Colchester triumphed in the top of the table clash with Chingford with their twenty-fourth consecutive win to stay top of the league. Colchester have scored more than 1200 points and are the highest scoring team in English rugby this season, the club’s success at all levels of the game earning them the prestigious “Team of the Month” title in Rugby World for February 2015.

Chingford have played their way into third place in the league with a well organised defence, competitive forwards and attacking back play. Skipper Luke Campbell worked hard in attack and defence, scrumhalf Ian Martin quick around the base of the scrum and centres Duffus and Howells probing their hosts’ defence.

Anxious to win, Colchester could have scored more but for poor passing and fumbled knock ons. Over eagerness led to repeated penalties in the first quarter, conceding possession and position until skipper Calum Irvine rallied his team to focus their intensity and reduce errors. Colchester’s forwards responded by dominating scrums and making the most yards in tight play, the backs having the edge for pace and finishing.

Chingford took the lead with a fourth minute penalty from David Duffus after a series of offside penalties against Colchester. Ignoring warnings from the referee, flankers Ollie Pickett and Danny Whiteman were sin binned within minutes of each other, reducing Colchester to thirteen players.

Whilst two players down, Colchester decided attack was the best form of defence. No. 8 James McRae burst through the Chingford midfield, scrumhalf Matt Wadling squeezing ahead before linking with prop James Mitchell in close support to race in Colchester’s first try to take the lead.

Colchester exerted pressure and Chingford now conceded penalties to prevent their hosts from adding to their score, repeated offside resulting in a yellow card for Duffus. Restored to fifteen, Colchester exploited their player advantage through forward rumbles led by lock Graeme Hay, Ollie Pickett and McRae drawing in defenders before the ball was moved wide where centre Matt Smith raced through a gap to touchdown under the posts.

Colchester were penalised for a high tackle but Chingford failed to take the restart kick properly and conceded a scrum. The Colchester pack provided a solid platform from where the ball was whisked along the line for wing James Crozier’s overlap to score wide left, flyhalf David Higgins adding a touchline conversion to end the half 21-3 in front.

Returning to the attack, Colchester skipper Irvine and Whiteman closed to Chingford’s tryline but a knock-on gave Chingford a scrum five metres out. The Colchester front row of Mitchell, Joe MacMillan and Charlie Thorogood out-scrummed their Chingford opponents, locks Hay and Liam Pickett pushing the visitor’s back to their own line where the scrum collapsed, giving the referee no option but to award Colchester a penalty fourth try and bonus point.

Injuries to Chingford front row players forced uncontested scrums for the final quarter, denying Colchester an advantage. From unmoving scrums Chingford built through several phases until wing Freddie Foxley rounded off a team move with an unconverted try.

Colchester responded with breaks by Whiteman and Wadling taking play close to Chingford’s tryline where Graeme Hay dived over for Colchester’s fifth try, Higgins’ maintaining his 100 percent conversion accuracy to reach the 35-08 final score.

The stage is now set for Colchester’s final game of the season away to second placed Eton Manor on Saturday 18th April in the league champion decider that will see the winner promoted, the loser having to playoff against the second placed side from London South 1 for the other promotion place.

Gary Griffiths
Colchester RFC