Twickenham 13 – 19 Chobham
The Mighty Chobham travelled to Twickenham on Saturday and got their season back on tracks with a tight win against dogged opposition, a man of the match performance from Benji Boyd was the difference in the awful weather at Parkfields. From the kick off the high winds affected every ball that left a players hand or foot, despite how close they were.
Chobham had eight changes to the team who faced Reeds, excitingly there were four debutants, including the debut at back row of 18-year-old Harrison Jones. He played through the Juniors at Chobham and has matured into a formidable flanker and thoroughly deserved the start in Billy Davison’s team, he put in a great performance against a very experienced back row and was replaced after 50 minutes by Dan Warren, who recently joined from Alresford. Chobham also see the debut of winger Christian Lewendon, a student at Surrey University, a last-minute call up saw tight head Rich Fisher on the bench.
Chob played into the wind in the first half and the hosts tactics kept them pinned inside their 22, the Scarlet and Golds solid defence kept them out and fullback Rumsey intercepted a loopy pass from the Twickenham prop 10m out and to run 20m metres before kicking the ball and to see Mawhood collect the ball and run it unopposed under the posts.
Puttock’s jumping disrupted the hosts lineout well and he was able to win two against the head. But Twickenham continued to attack the Chob line and finally after half an hour scrum half Goddard evened the score. But it was the visitors who upset the Twickenham game plan and camped themselves inside the Twickenham 22 for 5 minutes before scrappy ball allowed a long pass carried by the wind to put Boyd into the left corner and saw Chobham go in 12-7 at half time.
From the start of the second half the visitors did not take advantage of the wind and made things difficult for themselves, and it was from a poor scrum pass that Chob gave away a penalty that saw Foster take the hosts into double figures. Poor ruck discipline allowed Twickenham another chance at the posts and to take the lead through Foster’s boot. A highlight of Chobham’s second half was Goddard’s ball carrying in attack and Hargan in defence.
The scrappy second half was lit up by a great catch in the air by the visitor’s winger Boyd who shimmied through the Twickenham defence from the half way to be taken 2m short, Chobham then set up some well worked pick and goes before centre Blackmur score for a converted try. The last 20 minutes saw Chobham try to make the game theirs but they couldn’t finish it off.
Chobham’s visit to Twickenham was dominated by the high winds, a strong scrum and the visitor’s stamina in defence. In dry, still conditions this may have easily been a different game. Credit must go to Joe Samuels Twickenham for never giving up in their quest to upset the visitors game. The Scarlett and Golds need to prepare themselves for next Saturday against higher placed Eastleigh.
Coach Billy Davison said “ at times our game management was poor, but our defensive work and scrums were huge positives, Benji Boyd had a fantastic game and was the difference between the two teams.”
Harry Norman-Walker, Chobham’s Director of Rugby, believes “that our pack has so much more to give with hopefully a number of returning injured players and the opportunity for players like James Stark to play in their true position in the backs, we are also grateful for Cannons captain Rich Fisher stepping up in the last minute to travel to Parkfields on the toughest of days.
I hate to say this, but next week is a must win game if we want to finish in the top half of this very competitive league.”
Starting
David Evans; Leon Nell; Angus Hargan; Ben Puttock; Sam Thirlwell; Harrison Jones; James Stark; Sam Goddard; Robbie Kennard; Guy Mawhood; Benji Boyd; Ollie Blackmur; Phil Williams (Capt.); Christian Lewendon; John Rumsey.
Subs
Rich Fisher; Dan Warren; Samuel Davies.