January 10, 2020 - Friday Night Lights
!
Chinnor hosted their first ever match
on Friday night under floodlights with the visit of Rams, formerly known as
Readingensians. Below the top two levels of English Club rugby matches played
outside of Saturday afternoon are extremely rare but with Rams being agreeable
to the switch, a unique occasion was at hand and a bumper crowd of over 1,000
justified the decision to move the timing of the match.
Despite being local rivals, relations
between the two clubs seem to be pretty good and every Christmas and Easter a
returning students match is played between the two clubs. Perhaps this is
because both clubs have diligently and slowly worked their way up through the
divisions so that this was now a match between the 26th and 28th
best clubs in the country. This contrasts with the relations with Henley,
traditionally the top club in Oxfordshire and who have looked down on other clubs
in the area, but are now a division below Chinnor and Rams.
However, although the relations between
these two clubs are cordial, the 80 minutes on the field are often spicy affairs
!
Despite this being their first ever season
in National League One, Rams have taken the division by storm to be joint top,
and only in second place due to points difference. They have achieved this with
essentially the same team that won National League 2 last season. Whilst they
had earnt a reputation for a formidable pack which have scored a lot of tries
from 5 metre line-outs and scrum penalty tries, there is also considerable
talent in their backs.
However, let’s not forget though that this
is only Chinnor’s second season at the level, and they remain on course for
their highest ever finish in the league structure.
Before the match, Chinnor’s Director of
Rugby spoke that whoever wins the forward battle will win the match, and for
the first time this season, Chinnor’s two monster props, Parilli-Ocampo and
Rees were fit to start together.
The first
half is predominately an arm wrestle with plenty of reset scrums, and even
retaken line-outs. The backs spend most of the half shivering in the cold
January evening, in particular Rams number 11 looked cold.
The early
exchanges are even, with Chinnor kicking a long range penalty in the 7th
minute for a 3-0 lead. Chinnor then have a short period of pressure before the
Rams pack get to work. Gradually working their way down field, they earn a
scrum close to the Chinnor line. It looked ominous for Chinnor as the Rams pack
win two penalties, and with a possible penalty try and/or yellow card if
repeated a third time, after several resets, the Chinnor pack hold up the Rams
pack forcing the ball to played. However, after a series of drives the defence is
breached and a straight forward conversion gives Rams a 3-7 lead.
Rams
dominate the rest of the half, and when Chinnor win a penalty and clear their
lines, the line-out is lost and the Rams pressure continues. Just before half-time,
a dangerous move from the Rams backs is thwarted with their full-back tackled
into touch just before the line. Inexplicably, Chinnor throw their line-out far
too long and Rams capture the loose ball and force their way over for a give-away
try. 3-14
There is
still time in the half for a restart and Rams fail to gather the kick cleanly
and concede a line-out. Chinnor’s forwards press and a back-row forward bursts through
the ruck to cross the line, but the ref had blown for a penalty fractions of seconds
earlier. Chinnor kick the penalty for a line-out but are penalised for not
throwing straight and the half ends. Rams’ lead is well deserved and I couldn’t
recall a single handling error by them in the first half. HT : 3-14
Chinnor
need a strong start to the half but it is Rams who score almost immediately when
the hooker is found in space near the touch line and a smart inside pass enables
the supporting flanker to cross. A good conversion takes the score to 3-21.
With things looking grim for Chinnor they start to play a more expansive game, and
three minutes later, winger Worrall receives the ball just outside the Chinnor
22, breaks through the defensive line and has enough speed and stamina to beat
the covering defenders to score a glorious try close to be posts to bring Chinnor back into
the game at 10-21.
It is now the
turn of Chinnor’s pack to start to get on top as they start to win the scrum
penalties, and after a spell of pressure, flanker Tyas is driven over.
At 17-21
the game becomes end to end. Chinnor knock-on twice to end promising attacks,
and when Rams rolling maul moves threateningly to the Chinnor line it is they who are
penalised.
After 65 minutes,
Partington, the Rams full-back kicks a penaltyfrom hand over the dead ball line rather
than for the 5 metre line-out and Chinnor are able to attack again. Although
the scrum penalties against Rams start to mount up, their tremendous back row
keep them ahead with two turnovers in their 22.
Eventually
Rams win a penalty and make their way into the Chinnor 22. With less than 5 minutes remaining they win a lineout
and after going through several phases they knock-on with the try line beckoning.
Having
spurned the chance to clinch the game, Rams then have to desperately defend as
the last few minutes become frantic. Chinnor win a line-out in the Rams 22 and
drive forward, but the Rams back row win another turnover. They fail to clear
their lines though and Chinnor spread the ball wide but the last pass is high
and knocked on into touch.
The ref
awards the scrum for the knock-on rather than a line-out, but with time up, all Rams have to do is win the ball and kick
the ball off to win the match. However, the scrum disintegrates and to cheers
of the home supporters, Chinnor are awarded the penalty. They kick to touch,
and with a 5 metre line-out and a baying crowd, Rams steal the line-out to the
delight of the large number of visiting supporters, the ball is despatched into
the car park to end a cracking game.
Disappointment
for Chinnor as their fightback narrowly fails, and Rams move to the top of
table.
Overall,
the Friday experience was a huge success ( apart from perhaps the result ! ) and
if both teams are in the same Division next season hopefully it can be
repeated. However, it would have to be at Chinnor as Rams do not have
floodlights. Or perhaps Henley will get promoted………….
One final point,
if the Friday night matches are repeated Chinnor ought to get more people serving
behind the bars, they probably lost quite a bit of money from people not being
bother to join the long queues !
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