1st XV
Matches
Sat 12 Mar 2016  ·  Tribute Cornwall/Devon
Honiton RFC
1st XV
Tries: R Oaten, C HillConversions: A Canniford
10
33
Bude
Good in parts but robust visitors have the muscle!

Good in parts but robust visitors have the muscle!

Jeremy Rice15 Mar 2016 - 09:24
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Honiton go down to a strong "old school" forward orintated Bude

On a perfect day for rugby, Honiton first welcomed league leaders Bude to the Allhallows field for the latest round of league games. Their task was a tough one as Bude’s winning run is based on a very physical, robust and experienced set of forwards. For Honiton getting any thing out of the day would be a bonus and really that was their orders for the day to try an secure any type of bonus points.

Honiton started brightly and electing to play up the field they shocked their visitors who no doubt thought it was going to be a walk in the park. The Lacemen took the play to the Cornishmen and a series of wide passes and several towering kicks meant they were on the front foot for a lot of the half. From one such attack good hands released Ross Oaten and he worked hard to make the line for the opening score. Honiton went close again but were denied by some good cover tackling but as the game went on the “muscle" of the league leaders started to show and from a series of attacks, Honiton ran out of defenders for them to dot down out wide. They scored a second after a very a dubious penalty went against Honiton and a kick to the corner and the sunsequent catch and drive saw the big men rumble over. Honiton did continue to work hard and when the half time whistle went being only 12-5 down there was a genuine air of optimism in the camp and with their turn to play down the slope Honiton dared to hope..

Unfortunately the second half saw the visitors change gear in the tight and add to this a couple of misplaced kicks, which were both run back with interest for converted tries and Honiton unfortunatly inside 10 minutes of the restart, were reeling at 26-5 down. Honiton’s scrum started to creak and the visitors robust forwards starved Honiton of possession and they added their third try when after a break from a scrum and a defensive error in the midfield saw them dot down under the posts for their bonus point score. Honiton rallied and were rewarded for this, when a good passage of play saw the forwards go close and good recycling resulted in Player coach Callum Hill crossing near the posts, Canniford added the extras. This score was the final one of the half and Honiton went down by a 33-12 score line.

For the Lacemen it was disappointing as they played their part in a good game of rugby and especially in the first half as they were clearly their opponents equals but the added muscle at scrum time from the visitors and their aggressive approach was perhaps the difference as they used it to grind down a plucky Honiton and to be fair they took their chances well. There was praise from the Bude coaching staff afterwards as they knew they’d been in a game but that’s scant consolation for the Lacemen as their endeavours were all in vain. Some times old school rugby muscle works.

For Honiton the end of the season run in is going to be fraught they are now just one above the drop zone and it will be a scrap to stay up. There are 6 games left but on a positive note they have got the top three big guns out of the way, so with hard work at training and good team resolve their destiny is in their own hands.

Next week they travel to Hayle which is, needless to say, a must win game.

There was no second team fixture this week

Match details

Match date

Sat 12 Mar 2016

Kickoff

14:30

Competition

Tribute Cornwall/Devon
Team overview
Further reading

Team Sponsors

Club Sponsor - Alexander Paul Kitchens
Club Sponsor - B! Health and Fitness
Senior Kit Sponsor - Otter Brewery
Senior Kit Sponsor - Synergy Farm Health
Senior Kit Sponsor - Jewsons
Senior Kit Sponsor - Westcotts
Senior Kit Sponsor - everys solicitors
Senior Kit Sponsor - Ultim8 Construction
Club Sponsor - Combe Farm Shop