CCSRFC II 10 Chosen Hill III 42
Another so-near-yet-so far afternoon for the 2s at Tewkesbury Road, but a battling performance and a scoreline that ultimately flattered the visitors on a foul November afternoon.
Bolstered by some friends from Tewkesbury, and sporting an entire front row on the bench, Service knew they would have to slug it out against a strong Chosen Hill XV
No matter, the Service Tight Five were once more immense, winning pretty much every scrum and sending the Chosen Hill pack backwards at will. The Moment of the Match – indeed the season so far – came early in the half when Service drove the visitors off their own ball at a 5M scrum and Justin Thackray touched down as the pack marched over the whitewash.
The teams turned round at half time 2 tries apiece, with Rob Robert Evans and the returning Nathan Watts performing well in the back row and the entire pack dominating the forward battle: a solid lineout, good breakdown work and a titanic scrum, even when the majestic Tom Strutt had to take a break from the front row after feeling the weight of a collapsed scrum. Indeed, Mr Garces may well have rewarded Service with a goodly number of scrum penalties had he been on whistle-duty during the afternoon.
As legs tired following around 30 scrums in the match due to the slick conditions, Service conceded 3 late tries to produce a scoreline that failed to tell the story of the match.
Vets next week, then another local derby at Sarries (do they pay their players too much as well?). Another splendid afternoon’s entertainment in the company of some of the finest gentlemen on the planet. #VLS