Kenilworth RFC

As usual, Matchday started with the Grounds Team at around 9.00am, Ian and John (squelching) around the edges of our hallowed turf setting up, whilst Nick busied himself with the days kit and other paraphernalia. The elephant, no longer in the room, was wallowing around outside; was the pitch going to be playable?, writes Simon Bladon.

Ever optimistic, the cones went out at 11.00am, awaiting the pitch inspection at 12.00, the decision, a tentative yes, “it’ll be alright by 2.15 if it doesn’t rain again”; the 3 protagonists then proving how difficult walking on wet grass, with crossed fingers and toes can be.

A trickle of players and early spectators start arriving from around 1.00pm, the sidelines filling with expectant fans, looking forward to a good show between Teams at opposite ends of the League Table.

2.15, the whistle blows and we’re off, the visitors kicking and playing from East to West into a low sun, the pitch maintaining a low (geotechnical) squelch index; within 2minutes the visitors scoring and converting. 0-7.

Kens forwards show promise from the kick off, with strong and aggressive attacking, against bigger and fitter opposition, our picking and driving at their ankles forcing a penalty at 8mins, which fires between the uprights. 3-7.

Unfortunately, by 12mins the visitors are awarded a penalty, with the score extending. 3-10.

From the kick off Kens defence very robust, resulting in the visitors losing the ball forwards and we’re into the first scrummage…. “Oh dear, it’s going to be a long day for the boys in there”, comes a whisper over my shoulder, from an ex-1XV hooker of great repute, and an even better Tourist! Ummm, you’re not wrong.

At around the 15min mark, the visitors backline, scribing a precise arc around Kens defence, losing a few tackles, their 13 scores. The kick falls short. 3-15.

From the kick, Kens take the ball up, again picking and driving well, showing that there was not a great deal of difference between the two sets of forwards in open play. During this period, a turnover each way, many, including myself, noted a score by Kens forwards, pushing over for 5. Unfortunately, the Ref. missed it.

At around 20mins, a lineout on the visitors 5m results in a pushover try for Kens Pack, the kick converted. 10-10.

From the kick, the visitors break out, through some missed and fumbled tackles, but perhaps distracted by Willie and his camera, the ball was passed into touch and through into the bar, where it was refused a beer.

Kens win the resulting lineout and the game progresses into a period of forwards Bish-bash-bosh no Team willing to give way, Kens boys forcing a loose ball and into another scrummage. Engage; Kens hold them off and stable, for long enough for Bobby to pick up and offload to Gaz, whereupon the Ref. blows for an infringement. A hush spreads through the Kens crowd, nah, it can’t be Gaz’s he hasn’t had a fringe since 2001!

At 28mins the resultant scrummage goes the way of the day, the visitors’ big forwards picking up the ball, running into Kens rather than space, resulting in turnover ball. Passing it along the line, the visitors intercept, score and convert at around 30mins. 10-17.

From the kick, the visitors charge, slipping out of Kens tackles and score again at 31mins, but no conversion. 10-22.

At 35mins, following a period of robust attack in open play, Kens lose the ball for another defensive scrummage. Set, drop, reset and the ‘way of the day’. The visitors kick over the muddy hoards in the middle, Kens No.10 takes the slippery ball brilliantly and whoofs it the length of the pitch, into touch in the visitors 22. The visitors win the lineout but give away a penalty, taken quickly with a period of Bish-bash-bosh across the pitch, with the visitors showing tremendous resolve in defence. Great play.

Approaching 40mins Kens again in the visitors 22 and another scrummage, which goes ‘the way of the day’, the visitors then losing the ball, with a scrummage on their 5m. It again goes ‘the way of the day’, but Kens manage to retain the ball and scrap, but get it out, for (sorry for spelling) Sandeep to find a gap and score, converted to 7.

Half Time Score by my reckoning 17-21.

After the break, the sun goes behind the clouds, gathering to the West and coming our way on the back of a chilly wind; but giving Kens now have a clear view ahead.

From Kens kick, East to West, the ball finds touch, not straight and another scrummage ensues. The scrum holds and the ball is fired out to our awaiting backline, but the visitors knocking down a kick, gathering it up and kicking to touch. The visitors barge over for another 5 and a conversion and around 46mins.

From the kick, the visitors battle against great defence, back to ½ way, Kens turnover pushed into touch. The visitors win the lineout ball and battle through into Kens 22, where a maul ensues, like a pantomime amoeba working through to Kens 5, where Bobby and Gaz burrow in snaffle it but penalised at 51mins. The resultant scrummage was spun around, with Kens penalised, and then re-set to be won by the visitors who score shortly thereafter..

From the kick Kens battle hard, more Bish-bash-bosh, the slippery ball and fatigue ensuring it is eventually dropped. Scrummage in Kens 22 spun around again, Kens penalised resulting in the visitors going over for another score and conversion at 58mins.

From the kick, great attack and defence from both sides, Kens ultimately breaking away, picking and driving with Gaz eventually running free (theme to Black Beauty) before a grubber into touch. On their 22. The visitors win the lineout, preferring to fight their way out kicking into touch on Kens 22 at 65mins. The resulting lineout won by the visitors, but Kens hold on and force a dropped ball and a scrummage. ‘The way of the day’ ensues, but Gaz gathers from the debris before the ref blows up, breaks out but is brought down and a turnover from which the visitors pick and drive to another score and conversion at around 67mins..

From the kick, the visitors start another onslaught, picking and driving, Kens forwards putting up a magnificent fight, resulting in a turnover and counter attack, the Kens backline taking it up to the visitors 22, where the forwards (we’ll ave that back thank you) nick it and pick/ drive into the corner, with a conversion bringing Kens up to 24-47.

The restart whoofed long into Kens 22 picked up and fought back up the pitch, ending in a breakdown and an unsupported holding on penalty. The resulting kick fails to make touch, leading to a visitors dropped ball on ½ way. The scrummage again goes ‘the way of the day’, but Gaz digs it out of the rubble, gets snotted and loses the ball, picked up by the visitors who attempt a charge which was stopped on Kens 5m, but then pushed over the rest of the way, but deemed held up at 75mins. The visitors then attack again from Kens 22, only to be held up again. And repeat, although this time they drop it to give Kens a scrummage. This goes ‘the way of the day’ and the visitors score and convert again. 24-54.

From the kick, Kens chase, win and pick/ drive/ maul from their 22 to score in the corner, to finish at 29-54 and a try bonus point for Kenilworth – the first conceded by Moseley Oak all season. Afterwards, the bar was full, Moseley Oak staying for a few beers, awards (man of the match and dick of the day) and some old-fashioned après-rugby fun, during which the author had far too much fun and forgot all about the game. Hey Ho.