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Mens
1st XV Match Reports
2006
- 2007
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Date: 25th November 2006
Result: Isle of Wight 1st XV 15pts V's East Dorset 1st XV 13 pts |
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A nail biting match at Wootton Rec. ended with the Isle of Wight ending the league leaders' 100% record in dramatic fashion and opening up the division. Though missing some regulars, the Island delivered a fine victory achieved in an impressive manner.
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Coach Cunningham adopted a simple but effective game plan in the heavy underfoot conditions, which involved gaining ground through successive forward drives from rucks. Yet the Island were undone by conceding a soft try after just three minutes. Thereafter, playing up the slope and into the breeze, the home side made the game plan work superbly, with Paul Simpson, Andy Puckett and Richard Sawle to the fore. Two strikes against the head by hooker Mark Allen also were helpful. Gary Warvill was short with a penalty attempt, but the Island could be satisfied with their first half efforts until the 38th minute. From a seemingly innocuous position near halfway, the East Dorset second row was allowed to gallop through tackles and all the way to the line for a damaging try. The visitors led 10-0 at the break.
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The Island remained optimistic and wasted no time in setting up camp in the visitors' 22 on the resumption. Scores were hard to come by, due to determined defence and some poor options, but eventually good hands by Warvill set Richard Dollimore free to score in the left corner. Warvill then added the touchline conversion to further enthuse the crowd. Within five more minutes, the Island were in front thanks to a typical burst from Captain Dan Taylor. However, East Dorset now showed their mettle by taking a 13-12 lead thanks to a brilliant drop goal into the wind. With twenty minutes remaining, the Island remained confident, but found it harder to establish territory now. Panic never set in, though the Island still trailed as the game entered stoppage time. Warvill was wide with what seemed to be their last chance, but surging runs from Andy White and Taylor forced another penalty, which Warvill nervelessly slotted in the fifth minute of injury time. Man of the match was awarded to the entire forward pack.
IW: White, Dollimore, Peters, Taylor, Williams, Warvill, Brading, Cole, Allen, Jennings, P. Simpson, A. Puckett, Orchard, A. Woodbridge, Sawle. Replacement: Newnham.
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Date: 18th November 2006
Result: Isle of Wight 1st XV 22 pts V's Belsize Park 31pts |
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An experimental Isle of Wight line-up were defeated by Belsize Park, a touring side from London, but will be pleased by much of the performance prior to their key league game this weekend.
The starting line-up was as close to full strength as possible, but with a few positional changes to explore options. The Island started well, and were first to score after ten minutes. In his last game for the club before emigrating, man of the match Brett Evans scored a trademark try by outpacing the entire cover. Belsize Park were soon to reply with a converted try, and so began a pattern where the lead changed hands repeatedly throughout the game. Richard Dollimore was next to score, pouncing on the fullback's mistake after following his own kick through. This resembled the visitors' second try minutes beforehand, where the Islanders failed to deal with a garryowen. The Island did manage to take the lead before the break, as Paul Simpson hit the line at pace to barge over for a 15-12 lead.
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Belsize Park exploited a porous home defensive line to regain the lead soon after halftime. The Island now began to make changes to give some fringe players a run out, but exchanges remained close and Andy White was able to bullock over the line, while outside-half Chris Williams converted for a 22-17 lead. The well-drilled visitors patiently worked through the phases, however, reaping their rewards with two converted tries to end the scoring.
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IW: White, Browne, Peters, Taylor, Dollimore, Williams Jnr., Evans, Cole, Allen, Jennings, P. Simpson, Orchard, A. Woodbridge, Brading, Sawle. Replacements: Rock, Collins, Gascoigne, Leahy, Ellis.
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Rev Blunderbuss: So much for a 'squad session at midday'! Pathetic preparation for the biggest league game of the season. The game wasn't too bad, but can someone tell me how a well organised but unremarkable side managed to score five tries against us? An improvement is expected - nay, demanded - for the big league game.
