire to return. According to reports, Amersham have made a real effort to add some physicality and aggression to their side in an attempt to challenge for promotion. Amersham have always had a good collection of ball-playing backs who are capable of scoring against any side - it should be an interesting encounter.

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