Scott's v View, Round 5, 1st XV Match notes ('unofficial', but as I saw it)
I was hoping the sight of all the umbrellas at Bellevue Hill today may've been a sign that the Bacardi Rum sample gals were here with mega-sized piña colada cocktails. Alas and alack. Conditions were more for Bundy Bear to be strutting his stuff.
View opened the first 8 minutes
encamped in Scots half; much of that on and inside the Scots 22.
But as is the classic 'run against the play' way these things sometimes go, Scots initial forays into View's half were finished off with big Tom Yassmin (14) bringing the home crowd to a petite roar with a cameo through the heart of the View D to open the scoring, and give the View lads and @Byron W a serious "WTF?" moment.
View's in-goal huddle worked a treat, as from the kick-off, View exploited the short side and in-boarded to their best on the day, Charlie Rorke (playing #6). Meat time, a missed conversion into the gale, and Scots held slender at 7-5.
Scots' scrum and line-out were standing up well to the scrutiny of the vaunted 2016 View pack. They were better than merely 'holding their own', but without being dominant. In the battle of the Piggies, an 'honourable' draw on the day - is there such a thing?
The Gold lads had a perfect-for-the-conditions, rolling-maul happening, with pilferer-in-chief, Charlie Jeavons-Felows (2), maxxing out down back. For the second home-game in a row, the home-boys were rewarded for effort with a pulling-down penalty try. A gift conversion to quality spot kicker, Nic Shannon (10), and Scots led 14-5.
Both teams were settled into the conditions, but Scots' kicking game, with chief-rooster, Shannon, being used to take advantage from the howler aft, pinned the Blue and White deep in their half.
The hard yards being done by the 'heavies' up the middle, plus the prevailing conditions and willing Scots defence, were working in concert to neutralise View's lethal backs, especially the dangerous View Skipper Will Terry (13), being well held by Scots' Archie Gavin (13) whenever the merry View backline paraded their array of skills.
At HT, some free performance assessments from View coaching staff and the veritable gift of a howling wind up their clackers for 35' in H2, and View came out after oranges, all wet-weather footy - held tight, in close, with the occasional roost down into the Scots' corners to re-set and turn up the psi - that's 'pounds per square inch' for the non-engineers and U20 students.
End result? a rolling-maul led, then pick-and-drive recycling, second try to blind-side flanker Charlie Rorke (6), followed by a gift conversion to Flyhalf Tom Lenehan (10), and 5' in to the second stanza, at 14-12 to Scots, the finish-line must've looked a helluva long way away for the home-boys.
Both sides were playing tough, wet-weather, some may even say "ugly", Rugby.
But in the conditions, this was
always gonna be a Ground and Pound-a-thon at Bellevue Hill.
View went all 'territorial' with the wind; and Scots went all 'stand and deliver' last line of defence. Scots' D was led by pocket-battleship Hughie Green (7) who'd tackle a Monster Truck doing a wheelie if asked; and by examplers Skipper Harry Todd (1), who seems more comfortable each week leading, and hooker, Charlie Jeavons-Fellows. Conditions favoured the 'brave', but only if the brave were 'respectful' of the conditions.
With View hunkered again deep in Scots territory, the "Phweeeeeep" of the Ref's call of time came as blessed relief to the lads in Gold, plus all the home supporters, but especially to Toddy's mother standing close by this particular correspondent. Her boy and his teammates had just shaken up this year's Comp, and Scots look very much "alive" at the halfway in Season 2016; the closest for years!
Warm pies, if he can spare them!, are on Azzuri and his Kings at BH in Round 7!