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Date: 11th November 2006
Result: Aldershot & Fleet 1st XV 20 pts V's Isle of Wight 1st XV 12 pts |
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The trouble with the team talk of “..It’s a long journey back, it will be worse if we’ve lost..” is that it is a cliché and also true, and it never seems to motivate us. What should have been a comfortable result for the IOW ended up as a disjointed performance, reverting to all the worst elements of earlier games and then followed with a long, long trip back.
Initially we started well, playing into the elements. The ball was well looked after, driven on and the clock gradually run down. Simpson was as abrasive as ever, and Jackson, compelled to do the dirty work of set play, showed just how good he can be in the lineout with any number of steals. However Chris Williams wasn’t put in the armchair he wanted and playing anything other than the tight game proved very difficult. Despite this, only one team looked like scoring in the first half (us) and from Dean Jennings “Deano” drive, the ball was recycled for Brading to loop and score in the corner. Other chances went begging, either from bad decision making or poor passing, again and we never established the lead that the play deserved. Still to only concede a penalty against the elements should have been considered a good half.
Unfortunately in the second half we were as directionless as the coach driver on the way up. Despite our dominance in the lineout we didn’t play the lines for position and decided midfield defence was a luxury we didn’t need. Answers on a post card as to how their fly half, lacking both pace and guile, was able to get through on so many occasions. We on the other hand couldn’t get our back line going and we might as well have Deano out wide for all the opportunities we created for the pacemen to go. Answers also on a postcard as to why this was. Two tries conceded out wide and the ignominy of a pushover try left us with far too much to do. The front five have to put their hands up for not stopping this by whatever means!
The only move of quality showed glimpses of what might have been. From a scrum the ball went through the hands at pace and with accuracy for man of the match White to canter (barrel) over the line. But the usual second half storm was sadly lacking and leaves work to be done. Honourable mention to Rocky for his league debut, shame we couldn’t have made it a better start for him
IOW: White, Evans, Taylor, Rock, Brading, Williams, Cole, Allen, Jennings, Simpson, Orchard, Sawle, Woodbridge, Jackson. Res: Courage, Newnham
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Rev Blunderbuss: So you lose one fly half for a game and re arrange the entire back line to accommodate it and then wonder why the ball can’t go through the hands. I’m surprised the coach driver wasn’t given a go. Surely people need to play in their best positions and use the squad to fill gaps. Or is it un PC to mention PC? |
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Date: 4th November 2006
Result: Isle of Wight 1st XV 51pts V's Fawley 1st XV 19 pts |
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Now I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a team so disappointed after reaching 50 points but I suppose it at last shows we want to play good rugby and aren’t too pleased with it when we don’t.
The Island started brightly with Captain Taylor supporting a clever run by Williams to score within 4 minutes. However this score seemed to make everyone think it would be easy and as a result, white line fever tookover and some very bad options were taken in attack with tackling it seamed becoming optional in defence! This led to Fawley scoring in under the posts on three occasions in the first half. There may be some excuse for the third as they were clearly calling for a kicking tee when they tapped and went, which is a tad unsporting but even so we did not look after the ball well. There were tries from Taylor again, with his usual get out of my way running style, Brading from a scrum and Jackson out in midfield breaking tackles again to give a narrow lead at half time.
At least the second half had a united team; no one liked the team talk and went out of the way to show there was skill and commitment on the pitch, well at times anyway. Back to basics of good forward drives and giving the ball out at pace started to make inroads, as did actually playing for filed position. Brading and Warvell both scored in the corner to continue to make life hard for Warvell when kicking. Paul Simpson then took the phrase crash ball a bit too far and had 10 minutes to think about it. Mind you, he wasn’t missed at the next scrum which 7 forwards took against the head to set up Brading again. Simpson was back to watch the best backs handling of the game with White actually passing before contact to put Williams in but then decided he was tired so got himself a red card for enthusiastic scrimmaging or something to have another early bath. Shame he missed the best try of the game, an example of good hands, power and precision for Cole to drive over from a good 30cm out. So in summary lots of points, lots of bad passes and lots of grumpy words from the coach.
