Medway RFC U17s

11 November 2007

The U16s roadshow headed round the M25 to Watford in north-west London on Sunday for a hastily arranged fixture against the hospitable and formidable Fullerians RFC. County commitments meant that some of their players were missing, while Medway had a full complement. Coach Tony Ellis left out Medway's county players for the first-half, so that a more realistic judgement could be made of the relative strengths of the two teams' club players.

It turned out well for Medway, who won the half 14 - 0 by means of their customary defensive strength and two opportunistic tries. Fullerians were a big side with able forwards and solid set-piece play, and at least two of their backs could jink, sidestep and find an opening as well as any we have seen this season.

Medway came under pressure early in the half but tackled with relish and moved the ball around whenever they could, often running the ball out of defence. In the 6th minute Medway had forced their way upfield and as a Fullerians lineout fed the ball to their fly-half, flanker Aaron Dimmick quickly closed down his space and charged down the clearance kick. The ball bounced into the in-goal, and Dimmick was quick enough to reach it before the cover defence. Paul Pierce slotted the conversion superbly into the wind from the touchline, and Medway had a 7 - 0 lead.

The try gave Medway confidence and they continued to tackle stubbornly, with Aman Gill and Simon Brooks prominent, and the whole pack aggressive in the rucks. Fullerians always looked threatening, however, and on a number of occasions might have scored but for a foot in touch, a handling error, or a saving tackle by Jamie Chapman or Tom Bourne on the wings.

It was late in the first half when a handling error in defence cost Fullerians another try. Medway had put on some pressure of their own and forced Fullerians back into their 22 after a long period pegged back in their own half. Medway were turned over at a ruck near the Fullerians line, but the pass out from the base went astray. James Davies was quick to spot the opportunity and snatched the bouncing ball to dive over. Paul Pierce again added the extras and Medway turned round with a 14 point lead.

Medway's four county players came on for the second half and for the first five minutes the injection of pace and some powerful running seemed as though it might overrun the Fullerians defence. But Medway failed to put any variety into their play, and the home side quickly adjusted to the new threat, upping their game to cope with it.

Medway had slightly better of the open play in the second half, but were let down again by a poor lineout and, it has to be said, poor decision-making by some players. If Medway had moved the ball wide at the right times they might have had a hat full, but instead they tried constantly to carry the ball through the middle. Fullerians' defence was too strong for such blunt instruments alone to succeed and as often as not they turned the ball over and cleared it.

For most of the second half Medway had the better of the possession, but the game was played mostly between the 22s. Possession told in the end though, and on two occasions in the half that the ball was moved the ball wide, Medway scored.

A ruck near the Fullerians 22 was won and the ball passed through Stockford and Saddington to Joe Jelfs, whose body angle defeated the tackle and he slid into the corner for Medway to take a 19 point lead.

Fullerians continued to threaten and were poorly rewarded for their endeavour. A breakaway by their fly-half almost brought a try, but Jamie Chapman sped in from his wing and brought the ball-carrier to earth with a superb tackle. Then Fullerians finally scored an opportunistic try of their own in almost identical fashion to Davies' in the first half. A misdirected pass from the base of a scrum left the ball loose and the opposing scrum-half nipped in to touch down, and the try was converted.

Near the end Medway put together an attack that brought another deserved try to man-of-the-match Aaron Dimmick. Once again the ball was carried into the heart of the Fullerians defence, but this time the visitors' support play and offloading out of the tackle was up to scratch as Simon Brooks made the break, offloaded to the supporting Jonathan Saddington who passed out of the tackle for Dimmick to dive into the corner to make the final score 24 - 7 in Medway's favour.

Postscript... A message from Dave Peel at Fullerians:

Alan

Once again your match report makes very good reading and forms part of what I consider to be the best Club Rugby website I have seen. But just to put the record straight and as a matter of pride - we had six players representing Hertfordshire and three other first choice players missing through injury. Thats NINE players missing from the team that a week earlier beat Saracens 48-0 in the league!  I do like to read factual reports! We will get even!!

Hope you enjoyed the Sarries game.

Cheers

Dave Peel - Fullerians U16's