|
It was another glorious sunny
afternoon at Webb Ellis Road where Lions entertained highflying Worcester.
This time Lions rose to the occasion to turn in a performance full
of grit and determination……with more than a sprinkling of excellent
rugby that deserved at least one bonus point.
Lions reverted Cliff Richards
to full back and Dicky Davies to fly half, with Matt Tassell taking over
in the centre from the unavailable Stuart Potter.
“Necky” Mee started at prop, with Tim Collier returning at lock
following suspension.
| Lions got off to a dream start
as Worcester attacked with a chip over the defence.
Dicky Davies was alert to the danger as he cut across field to
gather the ball. He suddenly
straightened and sliced through the Worcester defence, before cutting back
infield to link with Phil Reed who delivered the perfect pass out to Eddie
Saunders. Eddie hasn’t got to where he is today by missing
opportunities like this, and he raced in at the corner to the delight of
the Shed with barely a minute on the clock!!
Cliff Richards missed the conversion in the swirling wind.
( 5 – 0 ).
|
|
|
Eddie
makes it 99 league tries |
A beautiful 50 metres kick by
Duncan Roke soon had Worcester on the attack, but determined Lions’
tackling repulsed a series of forward drives.
However, Wuss had sucked the Lions’ defence infield, and quick
hands saw the ball moved wide where Alistair Murdock used the extra men
outside him to create the gap, then delivered the perfect inside pass for
Ben Hinshelwood to stroll over. The
conversion by Tony Yapp looked to have gone over but was not given by the
officials. ( 5 – 5 ).
It was now all Worcester as
they dominated possession, but Lions were in no mood to concede ground
with some strong tackling. They
were eventually caught offside 30 metres out in midfield, but Worcester
opted to kick to the corner. This
time Lions had no answer as a classic take and drive at the line-out gave
Worcester their second try. Again,
Tony Yapp’s conversion attempt failed.
( 5 – 10 ).
|
|
A Jim Jenner charge from the
restart gave Wuss the opportunity to give wing Chris Gerrard space on the
left, but Eddie Saunders gave him 5 metres (and about 20 years!!), but
still collared his man. Is
there no end to this man’s amazing enthusiasm?!?!
The Lions’ scrum from a Wuss
knock on looked solid (would you like to try and move Necky?!?!), and
Jacques Steyn drove in hard. Wuss
were penalised for entering the ruck from the side, but Cliff Richards
inexplicably screwed the simple kick wide.
Wuss kicked the 22 dropout long, and when Lions were penalised for
offside, the kick to the corner had them on the defensive once again.
A wayward throw at the line-out allowed Ben Lewitt to drive away to
set up the position for Jacques Steyn to clear to halfway.
|
|
5
metre start & 20 years - not a hope |
Wuss were again penalised for
coming into the ruck from the side, and Dicky Davies put a lovely kick to
the corner. Tristan
Prosser-Shaw rose high to secure possession, and following a Tim Collier
charge, the ball was moved wide where Jacques Steyn was held up over the
line. The 5 metres scrum had
Lions maintaining the pressure, but Wuss were content to concede a penalty
for offside in front of the posts. This
time Cliff Richards made no mistake with his kick.
( 8 – 10).
Lions were forced to make their
first change of the afternoon with Bennett Smith replacing Necky Mee.
Wuss were enjoying most of the
possession, but Lions again denied them with some superb tackling.
However, the defence was committed again as Wuss swung the ball
wide where this time Chris Gerrard had enough room to evade the clutches
of Eddie Saunders as he crashed over in the corner.
Tony Yapp’s conversion was again wide.
( 8 – 15 ).
| A lovely break by Dicky Davies
gave Pete Roberts some room on the left, but he was held just short.
The ball was moved back right where the forwards almost found a way
over, but the ball was again held up over the line. From the resultant 5 metres scrum, Phil Reed broke blind, and
although he was tackled he was not held, and the ebullient scrum half
bounced up to dive over. Cliff
Richards’ conversion was narrowly wide.
( 13 – 15 ).
|
|
|
Rising
star - Phil Reed another great try |
Lions have had the unfortunate
habit of conceding tries on the stroke of half time, but as the break
approached it was Lions that were applying the pressure.
A clever grubber kick by Phil Reed almost had Eddie Saunders in at
the corner as the defence scrambled the ball into touch.
The line-out take was good and Lions rolled the ball towards the
line, only to be stopped illegally by the desperate Wuss defence. The kick to the corner was followed by more good line-out
work, and a Tim Collier drive was held inches short.