IOW: White, Williams, N Puckett, Taylor, Evans, Warvell, Brading, Newnham, Allen, Jennings, Simpson, A Puckett, Orchard, Sawle, Jackson. Reserves: Cole, Woodbridge
Match images available in Gallery
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Rev Blunderbuss: The time to go wide is when it is right to do so, not every ball and then chuck out rubbish. Mind you turning it back inside to no one isn’t much better. If you have quick wingers they need 1) space 2) good quick ball. It shouldn’t be too difficult to provide. And what exactly is the point of all those new backs moves in training if the No8 just picks up form every scrum. Joined up play, I don’t think so.
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Date: 28th October 2006
Result: Isle of Wight 1st XV 16 pts V's Alton 1st XV 31pts |
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An injury-hit Isle of Wight side bowed out of the RFU Junior Vase at the second hurdle, but delivered some of their best rugby of the season so far against their higher division opponents.
Making a number of changes from the team which had built a healthy winning run in the league, the Island started well and matched Alton in every facet of play. Knowing they needed to build a halftime advantage playing with the breeze, the Islanders established territorial advantage, while Orchard, Palmer and Jackson disrupted opposition lineout ball. A new front row of Newnham, Allen and Jennings applied pressure in the scrum which resulted in the first Island try as Sawle stole ball from the base of an Alton scrum and set up a maul which sore his pack powerfully drive him over for the first touchdown of the afternoon. Gary Warvill missed the conversion and Alton were quickly back on terms with their own unconverted try. The Island continued to edge proceedings leading up to halftime, and Warvill scored an excellent long-range penalty goal just before the whistle, for an 8-5 lead.
Though expected to be under the cosh from the restart, the Island proceeded to play their best rugby. Paul Simpson and man of the match Martin Newnham were to the fore as another penalty opportunity was earned, which Warvill accurately slotted. A second try followed, as more pressure on an Alton scrum allowed Sawle to pick up and find Neil Brading who drew two defenders and gave Brett Evans just enough room to race 50 metres and score in the corner. At 16-5 the Island were scenting victory, but it was now that Alton woke up and showed their class and superior fitness. Two tries, one converted, were scored to give them the lead, while the setpieces began to go their way. Another converted try gave Alton an eight point lead, before the Island's last stand as Nick Puckett intercepted deep in his own half and parted to Brading, who was caught with the line beckoning. Injuries to Simpson and Warvill and a final Alton try put a rather harsh gloss on the final score.
IW: White, Evans, N. Puckett, Courage, A. Woodbridge, Warvill, Brading, Jennings, Allen, Newnham, P. Simpson, Orchard, Sawle, Palmer, Jackson. Replacements: Enticknap, R. Simpson.
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Rev Blunderbuss: You whippersnappers aren't listening! What did I say after the Ventnor game? We have a captain a ref - let them control the game. In my day, the coach was seen and not heard, if only the current coach was so restrained !! Otherwise, my lads I was quite impressed with some of the forward play, and sometimes the backs when they didn't mess it up - But you have to be fit to play rugby, and our team isn't.
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Date: 21st October 2006
Result: Romsey 1st XV 14pts V's Isle of Wight 1st XV 33 pts |
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Funny old game this. The main positive was that receiving kick offs went so much better. If we keep scoring tries we should master it by the end of the season! We seemed to have a lot of ball but ran out of people to do something with it and vaguely looked like a team going to score but without much conviction. Matters weren’t helped by Boulter’s injury. Not that we lost him but that he was limping when their fly half ran round him to score. Note to Boulter asking for another of our players to go off to strap your injury is just silly... The idea is to have 15 on the pitch, not your own medical team. Anyway Captain Taylor leading by example again got us going, ignoring the whole phase idea and just stepping round, through and probably under people to go under the posts. A Puckett then had the ideal warm up for the south run, a leisurely 60 minutes of rucking and driving.
