Huntingdon Rugby Club

Match reports:

Northampton Old Scouts 19 v Stags 28

No report

Kettering III 18 v Stags II 10

Stags travelled to Kettering for a much anticipated league game with 8 changes to the team that beat Olney the previous week, but still in confident mood. From the kick off it was clear that the game would be one of contrasting styles. Kettering were in possession of a large experienced pack whilst Stags had a pacy back line and three 17 year old tearaways in the back row. Stags as expected struggled to win set piece possession in the first half. the front five were strangers and No 8 Alex Whitesall was put up at two for the first time in his career. Again in the scrums Stags were pushed back putting pressure on debutant scrumhalf ,Dave Gamble who replaced captain Nick Wilcox (who pulled his calf in the warm up.) When Stags did get the ball they cut the opposition apart, but some poor decision making led to final try scoring passes going astray. At half time it was 3-0 Huntingdons defence had been outstanding and Kettering were looking tired. This reporter anticipated Stags winning more ball an pulling away. Unfortunately this was not the case Kettering kept going sticking to a tight game plan receiving a number of penalties for offside which their metronomic kicker put over. Stags eventually won some quick ball moved the ball wide putting another new boy Martin over in the corner. Kettering kicked another penalty, but Stags came back with an identical try Martin scoring in the corner again making it 15-10 with a chance to win. That they failed to do so was testament to Ketterings resiliance, who after kicking another penalty won 18-10. Stags lost because they made some poor decisions, didn't win enough ball and missed some kicks, on the day the Kettering 10 kicked 6 out of 7 penalties.

It is with the last line of my report in mind that I can make an objective assesment of the referee.

Although a 3rd V's 2nd team match this was a league game. Kettering are a strong club and their 3rd team is well above the normal standard. Stags 2nd team have been performing well this year. Both teams contained experienced players many of whom have played 1st team rugby and give up their Saturday afternoons to play the game.

The referee was was young, 16-17, he did not give the impression as having played much rugby. Efforts were made to be friendly prior to kick off, but from the off his manner was slightly officious. He had some trouble with the understanding of the laws i.e-

A long drop kick attempt which went dead was given as a scrum back to the defending side.

A player grabbed by the collar thrown to the floor immediatley returning to his feet was deemed to have held onto the ball.

Offside was given on any occassion when the defending side tackled the attackers, no consideration given to speed of pass from the scrumhalf or the pace of the defending line.

The most cringeworthy moment was the lecturing of a tight head prop for his body position on four occasions before deeming him as dangerous and insisting on uncontested scrums for the last 10 minutes of the game saying "if you haven't propped before you shouldn't be doing it." The prop in question had had a battle royal with his opposite number, two weeks previously had comprehensively outplayed his opposite number in a first team league game and is generally regarded as one of the best technical props the club has produced. Unapposed scrums suited Stags but if we had gone on to win Kettering would rightly have been furious.

He will no doubt in the future be a good referee, however general consensus was that he should be grounded in youth rugby before refereeing adult games. It was only good discipline on behalf of both teams that prevented frustration manifesting into something worse.

1. John Haldane (Unfit to prop) 2. Simon Witherford. 3. Stimmo 4. Chris Burkett 5. Matt Griggs 6. Jack Heather. 7. Mikailo 8. Alex Whitesall. 9. Dave Gamble 10. Wayne Bradley 11. Sam Hart. 12. Hilly 13. Ben Crean 14. Sam Barnard 15. Rob Grant 16. Martin. 17 Nick w ( Captain cripple)
Tries- Martin 2.

Good effort by everyone, could have turned out differently. Special mention to Dave Gamble and Martin for their first games for the club.

Stags III 15 v Kets Vets 7

A speedy Stags back line ran rings round a formidable Kets Vets winning by three tries to one goal.
The omens were not good, Kets Vets turned up with 17 players all bulky, grizzled and experienced while the Stags looked skinny and callow. But it turned into a classic encounter: nippy backs versus thundering forwards, with the real challenge being for the Stags pack to hold the huge Kets pack in set pieces and mauls.
The moment that set the whole game up came in the first five minutes.The magnificent Lawro took a quick line-out near the half way line while both packs sauntered to the line. Before anyone knew what was happening, the ball was whipped down the line for new winger Trevor Hamer to score in the corner. That score lifted the whole Stags side and set the tone for the rest of the game... though it also created a degree of white-line fever as every back then thought they could run round the Kets' backs.
Kets re-grouped, and playing to their powerful pack, sought to drive Stags back up the pitch but this was not to be. The front five held firm and the back row tackled like demons. Our new Ginger Tom - the Cheshire cat - (real name hidden to avoid Wilcox pinching him for his toy boys) who pips Lawro as my man of the match was everywhere. Kknocking down the Kets backs (who also manged a fair few fumbles as well as kindly kicking the ball to Lawro) and linking up with our backs.
With scavenged possession, Stags counter-attacked with some strong runs from the returning Ulrikakaka Johnson who set up a score for Andy Demsie.
Finally, the Kets pack got their act together and winning the ball cleanly at a lineout close to the try line set up a powerful maul driving the Stags pack out of the way for a well-deserved try. With the conversion, it left the score at a tight 10-7 at half time.
Even so Stags heads were up, as surely the older Kets would tire as the game wore on, but for much of the second half Kets played in the Stags 22. However they failed to capitalise on their territory and Stags frequently broke out and should have scored many more tries but regrettably the ball always seem to stop one short of the player in the clear. Nevertheless both Chris D and the Cheshire Cat crossed the line only to be denied the try by the venerable Mr T. (We must arrange for a video replay facility). Eventually Stags broke through with a break away try by Ulrike following some incompetence amongst the Kets backs.
In the final 10 minutes Stags finished much the stronger and were unlucky not to add another score.

Now for the Firby, it goes to a three way poll between Spanner for ordering everyone to run straight then running side-ways, CD for not listening to Spanner running side-ways and then throwing a forward pass and Jack's missed conversion from in front of the posts. Jack be warned we (in the forwards) are minded to start a new and personalised category: Edge's Errant Ways... to mark the one or two nerve-racking moments you give us every game!