Kenilworth Men travelled to Bromsgrove looking to deliver and improved performance following falling just-short in previous two outings. Sadly, for the travelling Kenilworth supporters, it was not to be and despite a late rally went down 31-19.
Kenilworth went into the game wanting to start quickly and avoid having to chase the game, as they have done in the last two occasions. Unfortunately, Bromsgrove hadn’t read the script and on 6 minutes, following several early forays into the Kenilworth half, the home side capitalised on the visitors' indiscretion at the breakdown and the home fly-half kicked the penalty. Score 3-0.
Soon after the restart came the first scrum of the game; home put in. With Kenilworth dominating in the scrum all season, it was a surprise to see our scrum back-pedalling- something for player coach and the rest of the pack to address in real-time. Two minutes later came that opportunity, much to the delight of the Kenilworth supporters, their pack assumed ‘business-as-usual’ and this time it was Bromsgrove in reverse. In this and subsequent scrums, the Kenilworth pack can have expected the referee to award the scrum penalty to the dominant pack, the home front row standing up under pressure. Unfortunately, the referee did not see it the same and failed to referee the scrum all afternoon, albeit for both sides, but negating Kenilworth’s dominance at scrum time.
With ten minutes gone and not before Kenilworth lost second-row Kavanagh to injury (Morgan Fox replacing him) the home side scored the first of their four tries on the day. Successive phase play causing the Kenilworth defence to lose its shape, the home side scoring down their right wing. Conversion added. Score: 11-0.
The next 10 minutes of the game saw Kenilworth working hard to curtail the lumpy Bromsgrove ball-carriers, and to their credit absorbed the pressure to set themselves up for their first opportunity to trouble the scoreboard. After several minutes probing and creeping ever close to the home try line, the try eventually came, thanks to some slick handling from the backs with Caviezel-Cox (starting out of position on the wing) scoring down the left flank. Conversion missed, score 11-5.
The home side went straight back on the offensive and quickly were camped in the Kenilworth half, knocking on the door of the Blue and Gold defence. Somewhere in the melee, Kenilworth centre Ed Hannam who has been playing very well this season, got tangled up and was replaced by Mason Kershaw for his debut. Immediately following the restart, Bromsgrove doubled their try count for the day. Conversion added, score 17-5. 15 mins left in the half.
The final period of the first half played out with the home side maintaining their dominance in open play, whilst the Kenilworth set piece held it’s own. Under pressure at the breakdown there was a flare-up between forwards with players from both sides exchanging punches. The referee issued 2 yellow cards, both teams down to 14 players.
Before the half ended, the home side extended their lead with another converted try. Half time score 24-5.
After the break both sides returned from the changing rooms ready to go again. The home side had the better of the first 15 mins scoring a converted try out wide on the right. 55 mins gone, score 31-5. Further pressure saw Kenilworth awarded their second yellow of the day,
this time Morgan Fox singled out by the referee for a repeat team infringement.
Staring down the barrel of a sound beating and a third consecutive loss, Kenilworth reshuffled the indifferent backline (switching Caviezel-Cox from wing to 9, and club stalwart Renowden, the other way. Soon after, Kenilworth began to find their rhythm and were now asking questions of the home side defence. Their hard work paid off with the pack driving over for Kenilworth’s second try of the afternoon; Finn Nicholas emerging with the ball having bagged the try. Tyler Price added the conversion. Score 31-12.
The home side were now starting to struggle with the tempo of Kenilworth’s play, if only this had come earlier for the Blue and Golds. With less than 10 minutes to go, it was Kenilworth who scored their third and final try; very similar to their last, solid approach play finished off by the forwards who carried the ball over the try line. Try to Nicholas (his second of the afternoon), Price added the conversion, taking the score to 31-19. From a Kenilworth perspective, the only action of note in the final few minutes was skipper Bobby Thompson being sin- binned for a somewhat innocuous clear out at a ruck.
Well beaten on the day, Kenilworth were left ruing the slow start and their ill-discipline; that said, the second half performance was very encouraging. Next up it is Burton at home.
