Old
Oundelians 5 - 15 OC's
This
was the first game played by the mighty OC's and some scoffed
that they would not be battle hardened enough to win it.
After a hard earned victory, these scoffers should devote
their scoffing to humble pie. For some in the OC side it
had been 8 years since they last touched a rugby ball in
a competitive game. However rugby's Prodigal sons proved
to be a talented prodigious sum.
Rumour has it Oundle were at the bottom of the exam results
league tables the year most of us left school. Judging from
Saturday's overwhelming defeat at the hands of the OC's
it seems their rugby failed to fare any better.
It was a game where the light blues (OC's) showed possession
does not always win games. The OC's had less possession
but flare, vision and a touch of mazy running (Kev Bowring
would have been proud) meant they used what little they
had far more effectively. But these qualities you can't
expect without training. And there we must thank the coach
for an intense but highly fruitful training build up.
It
started evenly. What the OO's had in organisation, especially
amongst the forwards, the OC's had in defence. This was
the story for much of the game. For long periods of time
the dark blues (OO's) camped on our line. But for some Mickey-the-Munch-tackling
on the fringes of the scrum the score could have been very
different. This tackling was typified by a double team effort
from Sam Blackmore and Richard Mann planting OO's Cadge
on his back after an ill-advised and unsold 'dummy'. It's
this resolute defence and occasional sparks of genius that
suggest we have the beginnings of what could be a very good
team.
Eventually, the OC pressure told and David Bosomworth (an
honorary OC) rounded off a fine forwards move under the
posts. Josh Brown was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet
too as the referee was unsighted as his charging run took
him over the line. Another OC try was scored, but in the
excitement surrounding the post-match chat, it the identity
of the scorer seems to have been forgotten. (I wonder how
Kev will feel about that? - Ed)
There
were a number of other moments that should be recounted.
There were many an OC (Josh Galaun, Henry Brace, Si Tart,
Phill Dyson & Steve Bell) on the sideline that recoiled
with foreboding horror when Cuzzer as wide as he is tall
tapped a mark to himself whilst stranded in his own 22 with
no team mate close. Little did we realise his pace and power
as he bounced a somewhat unfortunate small-framed winger
to give him a clear path to the try line. And let us not
forget Matt Mann's showboating as he pranced about with
the ball in a Harlem-Globetrotter style at every freekick.
And there was the moment where OVJ, already marked out as
a threat for his middle distance running prowess, managed
to step inside his winger with ease. And Dave Tyfield for
remarkably getting to touch the ball in the game (the camera
never lies). Finally, let us not forget Ben H for his extraordinary
effort in failing to register on the tackle-o-meter.
Oundle trouped off the field somewhat shaken and no doubt
surprised by the quality of the opposition they had faced.
Anecdotal evidence in the bar later that evening suggests
that the return fixture will be even more competitive as
the OO's clearly hanker after revenge!
It was a truly great day in all senses. I look forward to
many more victories.
Ian
'Gaffer' Jones
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