Beautiful and Brutal!

At times this season, the Gents have played rugby like an idiot savant. We seem to fluctuate between Dougal Maguire and Dostoevsky. At times we play the most wonderful attacking rugby, off=loading in the tackle, wonderful miss passes, quick feet and great lines. At other times, we can't even find the pitch never mind pick the right pass. However, it's not the making of mistakes that's the problem. It's how we react. We need to work harder.

However, when we tick, we tick. Alex Venn scored his first senior try this week(still hasn't bought the jug mind) and it came from wonderful forward play, great hands, a wonderful pass and a great line from Alex to finish the try off near the touch line. Beau Schipanski, massively improved this season, also got in for a try in the first half. Almost a carbon copy of the first. Unfortunately Beau fractured a collar bone which has put him out for at least a couple of months. Get well soon.

In the second half, the scrum was awesome. Razors, George, Ryan and the rest of them were immense. The just walked them off the ball. Even I could have played second row with a forward effort like that. The pack were well rewarded with a push over try in the corner. Andy Wood doing sterling work at the lineout. Great forwards try and one deserved by the whole pack. I believe Alistair managed to get under the post and Loz Morgan kicked a penalty to add up to the 27 points. Once again he missed easy kicks and got hard ones. Weirdo.

Now we get to the score that wasn't. This would have been one of the great tries, up there with Edwards for the Barbarians, Dawson for the Lions in '97 or even O'Driscol for the Lions against Australia in 2001. Orpington kick-off. The forwards catch the ball and give to Loz morgan at scrum half. Morgan gives to Mark Hopkins. Hopkins gives to Enda Parker. Parker's gives a perfect pass to Ali Burnett that puts him straight through the gap. Burnett makes a lung bursting jaunt, deep into the 22 before been tackled. Pops to Grenfeld. What the hell is a 2nd Row doing there? Nevermind. Grenfel burst through gets tackled on the 5, then chucks the ball at Parker's shoe laces who then clumsily knocks on over the line. Balls.

Once again, a great performance. Special mention needs to go to the front row and to Ali Burnett. Awesome stuff.

Special Note!

Next week is Ryan Chislett's last game for 'Combe for the foreseeable future. Ryan is heading off to work in Chicago "in an old department store". We are heading back to the club for a few pints after our game away to Shooters Hill and then off to Beckenham for a night I believe. I would like to take this opportunity to wish Ryan all the best and I hope he enjoys nothing but success and happiness on the other side of the pond.

WPRFC will miss you but will never leave you. Go n-éirí an bóthar leat a cara.