We didn’t have long to wait to see exactly how competitive they were going to be. Colfs kicked off long and Alex Skinner didn’t manage to collect the ball cleanly the ball was knocked on and the home side were awarded a scrum close to the OR’s try line. The pass from the scrum was poor missing their flyhalf and their strong running centre collected the ball broke two or three tackles to score under the posts and without a minute gone Old Colfeians were 7-0 up.
Not the start Reigatian wanted or are used too normally starting really well.
OR’s managed to compose themselves and moved play into Colf’s half. On the 22 the Reigate team had a lineout won comfortably by Dan Grant and then set up a driving maul. This became fractured and loose and the ball was dropped fortunately Gareth Stephens got his toe to it and chased after the ball as it crossed the try line as Rugby balls can it bounced sideways completely wrong footing the Colfs Winger who had chased back and Stephens fell on the ball to get Reigatian on the scoreboard. Gareth Stephens playing for the first time in the pack due to injuries and unavailability of the normal back row players. Lucas Overtoom added the extra points to make the game even again.
After 15 minutes minutes Colfs were awarded a Penalty and their 15 Chris Harris who was outstanding all afternoon slotted the three points 10-7.
Colfs had some strong running forwards who made good ground with the ball in hand. Again these players made good ground from inside their own half and once again the hard runner 13 this time appeared on the Wing to score in corner. Harris added conversion 17-7 after 26 minutes.
The vistors rallied and managed to pull a score closer before Half Time. With a well worked move from a midfield scrum the ball was moved quickly to the right wing where Harrison Mitchell managed to just stay infield to score in the corner. Half Time17-12
The second half started very similarly to the first with Colfs making a great break in midfield then moving the ball to the right wing to be tackled in to touch. From the lineout OR’s turned over the ball and Colf’s large pack crashed over to move the lead to 22-12.
11 minutes into the half and it was Reigatian that were playing with width and starting to look like the unbeaten team they were. From an attacking scrum the ball was moved across the pitch and back again trying to find a hole in the home team’s defensive live. Tom Woodford coming off the Wing finally crossed the line to score Overtoom added the conversion and 22-19 the game was getting tighter!
Once again for the second week on the bounce young Sam Lenihan a current Colt player was on the bench and with Tom Allen pulling his hamstring Gareth Stephens moved back to his familiar position at 13 and Lenihan joined the back row. OR’s looked more comfortable than they had all game and Captain Reilly Franklin Talbot looked to make one of his powerful runs into the midfield attracting a couple of defenders then with a Lenihan on his shoulder a short tip on and Lenihan was through the gap and showed his pace to score from the 22. Extra’s added and Old Reigatian were in the lead 22-26.
This was short lived with Colf’s having a lineout near the Reigatian try line and with a quickly taken line out a driving maul was set up and with Colf’s extra bulk up front it was always going to be hard to stop. Once the home side lead 27-26. But all to play for with ten minutes on the clock.
Then following a number of warnings to both teams about high tackles Reigatian were hit with a huge blow when Max Coyle was sent to the bin. To keep Colfs out with 14 was a massive ask and during this period they added a penalty and a late try to give a final score of 37-26.
No question Colfeians deserved their first win of the season but Reigatian will need to pick themselves up after a below par performance. The bright side of 17 year old Sam Lenihan not looking out of his depth in 1st XV Rugby. 18 Year old Ed Cox making his debut from the bench and 19 prop Ethan Monk not taking a backward step all afternoon against a much heavier pack is learning his trade at the coal face and it feels like he has been playing 1st XV Rugby for years. These player along with lads like Conor Woods the stand out player recently (Away in France this weekend) show a very bright future for the Club and what an outstanding job is done on a Sunday morning in the Mini & Youth sections of the Club. Ethan Monk started in the U6’s!
1. Ethan Monk 2. Ciaran Nestor 3. Toby Collister 4. Dan Grant 5. Reilly Franklin – Talbot © 6. Sam Foreman 7. Gareth Stephens 8. Oli Brooks 9. Alex Skinner 10. Lucas Overtoom 11. Harrison Mitchell 12. Tom Allen 13. Max Coyle 14. Tom Woodford 15. Sam Turner 16. Ed Cox 17. Sam Lenihan 18. Patrick White
