Dorset & Wiltshire U20 31 - Buckinghamshire U20 7
Mar
After heroic efforts to field a representative side due to late cry-offs, no shows and last minute injuries, Dorset & Wilts under 20s served up a mouth-watering feast of quality rugby particularly in the first half. Overcoming the problem of absentees Tom Wilson, normally a hooker, stepped in at scrum half and looked as though he had played there all his life and Devizes centre Rob Collis who had come to the match as a spectator was drafted onto the bench when the selected centre Dan Rae turned an ankle in the warm–up.
Within a minute of kick off, from a ruck turnover by Devizes loose-head prop Nick Farrant followed by a series of pick and drives, the ball was moved out to the right where Swindon centre Ben Loosemore sliced through on a great angle, drew the last defender and fed Wimborne’s Karim Lynch to go over near the posts for a try converted by Dauntsey’s player Olly Linton.
Three minutes later from a scrum in centre field, the ball was fizzed through the backs’ hands to right wing Linton who accelerated round his marker and scored under the posts and converted his own try making it 14 – 0.
After 12 minutes from a Dorset & Wilts lineout and a driven maul, the ball this time was fed to the left where again Ben Loosemore picked a great line, drew the full back and Charlie Parrish from the Swanage and Wareham club produced a thrilling run down the touchline in front of the big crowd and went over from 45 metres for an unconverted try.
Bucks were always competitive in the contact areas and Dorset & Wilts gave away a large number of penalties throughout the match. Two Dorset & Wilts players received yellow cards for persistent infringements at the breakdown and this is an area that they will need to improve on for next week’s match against Berkshire at Thatcham RFC
After 28 minutes Swindon’s Sam Pailor won a turnover on half way and made 30 metres before feeding Dorset & Wilts flanker, James Fox, who was stopped just short of the line. From the breakdown the impressive Dorset & Wilts number 8 Jared Sharman drove over for another converted try making it 26 – 0 at half time.
The second half did not quite live up the high standards set in the first period. In a bruising encounter the game became disjointed as injuries occurred to both sides. Ollie Linton, threatening the line once again lost his footing and collided into the Bucks full back sustaining a gash on the head and had to leave the field to be replaced by Steve Rich of the Wooten Bassett club.
Bucks continued to be effective in broken play and denied Dorset & Wilts good second phase ball but the set pieces were dominated by the Dorset & Wilts pack who had the upper hand throughout and with their lineout performing solidly once again began to assert themselves as the game wore on.
Six substitutions were made in the second half including Sean Murphy from Wimborne RFC coming on at hooker. He made an immediate impact by taking two strikes against the head and two ruck turnovers that set up attacking positions. From one such position tight head prop Ashton Price broke from halfway, and fed Murphy who crashed over for the final Dorset & Wilts score.
Bucks scored a consolation try from a tap penalty on the 15 metre line.
Paul Ninnim Dorset & Wilts Head Coach said:
This was a really good performance considering that we had a number of late changes just before kick off. The quality of the passing in the backs and their lines of running were of the highest standard, making good use of the plentiful quick possession provided by the forwards. We need to look at the breakdown area before the next game but overall the coaches were very pleased.
Team: Nick Farrant (Devizes RFC), Ted Stagg (Bath Academy), Ashton Price (Colston’s), Dan Lock (Devizes RFC), Nick Morris (Salisbury RFC), Sam Pailor (Swindon RFC), Jared Sharman (Colston’s), James Fox (North Dorset RFC), Tom Wilson (Cardiff University), Cameron Brown (Colston’s), Charlie Parish (Swanage & Wareham RFC), Ben Loosemore (Swindon RFC), Dan Mayland (Devizes RFC), Olly Linton (Dauntsey’s), Karim Lynch (Wimborne RFC). Replacements: Sean Murphy (Wimborne RFC), Matt Pearce (Blandford RFC), Mike Errington (Bournemouth RFC), Steve Rich (Wootten Bassett RFC), Gavin Smith (Blandford RFC), Rob Collis (Devizes RFC).
