LONDON 3 SOUTH-WEST
29/03/08
LONDON CORNISH v TOTTONIANS

London Cornish 10 - Tottonians 20

Tottonians deservedly reversed their opening day home defeat at the hands of London Cornish on Saturday, winning a game they dominated in most aspects against an unusually pliant exiles side by a goal, two tries and penalty to two tries. The platform for the victory was provided by a visiting pack who comprehensively outplayed their Cornish counterparts.

With the ravages of the weather exacerbating the damage done to the REMPF pitches by the recent Rosslyn Park 7s, this match was switched to Wimbledon RFC's Barham Road ground. As the two sides completed their warm ups the heavens opened to pour rain onto a decent size pitch already sodden and heavy underfoot. Coupled with a very strong wind into which Cornish played in the opening period, the conditions were never going to produce a game of running rugby. Cornish went into the game without props James Turnbull, hooker Mike Allewell (plus long term injury victim Will Carew-Gibbs) and inside centre Henry Mitchell, Rod Petre returning at 7 for Mark Williams-Jones and Jim Strover selected on the wing with Jim Reynolds benching. From the off Cornish were on the back foot, knocking on the kick off and under pressure in the tight as a front 5 who had never packed down together could not find their stride. Coupled with a completely misfiring lineout, it was to be a long afternoon for the Cornish backs. Totts play a decent brand of all court rugby, their forwards driving close in before releasing a back line that would relish the go forward ball they received all afternoon. 8 minutes in the visitors had the lead when a multi-phase move gave room for their right wing to touch down wide right, their excellent kicker lifting the ball on the wind between the uprights to extend the lead to 7-0. With their first foray into enemy territory 4 minutes later, Cornish struck back. A penalty was kicked into the 22 and a rolling maul set in motion some distance out to rumble up and over the tryline, Petre credited with the touchdown. Dan Pollard's conversion attempt into the wind was well struck but simply blew away from the posts. At the restart Petre fielded the kick and, as he has done on a number of occasions this season, dummied the onrushing visiting pack before sprinting through a gap in the defensive wall. He burst over halfway and took on the full back on the 22. Outside him Mike Harvey was flying up in support but prior to taking the pass Harvey was cynically tackled early, the referee awarding the penalty but astonishingly not deeming the offence worthy of a brief holiday for the miscreant! Though the ball was kicked to the corner, the malfunctioning lineout saw the ball turned over and hoofed clear. With scrum-half Mike Dardis being provided with almost no clean ball and under huge pressure with what possession did come his way, Pollard was unable to free up his potent backline. Totts pack not took a hold of the game in the loose, ramming their way up the pitch on 25 minutes until a prop powered over the line only to be held up by 3 Cornish defenders, the referee arriving a few seconds late and awarding a try despite the protestations. This time the conversion flew wide but the score was now 12-5 to the visitors. For the next 15 minutes Totts took the game to Cornish, magnificent defending from Skipper Rob Aird supported on occasions by no 8 Will Ho keeping the visitors at bay. Prop Ben Shribman and hooker Ben Wheeler both injured shoulders at this point needing treatment. Lock Pete Calvert carried well all afternoon but all too frequently he was not supported quickly enough and Cornish repeatedly turned the ball over, he and fellow lock Thornton Williams having to work hard to keep things steady in the tight. With Pollard scrambling well despite huge pressure every time he received the ball, and full back Adam McVicar also able to launch decent clearances in to the strong wind, Totts were frustrated at not being able to extend their lead with the strong wind in their favour. Right on half time, Cornish conceded the only kickable penalty they had given up all half, the visitors kicking making no mistake from some distance out to make the score at the break 15-5 to Totts.

Both Shribman and Wheeler were struggling with injury at the break, the former replaced by Ashley Holloway allowing the latter to switch to loose head, Simon Wood moving to tight. Though now with the wind advantage, it was Totts who actually upped their game, a series of burgeoning pick and drives forcing Cornish deep inside their own territory. Time and again Aird met the onslaught with an immense Skippers performance, but he was increasingly not being followed into battle by his pack, a couple now carrying injuries and some seemingly believing the seasons work to be over. Sensing they could put the game to bed, Totts worked overtime to negate the effect of the conditions, but knock ons and mishandling dogged both sides and the game as a spectacle detoriorated. Cornish centres Graham Dodge and Keith Thompson both tried to work some room but were isolated and driven back in the tackle. Pollard was another who put his body on the line as the Totts forwards worked him over, knocks to his neck and leg both requiring treatment. Ho departed the action 10 minutes into the second period, another shoulder problem seeing him leave the fray to be replaced by Pete Drewett. By now the Cornish scrum was under massive pressure on its own ball, understandably undercooked having never worked as a unit in training. On two occasions Cornish did work some room for Strover to break outside his man and chip ahead, but though the ball was scrambled to touch, the subsequent lineouts were lost to the great frustration of the Cornish backs. Gaps began to appear around the fringes as a monstrous tackle count began to take its toll, though Totts were prevented from rolling mauls over the Cornish line and were unable to break through out wide as Strover and Harvey cut men down with superb cover tackles. On one Totts attack a Cornish back was penalised for a high tackle and the ball again kicked to the corner. Cornish made a final change now, bringing on Jim Reynolds for Dodge. Try as they might Totts could not force their way over the line and game seemed to reach a deadlock. Finally, on 69 minutes Totts worked the ball right to left inside the Cornish 22 only for the ball to be knocked on over the Cornish line. The first man to react was a Totts back who dived on it and looked as surprised as anyone when the referee awarded the score. The closest man to the action was a Totts supporter who actually had the grace to apologise for the score being awarded! The conversion attempt feel just short and Cornish were reduced to 14 men as Pollard simply could not continue after a knock to his leg. Oddly enough, it was only now that Cornish woke up. Harvey was given a smidgeon of room down the right flank to get away from the defence and just inside his own half. He drew the full back and chipped over him but the ball broke unkindly and was scrambled clear. With just a few minutes now remaining, Cornish launched another attack and drove deep into the Totts 22. Thompson, now playing at his favoured position of 10, floated a superb pass right to left into the waiting hands of Strover who beat his man on the outside and dived over wide left. The conversion attempt slid wide, the score no more than consolation. When the final whistle went, the visitors were worthy winners indeed.

Only Cobham have completed the double over Totts this season, evidence that the Hampshire side are very much the benchmark for sides wishing to challenge at the top of London 3 South-West. They are a well run club and the relationship between these two sides flourished at the post match festivities as both sets of players and supporters mixed at the Telegraph Inn. This was a disappointing performance by Cornish, the second time they have turned in a below par effort when a home game has had to be relocated. DoR Moon will certainly be aware of the large number of players who played in the 2s on Saturday absolutely champing at the bit for a return to 1s action, and it will be no surprise to see the side freshened up for the remaining matches of the season. 5th place would be a fine return on the clubs first ever season at this level but that place still needs to be won, so the work begins on Wednesday night to close out the season in style!

LCRFC – Adam McVicar, Jim Strover, Keith Thompson, Graham Dodge (Jim Reynolds), Mike Harvey, Dan Pollard, Adam McVicar, Will Ho (Pete Drewett), Rod Petre, Rob Aird (Capt.), Thornton Williams, Pete Calvert, Ben Shribman (Ashley Holloway), Ben Wheeler, Simon Wood.


To return to the previous page please click here.