October 22, 2022
When these diaries covered Chippenham last season they were playing in the South West Regional 1 East division where, after a slow start they recovered to eventually finish 8th. However, following the latest RFU organizational restructure of the lower divisions, supposedly to reduce the amount of travelling involved, Chippenham have moved to what is called South West Regional 2 Severn, with ironically, the only two other sides remaining in their league from last season being the two featured in these diaries, namely Trowbridge and Frome.
https://fatbearssportingdiaries.blogspot.com/2021/09/chippenham-23-33-trowbridge-att-300.html
Despite being members of the South-West division, the top three from last season’s SW Division 1 East ( Oxford Harlequins, Banbury and Bracknell ), have been “promoted” to London Regional 1 South Central whilst the other sides have been shunted to either South West Regional 2 South Central, South West Regional 2 South West, or London Regional 2 Thames.
Instead, Chippenham are now competing with three side from South West 1 West, and the top 5 from last season’s South West Western Counties North. No doubt to the dismay for the clubs’ treasurers, the division has been reduced from 14 sides to 11, although on paper it looks to be an easier league.
Going into today’s fixture Chippenham sat in second place in the table, trailing runaway unbeaten leaders Matson by 8 points but having played a game less. Chippenham had won 4 out of 5 of their matches, beating Trowbridge ( H 29-15, and revenge for defeat last season ), Cheltenham ( H 29-19 ), Winchcombe ( A 20-3 ) and Gordano ( A 73-10 ) but lost at Chosen Hill Former Pupils ( 27-31 ). Of the players involved in their last match against Gordano, 8 had appeared in last season’s matches against Trowbridge and Frome, although 7 of them were forwards, and Louis Ayliffe was the only back involved.
Keynsham finished 6th in the 2021/22 South West 1 West and came into today’s game in 6th place with three wins, over Frome ( A 15-10 ), Trowbridge ( A 38-22 ) and Cheltenham ( H 32-31 ). However, three matches had been lost, against Matson ( A 0-29 ), Newent ( H 28-29 ) and Thornbury ( H 21-49 ).
Despite being in different leagues last season, the two sides did meet once, with Chippenham emerging victorious 20-14 in the final of the Bath Combination Cup played at Bath RFC in May.
Keynsham is situated between Bristol and Bath, and the visitors had a 20 mile journey into Wiltshire. The temperature at the 15.00 kick-off was around 16 degrees with the weather dry after a heavy shower about an hour before kick-off leaving the benches outside the clubhouse soaking wet. More heavy rain was forecast to fall after the game had been completed.
It was still £5 per car to enter the ground, and the programmes were free. The club-house was heaving when we arrived as Chippenham were hosting a vice-presidents’ lunch before the game.
Chippenham were playing in their usual black and white hoops whilst Keynsham wore a kit of yellow and black.
The visitors ambled on to the pitch, hardly busting a gut or bursting with energy, clearing saving this for the game, and the home side joined them by trotting out. Both sides were ready to start 4 minutes ahead of schedule, with the only thing missing being the match officials. They eventually arrived, and the match started two minutes early according to my watch.
Keynsham started strongly and a smart inside pass saw them break into the Chippenham 22, but the ball was turned over and kicked back to the Keynsham 22. Chippenham infringed at the ruck and were penalized, and the game then suffered a delay of a few minutes after an injury to one of Keynsham’s front row.
When play resumed the visitors won the subsequent line-out, but fly-half John Pierce kicked poorly high into the air where Chippenham centre Eoin Baker made a commending catch, but his team-mates had strayed offside to concede another penalty. Keynsham again won their line-out but dropped the ball in midfield and after winning possession, Chippenham were able to take play deep into the visitors 22 with a great clearing kick.
Keynsham again secured line-out possession and Chippenham infringed yet again. This time though the Keynsham line-out wasn’t straight, and from the first scrum of the match, centre Baker’s crash-ball led to a turnover for Keynsham but they wasted possession by kicking the ball out on the full.
Three of the Chippenham starting line-up didn’t have numbers on their shirt so it took a while to recognize they were the two props and a lock forward. Loose-head prop Ryan Brown was tall enough to be mistaken for a lock or number 8, whilst the other prop, the gigantic Sava Tuimatanisaqa, was so large he had a different shirt to the rest of his team, the back being all black rather than hooped.
With 10 minutes played Tuimatanisaqa burst through a gap in the Keynsham defense but was eventually brought down just short of the line, but Brown was nearby to pick-up and score close to the posts. Wing Kalif Barnes add the extras to give Chippenham a 7-0 lead.
Chippenham were in the ascendency and after another Keynsham line-out was ruled not straight, and being penalized at a ruck, the visitors were back defending in their 22. Chippenham Number 8 Faosilva made a strong carry and after several more drives close to the visitors’ line, another penalty was conceded in front of the posts. Chippenham opted for the three points, and Barnes took the score to 10-0 after 14 minutes.
