Rugby Lions 84 - Malvern 0
It may seem strange to report an improved performance when cataloguing a record loss by 14 tries to none, but that was the case with Malvern’s performance at Webb Ellis Road. After the previous week’s lacklustre showing at home to Newport a side much changed by injury and unavailability opened brightly, taking the game to the slick home side in front of a huge crowd. Debutant standoff James Doorbar, one of six enforced changes, certainly wasn’t overawed by the attentions he received from the home back row, whilst the Malvern defence tackled like demons, forcing Lions into errors. However, with six full-time professional players, including three with international honours, in the Lions ranks it was only a matter of time before Malvern cracked and for the rest of the match it was a tale of sevens specialist Ben Gollings orchestrating play to set off the lethal Rugby back division time and again. A team which would certainly be good enough to compete at the top of the next level up were too much for the game Malvern lads to handle, although they were assisted by some strange refereeing which allowed two tries when the ball was clearly dropped before being grounded and two others which came from blatant forward passes.
Malvern weren’t helped by the fact that they had a lightweight pack to start the game and were made to struggle in the set pieces, although the scrum got more solid later in the game with the introduction of Rory Gratwohl and Nick Murphy in the second half. The referee decided to yellow card prop Jamie Tsang when clearly Rugby had offended at a ruck by not releasing the ball, which certainly didn’t help Malvern’s cause. The Spring Lane youngsters battled to the final whistle, their spirit undiminished, and if they continue to play in similar vein in the crucial games between now and Christmas they can start to repair the negative points difference and climb back up the table.
This Saturday sees the visit of a Syston (Leicester) side which has impressed since being promoted and who will prove another stern test. Kickoff is at 3.00pm.