The second half saw a new tactic used by the IOW, PACE. Use the big men, Whitey, Jackson and N Puckett to create space and then wind up Brett and let him go. Two tries followed for him with Cole in support! "Well they looked good from the half way line". Other notable moments, the magnetic attraction of the sheer size of Simpson causing their centre to run straight into him and then fall to the floor, and Deano in a backs reserve shirt which looked a tad too small. Other scores came from Whitey, barrelling over from two yards in his customary manner and Jackson, deciding that mauls are not for him. Presumably he has a note from his girlfriend exempting him so when we drive it 20 yards he is allowed to be out on the wing to finish the move off. Shame we switched off at the end to let in a soft try, it took the edge off a very impressive second half performance.
IOW: White, Evans, N Puckett, Taylor, Brown, Warvell, Williams, Cole, Allen, Jennings, Simpson, Orchard, Sawle, Boulter, Jackson. Res A Puckett, Woodbridge, Newnham.
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Rev Blunderbuss: So you have a game plan - This comes as a surprise to us watching and clearly to some of those playing. This weeks first half seemed to be, big forward drive it on, recycle, drive it on again, recycle, drive it on, recycle until you run out of support and then get turned over. Banging in a couple of times and using the pace and power out wide was far more effective. And surely no IOW gameplan involves a fat flanker chipping ahead… |
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Date: 14th October 2006
Result: Isle of Wight 1st XV 23pts V's Chineham 1st XV 10 pts |
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There are many famous motivational speeches. “ I have a dream.. “ – Martin Luther King, “ We will fight them on the beaches..”- Winston Churchill. Well now we have another to add. “If you f…ing backs drop the ball one more time you ain’t getting it again”- P Simpson . Possibly not the greatest oration ever but it did seem to do the trick. A first half of good field position, quality driving play and dropped and wild passes was transformed into a second half of aggressive rucking, good handling and chances being created.
Against a team with a reputation for strong forward play the pack came up to the challenge with both scrum and lineout working well. The fiercesome reputation of Chineham seemed somewhat overplayed, after all calling a prop fattie is hardly cutting edge of wit or aggression. And although both second half substitutes A Puckett and Sawlie ended up with black eyes, some would suggest they would be most likely to deserve it.
Simpson provided the majority of the good driving play early on, although saving enough oxygen for his speech but as mentioned the foot clearly wasn’t to the pedal and more pertinently, ball wasn’t to hand. N Puckett scored our first, supporting inside Williams to touch down and then ran off to find a priest to witness the event. Warvill added a penalty but was unsuccessful with all other kicks. It’s a sign of good running rugby that we score out wide but give the boy a chance. Points were conceded from a dropped pass, no surprise there and a penalty, probably the back rows fault. Chris Williams, suitably encouraged by man of the match earlier on scored two tries, one actually getting a pass of White and cutting back for the other. Jackson finished the scoring with a now customary one two with Brading off the back of a scrum, although all the hard work for this was done up front in the previous scrum. Tim has a 1000 words available on a separate sheet giving a bit more detail of what happened in that scrum if anyone is interested - maybe not. Anyway the game ended with the IOW firmly in control, with some of the best play so far this season. Even some of the locals seemed uncritical, praise indeed.
IOW: White, Brown, N Puckett, Taylor, Williams, Warvell, Brading, Cole, Newnham, Jennings, Simpson, Orchard, Woodbridge, Boulter, Jackson. Res Sawle, A Puckett, Allen
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Rev Blunderbuss: Rugby is a simple game. First phase, pass, catch gain ground. Not pass to anyone/no one, watch it hit the ground, go forward, hope the pack will win it again. It’s not as if some of the backs don’t have big enough chests or stomachs or egos to aim at. Some room for improvement...
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Date: 7th October 2006
Result: Ventnor 1st XV 10pts V's Isle of Wight 1XV 23 pts |
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Now there are two sides to every story. There was one in the County Press and now this might more accuratly reflect a game where we didn’t get out of second gear but were still in control for most of it.
Even I’m prepared to accept it wasn’t a crowd pleaser but against a team that didn’t want to scrummage legally and got away with it, there would always be a lot of crouching and holding. With our lineout having an off day clean ball was at a premium but we didn’t use it that well at times. Playing into the elements the ball was controlled to run down the clock, with only a penalty conceded. There were some good attacking play resulting in a try for Dollimore and a penalty by Warvell to give us a 10-3 lead at half time. We still need to think a bit though. Why, when we are leading do we tap a last minute first half penalty. That’s why touchlines and kicking were invented.
