Blues 2s grind out a deserved win.

Perfect playing conditions greeted both teams as the Blues’ 2s hosted the Wanderers from London Irish Amateur RFC on a historic day for Chi RFC that witnessed 1s playing (and winning) their first ever National League fixture on the adjacent pitch. Probably the biggest Chi 2s pack to take the field for some considerable time immediately dominated position, lineouts and scrums for first 20 minutes but too many penalties for breakdown infringements kept giving hard won field position up to the opposition. After a bright start, injury unfortunately forced scrum half Harry Seaman off the park, moving full back Graham Love into 9 and offering Jack Knight game time as the final line of defence at 15. Shortly thereafter, prop Craig Adfield whose huge presence was telling in the contact zone also had to be replaced by Kieran Richter. With this new line up settling down, a series of phased play offered Love and outhalf Jimmy Taylor an opportunity to finally release the backline, Don Framer burst through an attempted tackle and the experience of centre Tom Jackson shone through; he broke the gain line, sped towards the opposition try line and offered the ball on a plate to the supporting flanker Sam Pitchford, who scored under the post. Taylor converted and the Blues took a deserved 7 – 0 lead. London Irish responded aggressively, the 2s let them in behind their defensive line, missed 2 crucial tackles and the visitors scored in the corner, which they converted with an excellent kick from out wide. Injuries continued to dog the Blues and they lost the physical presence of Mark Giddings, who had been extremely active up to that point, running hard, dynamically clearing out at the breakdown and encouraging his team mates to increase the level of intensity around him. Richter, who had come on for Adfield, and was holding his own in the scrum in his new position of prop, took a knock and was substituted by returning 2s stalwart, Liam O’Hagan. Another reshuffle in the pack ensued to move Shonk from the backrow to hook, Grime to prop and that left O’Hagan on the blindside of the scrum. So many enforced changes gave London Irish an opportunity to compete better at the scrum and more than hold their own at the breakdown with their impressive No8 causing havoc with what should have been secure Chi ball. Playing to the visitors’ strength up front somewhat, Chi then struggling to gain any sort of dominance and a bruising territorial battle between both 22m lines raged on, with numerous penalty decisions going against the 2s at the breakdown. When they were awarded a penalty, a good kick by Taylor was followed up by a text book lineout close to the opposition’s try line; they won the ball, set up a classic catch and drive, got over the goal line but dropped the ball as they went to touch down (an error they repeated in the second half).

The halftime break allowed Chi to regroup and bring on Ed Bowden for Jack Taylor, who was returning to rugby after having missed most of the last 2 seasons though a serious knee injury. Seaman also came back on to direct the pack from half back, Love moved to fullback again and Knight took a break on the bench. Not long into the second half, Giddings – with a heavily strapped knee - came back on for O’Hagan to once again compete strongly and add his vocal encouragement to that of captain Martin O’Callaghan’s; the captain started to combine very effectively with his partner in the second row, Jon Lindsay to maraud down field and the Blues began to once again break through the visitor’s defence. Bowden’s pace and fresh legs helped improve continuity, with Pitchford working hard to secure Chi ball. A rare awarded penalty in front of the posts was seized upon by Taylor, who danced through the surprised and retreating London Irish defence to score under the posts. He added the conversion to take the Blues into a 14-7 lead. London Irish’s resolve was then put to the test but they held firm and gratefully took good field position after another set of Blues’ infringements; more Blues changes (Seaman off, Love into 9, Knight to fullback again) unsettled the 2s momentarily and the momentum swung to favour the visitors. They took a well taken drop goal and then exploited the momentum they had gained to score a good an unconverted try, which they quickly followed up with a deserved and well taken penalty. Trailing 14-18 with only 12 minutes to go, the Blues’ regained their composure and dug deep into their reserves that were being sorely tested in this first game of the new Zoo Shield League season. They tackled hard, turned the ball over, used this possession to gain field advantage and started to put together a number of phases. They kept position, sucked in the London Irish defence, overloaded the blind side, Knight beat his opposite man and put Jackson in for try, and a subsequent conversion by Taylor, that took the lead back from the visitors. Up 21-18 with less than 2 minutes to go, the Blues 2s received the ball from the kick off securely and set up a series of 10 forward pick and goes, which ground out some hard won yards and wound down the clock to seal a deserved first win of the season. Given all the injuries sustained during the match and the numerous substitutions that repeated altered the composition of the team significantly, the Blues 2s can be proud of their mighty physical effort, their three well taken tries and reflect on the areas for improvement before their first away match of the season next weekend.

Team: O’Toole, Grime, Adfield, O’Callaghan, Lindsay, Giddings, Taggart, Pitchford, Seaman, Taylor, Harte, Farmer, Jackson, Baxandall, Love, Shonk, Richter, Bowden, O’Hagan, Knight

Scores: Tries – Taylor, Pitchford, Jackson; Conversions: Taylor (3)