Tonbridge Juddian 39 vs CS RUGBY 1863 20

Many rugby reports follow the principle that any story requires in its telling a beginning, a middle and and an end. All rugby games could be divided into such time thirds of course with the wise perhaps also recognising that the second period, split as it is of course either side of half time. has a significance of its own : score immediately before half time or immediately after and momentum - and momentum in rugby is significant - is with you.

The outcome of any game will always be determined, however, by what happens in the final third , quarter, ten minutes or indeed five of a game, and hitting 60 minutes with wind in your sails is no bad thing - which preamble serves to explain why I am bringing you straight into this game at the end of that middle period and with CS with their blood and gander apparently up.

Frantic and entertaining as what had gone before had been - to hit 60 minutes at 20-20 , after not long before being 7- 20 down - meant that that critical momentum was apparently with the Stags. It had been a frenetic hour in which some exciting , albeit error strewn rugby, had been played by both sides who seemed intent on putting width on the ball , often it has to be said at the expense of commonsense. But that apparent momentum for CS - which can on occasion enable an underdog to triumph ( google " World Cup Rugby chokers" should you require more info although there is little indication that there may be any repeat this time ) was sadly somewhat undermined by the unfortunate fact that the CS bench had already been cleared and there were more injured players still on the pitch who could no longer be replaced. As an aside the next Tuesday's attendance for physio looked like a promotion for Casualty.

And so it came that it was TJs who were able to add late tries, one of which certainly rather gift-wrapped, to not only secure the victory but also some icing for their cake.

No whingeing here : TJs had been , albeit marginally, the better side on the day with some powerful runners displaying just a little bit less of a suicide mantra. However, as we know the better side in rugby does not always prevail, even if upsets are infrequent, and on the hour - but ignorant of the full extent of the injury problems - my money was on CS . At the end of the day this was a thoroughly entertaining game between two sides intent on playing running rugby and any neutral would have surely had his money's worth and be coming back for more.

There was really no need for coach Stefan Smith to beat himself or the team up quite so much but he always tells it as he sees it : " We were second best at everything today and deserved the bleeding nose. TJs were excellent and played with greater speed and tactical awareness . Hard lessons were learned." Hard lessons certainly - but fortunately the beer was also excellent.

CS Rugby scorers:

Tries : Daniel Webby, Craig Bellringer, James Houston.

Pen : Scott Hadden

Con: Scott Hadden.