The ball was quickly moved left where Pete Roberts looked as though
he would squeeze in at the corner, but a superb cover tackle took him out
at the flag as the referee drew a frantic first half to a close.
Half time
Lions
13
Worcester 15
Lions could have been starting
the second half with their noses in front, and it would have been no more
than they deserved against their illustrious opponents.
Wuss resumed with Craig
Chalmers on for Tony Yapp, but reputations counted for nothing as Lions
picked up where they left off. A
high tackle halted Jacques Steyn who was looking far more like the
barnstorming centre that we know and love.
Although the decision looked somewhat harsh, up stepped Cliff
Richards to plant the ball firmly between the posts from 30 metres to give
Lions the lead. ( 16 – 15
).
This proved to be short lived
as Wuss were stung into action as they stepped up a gear.
The defence was pulled first right and then left, before Craig
Chalmers almost squeezed through. A
despairing tackle caught his shirt, but he was able to deliver a one
handed pass to the supporting Richard Smith who darted over.
Craig Chalmers coolly added the conversion to put Wuss back in the
driving seat. ( 16 – 22 ).
Back came Wuss again, as
Richard Smith exploited acres of space on the blind side of a ruck to race
clear. Cliff Richards did an excellent job to stop him, and Wuss
knocked on as they tried to continue the move.
A free kick was awarded against Wuss for early pushing at the scrum
(how many times have we seen this done against Lions this season and go
unpunished??), and Lions were able to clear.
Sam Tovo took to the field
after his long layoff as replacement for the excellent Will Pilkington who
turned in another all action display.
Sam was soon in the thick of things as he and Phil Greenbury
smashed the Wuss wing into touch as he tried to run the ball clear.
Ouch!!
Again Wuss seemed to step up a
gear as their forwards relentlessly drove on before releasing their speedy
backs. Again Lions’ heroic
defence was stretched as Alistair Murdock raced in at the corner.
Craig Chalmers added an excellent touchline conversion to stretch
the Wuss lead. ( 16 – 29 ).
Tom Woolrich replaced Phil
Greenbury as Lions released the ball quickly from a set scrum, and the
deep lying backs hit the ball at pace.
Was this really the same Lions who had surrendered so meekly at
Moseley??
Craig Chalmers took a knock and
had to be replaced, as Wuss also brought on Dave Simms for Martin Morgan.
For Lions, James Ogilvy-Bull took over from Matt Tassel who had
enjoyed a solid game in the centre.
Back came Wuss’s powerful
forwards, and when Lions were penalised for entering a ruck from the wrong
side, the penalty was planted in the corner.
Again Lions had no answer as another classic take and drive saw
another score for Wuss. The
conversion was missed. ( 16
– 34 ).
The superior fitness of
Wuss’s full time professionals was starting to take its toll, but not
one Lions’ head dropped as they stuck manfully to the task of trying to
repulse yet another forward drive. A
scrum under Lions’ posts saw a Wuss back row move that was halted by
determined Lions’ tackling, but Dave Simms was on hand to crash over.
Ben Hinshelwood added the conversion.
( 16 – 41 ).
| Phil
Reed, who delivered another scintillating performance from scrum
half, was replaced by Tom Walsh as Lions continued to take the game
to the opposition at every opportunity. Eddie
Saunders almost weaved some of his magic down the right, before the
ball was moved smartly left where Bully used his trademark
pile-driver handoff to power through. A
beautifully timed pass to the supporting Pete Roberts saw him return
the favour to beat the last line of defence for Bully to plant the
ball over the line.
This was no more than an excellent Lions’ performance deserved,
and it was topped by an unorthodox conversion by Cliff Richards.
Realising that time was running short and with one more try needed
for a bonus point, he simply placed the ball on the tee and swung
his boot at it. Over it
sailed…….it’s all in the timing!!
|
|
|
Roberts
to Bully |
|
|
|
....graceful |
Unfortunately time was against
Lions as they strove to secure possession to look for that elusive fourth
try, but Wuss were content to run the clock down until the excellent Dave
Pearson drew a terrific game to a close.
Final result:
Lions
23
Worcester 41
This was more like it from
Lions. The grit and determination was there for all to see, as was
the skill that we all know is there but has not been in evidence of late.
Ball retention by the forwards was good, the scrum was solid with
quick release at the base, the line-out worked very well, and the backs
were lying deep and hitting the ball at pace!!
Excellent stuff……let’s see more of it next week at Otley.
Other results went for us today
with Manchester, Henley, and Bracknell all losing.
A good performance next week should see us clear of the relegation
zone so that we can approach the last game of the season at Web Ellis Road
in party mood.
|
