Ouch...

A game of hard fought scrummages, keenly contested lineouts, big tackles and fantastic running rugby was marred by the fact that the Templars engaged in none of these things for the middle forty minutes of last weeks’ visit to Brightlingsea who, along with Colchester, took the opportunity to move ahead of Halstead in the league.

Despite the 62-0 score line, Templars held their own for the first twenty minutes against a side relegated from division two last season. Welcoming back Andy Bird from retirement to play alongside man-of-the-match son, Ben, the forwards once more looked in dominating force. Stealing lineout ball and, if not winning scrummages against the head, at least disrupting them to prevent good ball being moved out to the backs, it looked like they might make quite a game of it. The teams’ biggest problem, which was consistent throughout the 80 minutes, was the lack of decisive tackling.

The bounce of a rugby ball is a fickle thing and, with a cross wind up to 25mph, the high ball tactic was put to good use by the home side. More than once the ball found its way to the ground rather than being taken on the full and the quick Brightlingsea chase put the Templars back three under extreme pressure and two first half tries came from these kicks ahead.

The inability to bring down the man, one-on-one, led to some silly penalties close to their own try line and after three in short succession no.8 Phil Foster saw the games’ first yellow card. Dominance in the scrums was now a thing of the past and even on their own ball Templars were hard pressed to get a good platform for the backs to operate and Brightlingsea ran in four more tries. A referring time-keeping issue meant that Fosters’ 10 minute sin binning turned into 16 minutes and the Templars saw out the first half with 14 men and trailing 34-0.

The second half started no better than the first had finished and strong running by both the Brightlingsea prop and no.8 saw early tries conceded. However, with the introduction of Brad Richardson, playing at flanker rather than on the wing, the tackling around the fringes of rucks and scrums improved, and so the Templars came back into the game.

The Templars started to threaten the Brightlingsea half, spending more and more time pinning the home side back. However, they could not find that final push to cross the whitewash. In the final quarter it was Brightlingsea’s turn to feel the referee’s wrath as three yellow cards were produced in five minutes as consistent infringements were pulled up as they tried to stop the charging forwards. Pride dictated that the Templars would not settle for an easy 3 point penalty but would keep trying to drive through the lines with either tap penalties or clever line out moves. However, the hosts were more than a match for anything the Templars could throw at them and finished deserving winners.

Templars host bottom of the league Stowmarket 3 XV next Saturday when nothing short of a win will be enough to restart their campaign after such a heavy defeat. Kick off at 2.30pm and pitchside nourishment will be available thanks to Bentleys Catering who will be keeping the spectators warm and well fed, if not dry.