The forecast was not great and right on cue, just as we arrived, the heavens started to discharge water which continued unabated until well into the second half. The winds blew and the temperature dropped. Both sides curtailed their warm up to a minimum in an effort to reach kick off without suffering from hypothermia! This had all the hallmarks of a turgid forward battle, not the day to be sat out on the wing!

In the event both sides put on a fine display and it was a reasonably entertaining match. The forward battle was well balanced, although unusually the Cents lineout was less then reliable. Cents suffered their third match finishing finger injury of the season when front rower Tich dislocated his little finger with less then 10 minutes gone. Territorially Cents had the balance in the first half, although neither side really threatened the try line. The first half was nip and tuck and unusually ran out 0 - 0 at half time.

The second half was similar in many ways, and in the event the early difference between the sides was a penalty try awarded to the home side when a red zone tackle was adjudged to be too high. 7 - 0. It was again a finely balanced match with Cents putting together some fine phases of rugby. The second try of the match came from an attacking 5 metre scrum when the opposition scrum half darted over from short range.

Despite the scoreline this was the most cohesive performance that the squad have put together thus far. Heads never dropped, attitude was spot on and with a little more clinical play in the final third of the park Cents could have got more out of this match.

Thanks to Chinnor for providing err, “humid” match conditions, but good hospitality and fine post match food! Thanks also to the travelling support who endured the deluge! Thanks to the ref for getting the balance about right in appalling conditions.

Quotes of the day;

Supporter Rae; “blimey, we’re beginning to look like a rugby team. Some great passages of rugby”
Referee, in the longest pre-match brief in the history of the world; “Right gents, I get plenty of nagging at home, so I don’t expect to get any nagging here. Everything through your Captain, please”
Winger Griffiths in response to some encouraging, motivational words from his sidelined captain; “bleep, bleep, bleeperty, bleep, bleep, bleep!!"