The home side continued to press and forced Keynsham to touch-down a long kick in their own in-goal area. From the drop-kick out, Chippenham won another penalty, but this time they opted for a scrum rather than a shot at goal. Scrum-half Aaron Davies was put under pressure, tackled and then penalized for not releasing. However, some back-chat from the visitors saw the decision reversed and the penalty went to the home side.
Although Chippenham won their line-out 10 metres out, good defensive work saw Keynsham rip the ball away, and they gradually worked their way up-field thanks to successive penalties.
Keynsham lost their line-out 15 metres from the Chippenham try line but the tap back was untidy and Keynsham regained possession. After a number of drives were repelled close to the line, the Chippenham defence had been sucked in, so a long pass found prop Joseph Wright in acres of space to trundle over the line for a simple score. The attempt conversion from scrum-half Joseph Concannon was screwed horribly wide so it remained 10-5 after 24 minutes.
Keynsham’s tails were now up, and another penalty enabled them to return to the Chippenham 22. Although they again lost the line-out, they forced another penalty, only for the referee to again reverse the decision, presumably for more back-chat.
Play then went through a scrappy phase, with neither side able to make much progress. With two minutes of regular time of the half remaining, Chippenham threw too long from a line-out midway in their half, and Keynsham scrum-half Concannon claimed the ball to race down the left hand wing and score in the corner for a fine individual try, but he was unable to added the extras from out wide. The sides were now level at 10-10.
There was still time remaining in the half for Chippenham to search for another score, and after good interplay involving lock Larrimore, full-back Smith, Larrimore again then Brown, Faosilva barged over close to the posts, and the conversion from Barnes took the score to 17-10.
With the referee continuing to add on injury time, Keynsham had their chance for another score but winger Sayer was bundled into touch close to the try line. The half ended when Concannon’s dam-buster pass was knocked on by fly-half Pierce.
The second-half opened with Keynsham being penalized for handling in the scrum, resulting in an astonished look from their number 8 Jack Weston. From the Chippenham attack, Faosilva made yardage before a wonderful pass from fly-half Ayliffe enabled full-back Smith to make a break. With just a covering defender to beat, Smith decided ignore the supporting winger and to go for glory himself, only to be tackled and then pinged for not releasing.
Chippenham prop Brown then made 15 yards to get inside the visitors 22 but after the home side attempted several attempts to cross the line, Brown was penalized on the floor.
With 50 minutes gone, Keynsham’s backs took play back into the Chippenham 22 and although they were stopped short, they won a penalty. With the home side dozing, a quick-tap led to George Warren scampering over in the corner. However, yet again Concannon’s attempted conversion was awful, but the score was now 17-15.
A promising position for Keynsham ended with a kick going too long to bring play back to a scrum on half-way for Chippenham. From open play, Tuimatanisaqa showed good hands in the offload to release wing George Brooks, who showed great pace to round the full back and go over in the corner. Barnes retained his 100% record off the tee with an excellent conversion from out wide to take the score to 24-15 after 57 minutes.
Keynsham were given a potential lifeline in the 62nd minute when Chippenham’s lock Larrimore was shown a yellow card for an off-the-ball incident, but Tuimatanisaqa made an amazing 40 yard break leading to Baker beating his marker to pass to Smith to run to the corner for the bonus point try. Again, Barnes excelled with his difficult conversion to take Chippenham clear at 31-15.
Keynsham were able to take some advantage from the extra man, and after a snipping run from Concannon, a Keynsham forward was able to score for their try bonus point. This time Concannon was able to convert to make it 31-22 with around 10 minutes remaining.
With Chippenham shortly afterwards back to their full complement, play returned to the Keynsham 22 and Tuimatanisaqa and replacement prop Jones both went close, before another penalty was awarded to the home side. Surprisingly Chippenham turned down the three points and went for a tap-penalty, only to butcher it and get penalized.
Keynsham were struggling to get out of their half, and after yielding another penalty, Chippenham this time decided to take the three points, and Barnes was accurate again, this time from 30 metres, as the score moved to 34-22.
With time just about up, Chippenham won another penalty in the visitors 22, and this time went for another quick tap, but the move ended with a knock on 10 metres out, which brought the game to its conclusion.
Overall, it was a deserved victory for Chippenham but one of the big differences between the two sides was quality of place kicking, with Barnes recording 6 from 6, compare to Concannon’s 1 from 4. Chippenham looked to have good all-round strength, with some big forwards, and incisive backs. Keynsham were competitive for large periods of the game until running out of steam towards the end, and didn’t help themselves with ill-disciplined comments to the referee to reverse decisions originally in their favour.
Enjoyed that write up Bear. Great memory and detail!
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