EDF SENIOR VASE 2nd ROUND
13/10/07
TROJANS v LONDON CORNISH

Trojans 24 - London Cornish 25

The day after England lost their opening RWC07 fixture in France, a shrewd Cornish forward placed a sizeable wager on the World Champions to retain their crown at 75-1. At 24-12 down and reduced to 14 men well into the 2nd half at Trojans Stoneham Lane HQ, he would have found little support in placing a similar wager at similar odds on London Cornish to reach the EDF Senior Vase 3rd Round on Saturday. That the unlikely double could actually happen speaks volumes for the spirit that fires within the two camps.

The Senior Vase has proved a graveyard for London 3 South-West sides since its inception last season. Indeed, only 5 of the 12 sides in the division remain in the competition at the 3rd Round Stage. There are a number of reasons for this - some clubs simply choose not to enter the competition citing the fact that there have been 5 straight league weekends and their team needs a break; some enter but field shadow sides in an effort to tiptoe through the early rounds and conserve their squads for the battles ahead; some come up against fresh London 4 sides who have only had to play 2 or 3 competitive matches - the upshot of this is that the 2nd Round of this competition sees a number of London 3 sides come unstuck against lower league opposition. Finally, some simply come up against sides at the same level who beat them on the day. London Cornish spent much of this match utterly dominating the tight, and being utterly dominated in the loose. For the decent crowd watching, the result was a thrilling cup tie, which the exiles finally edged by 1 goal, 3 tries and a penalty to 3 goals and a penalty to narrowly prevent them being placed in the third of the categories above.

Cornish were able to recall Skipper Jay Stirrett, open side Rod Petre, centre James Hessey, wing Jim Strover and, after missing the entire last season with injury, 2005/6 Player of the Year Mike Dardis at 9. Right from the off it was apparent that the game was not going to be one sided, though Cornish spent an hour seemingly unwilling to really put bodies on the line at the breakdown, seemingly content to rely on a hugely impressive performance in the tight from the front 5 of Andy Renner, Will Carew-Gibbs, Ben Shribman, Rob Webster and Pete Calvert. On 7 minutes a speculative kick ahead from the Trojans 10 took a wicked bounce straight into the arms of an onrushing back to dash clear and score by the posts, the conversion a formality. A quick response was required from Cornish and they got it. First they drove the home side off one of their own scrums just outside the Hants sides 22, then they won a penalty for offside as they worked the ball from right to left across the 22. The kick was driven to the corner and the rolling maul saw Dardis emerge from a ruck of players to be credited with the score on 13 minutes, the conversion sliding wide. Frequently having problems in the tight, the home side worked overtime to win ball at the breakdown. A fly hack on 28 minutes was followed up by a Trojans back for the ball to bounce up into his hands as he scooted clear to score, again by the posts to give his kicker the chance to take the lead out to 14-5. Within 5 minutes Cornish scored again with a carbon copy of their first try, Carew-Gibbs emerging with the credit for the score on this occasion. The conversion attempt was eased through the uprights to reduce the arrears to 2. On 36 minutes Cornish eschewed a kickable penalty from outside the home 22 to try and gain a hat-trick of similar tries in the same spot. However, the kick to the corner was pushed over the in goal area and the chance was frustratingly lost. This profligacy was to be punished before half time by the Trojans kicker who struck a penalty from in front of the posts to give his side a 17-12 lead at the break, Cornish losing a man to the sin bin for the offence. Despite being a distant second best in the tight, the work of the Trojans backs in neutralising the visiting backline and managing to turn over so much ball had ensured their lead was deserved.

Reduced to 14 men for the opening 9 minutes of a half which they began trailing by 5 points did not seem a great position for the exiles, whose 4 hour return journey was as long as any in the country at this stage of the competition. The mood of the coaching team darkened further when a seemingly innocuous run by a Trojan forward saw a series of half hearted or non existent tackles shepherd him through for a score right by the posts on 47 minutes. The conversion was slotted and the Hampshire side suddenly lead by 24-12 against 14 men. The Cornish coaching team reacted immediately to increase the packs mobility, withdrawing Webster and moving Stirrett into the row, replacement Pete Drewett coming on at blind side. Back up to 15 players, Cornish gradually forced their opponents to defend deeper and deeper, Dardis working his options well and exhorting his team to extra effort at the breakdown. The impressive Will Ho bashed holes from 8 and Petre began to get air into his lungs as he saw more of the ball. Jim Strover nearly broke clean through on the stand side of the pitch, a tap tackle preventing him from closing the gap. The ball was recyled first one way then back the other before fly half John Barker chipped an exquisite kick behind the onrushing Trojans defence on the hour mark. Hessey, by far the most potent of the Cornish backs on the day, timed his run perfectly to scoot through, pick the ball up and dive over the whitewash for the score. Though the conversion was missed, the visitors were now only 1 score behind and seemed utterly revitalised, that cussed belief of never being beaten that runs through many Cornish sides coursing through the players as they returned to their half. The pressure now told on the home side. First they lost a lock to the sin bin for a team offence as his side were driven back at the breakdown, then another within minutes for diving round a ruck and killing the ball as Cornish threatened inside his 22. The patience of the referee was being tested by Trojans as they transgressed at almost every breakdown now, Cornish electing for a scrum rather than taking the 3 points on 68 minutes. The decision was well made, the scrum, with Club Captain James Turnbull now on in place of Shribman, inexorably driven over the home line for Ho to score a well deserved try. From the restart Cornish conceded a penalty but the home kicker pushed the attempt wide. Now even Trojans clearing kicks were being returned with interest as full back George Bramble got his positioning spot on. He linked well with Matt Strover to drive Trojans back inside their half and as inside centre Josh Bartley-Smith tried to work some room on the home 22, his opposite number stepped up offside and was spotted by the referee. Barker stepped up to drive his team in front at 25-24 for the first time in the match with a mere 6 minutes remaining. As both sets of supporters remained transfixed by the game, there was time for yet more drama as Trojans won a penalty just inside the Cornish half. This was a difficult kick and it was no surprise that the attempt slid wide. With time almost up the home side launched one last attempt to win the game as they attacked from right to left. Though they had a man over a long pass was required to reach him, the pass sliding forward, the opportunity lost and along with it the match. Two exhausted sides greeted the final whistle.

Trojans RFC is a fanastic rugby club and one your correspondent has had cause to visit as a supporter in a number of occasions in the past. They are determined to cement their position in the regional leagues having won Hampshire 1 last season, and on this showing should have no problem. Cornish will watch their progress with interest. The exiles have once again proved to be redoubtable cup fighters and can park the competition for a few weeks while they return to league business. With no additional injuries to add to their list, it was a happy Cornish contingent who made the trip back home, hoping to avoid their 8th away draw in the last 9 rounds of national cup competition over the last few seasons!

LCRFC – George Bramble, Jim Strover, James Hessey, Josh Bartley-Smith, Matt Strover, John Barker, Mike Dardis, Will Ho, Rod Petre,Jay Stirrett, Rob Webster (Pete Drewett), Pete Calvert, Ben Shribman (James Turnbull), Will Carew-Gibbs (Ashley Holloway), Andy Renner. Rep not used - James Broad.


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