The start of the second half was not good. Instead of kicking for position we decided to run from deep, just to see how many Ventnor players we could knock over, no names but you know who you are. This resulted in the home team having field position and eventually driving over for a try to level the score.
It was at this point that the home side pack exerted dominance, according to them. The reality was that we took two scrums against the head and scored from both. I can’t tell you who scored as I had my head down pushing but again you know who you are. Just imagine how bad their forwards would be if they were under the cosh.
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Rev Blunderbuss: "As a local derby it wasn’t that niggly compared with the old days, with our backs getting the most warnings for dangerous or illegal play, but it was too noisy, with island players catching the locals habit of wanting to ref the game, and make all our tactical decisions. We have a captain and a ref, perhaps we should just let them get on with it and concentrate on our own game".
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Date:
30th September 2006
Result:Fordingbridge 1st XV 27pts V's Isle of Wight 1st XV 16pts |
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The Isle of Wight failed to build on their comprehensive winning start to the new season when slipping to defeat in the New Forest. Though travelling depleted, the Island will look on this game as an opportunity lost.
The seeds of defeat were sown in the first half when the visitors had the elements in their favour, endeavouring to play too much rugby in their own half and thus putting themselves under pressure. Fordingbridge were first to score with a penalty, but the Islanders roused themselves sufficiently to take a 6-3 halftime lead, through two penalties from Gary Warvill.
In the second half, Fordingbridge began to gain ascendancy in the set pieces, and were soon in the lead when a clearance kick's freakish bounce coupled with indecision in the rearguard led to a converted Fordingbridge try. The home side then tacked on a penalty for a 13-6 lead, before the Island had their best spell of the game. After endless phases of attack and a strong break by Nick Puckett, Martin Newnham was able to squeeze over for a fine score. Neil Brading's conversion attempt to level the scores was brilliantly charged down however, and Fordingbridge were soon to score again with a slick backline move. The conversion stretched the lead to 20-11, before injuries bedevilled the Island as replacement Stuart Browne was forced off and Andy Puckett was also seriously hampered. A disastrous defensive scrum then led to Fordingbridge's clinching score, but the Island were not finished yet and man of the match Brading set up another strong forward drive which resulted in a consolation try, registered by Nick Puckett.
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Date: 23rd September 2006
Result: Isle of Wight 1st XV 45pts V's Nomads 1st XV 0pts |
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7 tries, running rugby, a controlled pattern of play and a positive team spirit. If only all games could be like this. Chances are they won’t be but it was a good start to the league programme. The usual problem of dealing with kick offs remains but at least there was a lot of opportunity to practice.
The first try was all about aggressive chasing, with the ball being turned over deep in side the Nomads 22 and fly half Warvell going over. He scored another but I can’t recall exactly how and kicked 5 conversions for a fairly impressive league debut. Not enough for man of the match but the captain is hard to please. After all the front 5 pushed Nomads off their ball at will and took masses of lineout ball but didn’t get a look in. Instead it was the back row, excused of all grunt work due to the stirling efforts of the tight 5, who received collective glory. As a result of this pressure S Boulter helped himself to two tries when the Nomads scrum was disrupted.
Other first half tries came form White, barrelling over at the end of a flowing backs move and Brading , who executed a neat one two with Jackson from a drop out.
For once coach had little to say at half time but regrettably try fever took hold with any number of chances to score spurned until captain Taylor stepped inside his man to score under the posts. Chris Williams was made man of the match, presumably to encourage him to play on the wing again, and all three substitutes added something to the game, even if in Brown’s case it was just the ability to nag to get a mention in the report.
Oh and contrary to rumours it has been confirmed that Nick Puckett did not score and now needs a sworn statement from a Judge to persuade me that he ever does in the future.
IOW: White, Williams, Taylor, Puckett, Dollimore, Warvell, Brading, Cole, Allen, Jennings, Orchard, Newman, Sawle, Boulter, Jackson. Res Browne, Woodward, Simpson
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