In The Wind Of Change

After eight league wins King’s crown is at last dislodged in a bruising encounter played out on a wet, windswept and bitterly cold day down by the river in Barnes.

For the last game of 2018 in a fixture postponed from 3rd November (and subsequently played as a league and cup double-header) King’s made the short-ish trip to Barn Elms to take on Mayfair Occasionals. Occies have enjoyed a very decent season of their own with just a couple of losses to date, one against Tiffs and latterly versus Ironsides. With a couple of their heavier operators back in the mix King’s knew they would have to be on their mettle to take a win away from SW13.

From the off Occies were on the front foot with some hard yards gained with their giant locks to the fore. The direct approach soon paid dividends as the hosts burst though for a try which was improved; 7-0. It was the wake-up call King’s needed and in fairness the away side did their best to take the game back to Occies, mixing up their play to the extent the conditions permitted. Mike Hill showed what the side had been missing following his lay-off with a silky break in midfield, but the danger was snuffed out. Regrettably the skipper’s day was curtailed soon after by a shoulder injury, Tom James coming on in his place with the first of many rejigs in the back-line required to accommodate the change in personnel. King’s did get on the board when awarded a penalty in front of the posts, Neil Williams making no mistake; 7-3.

Whilst Occies were on top at the scrum the loose play was much more even albeit with unpredictable outcomes as players pushed their luck deploying legitimate and some very definitely illegal tactics. Everyone was having to get stuck in, Lloyd Allen winning one crucial turnover, and Francis Dwan doing well to field and return and lot of balls kicked deep. So whilst both sides created half-chances the play was by-and-large characterised by huff and a puff and neither could do anything to alter the scoreline – Occies had the best chance with a penalty, but the attempt missed on a difficult day to be a kicker.

HT: 7-3

It had been a pretty agricultural first forty and the bumps and bruises were already proving telling, both sides ringing changes at the interval – Aaron Goodwin and Tom Moore all joining the action for King’s. The pattern of the second half picked up much as the first had ended as the majority of the play remained with the piano shifters rather than the piano players. On the odd occasion that the three-quarters did get ball the defences proved more than capable of containing the threat of their opposition. For Occies the extra kilos were to tell as after several battering raids they slipped over the line for a crucial second try; 12-3.

Yet more substitutions followed, co-captain Lorcan O’Duffy the next to leave the field as the physical battle intensified, Rob Fairbrother on for just his second appearance of the season. James Sharpe, by now playing fly-half, was doing his best but the slickness of play which has characterised King’s season to date was conspicuous by its absence, no doubt due in part to the changes in personnel but also testament to the belligerence of the opposition. With the lineout mis-firing even when King’s did get into the hosts’ half they struggled to maintain pressure and too often Occies found a way to engineer an escape. One aspect of play which had improved was the scrum where parity was much closer than it had been and indeed from one such set-piece inside the home 22, No.8 Greig Blackie took off on a marauding run and despite a Farrell-esque ‘no-arms-special’ hit, the Scotsman was not to be denied as he grounded the ball close to the flag; 12-8.

There was still plenty of time in the game but most of the possession and territory belonged to Occies. Twice they came within inches of scoring but dogged defence repelled them, Mark Prior responsible for at least one crucial turnover. As the air temperature dropped another degree of two the intensity of the battle never dipped but the imagination did, as both sides became locked in an unflinching arm-wrestle. Ultimately this suited Occies who wound the clock down pragmatically and even though King’s won possession back in the final play, it was not to be and they were consigned to a first loss of the season.

Whilst of course there was disappointment at having relinquished an unbeaten record, this was tempered by a number of factors including the margin of defeat, the opposition who showed they will be in the mix come the play-offs and the fact that one defeat in nine is really not that bad. Both sides gave their MOM awards to lock forwards which reflects it was that sort of a day, gritty and when function won over form.

The Christmas break will be welcome as everyone takes some time away to enjoy their festive cheer. Next up are second place Old Tiffinians who will be keen to exact some revenge for a 12-34 reversal earlier in September so King’s will need to hit the ground running when hostilities resume on 12th January.

Tries: Greig Blackie
Penalties: Neil Williams