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Loughborough’s beloved dream team victorious in their season opener

Loughborough’s beloved dream team victorious in their season opener

Kenny Baughan16 Sep 2019 - 19:35
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32-29

Loughborough RFC 3rd XV – 32 Aylestone St James 1st XV – 29

Loughborough’s beloved dream team victorious in their season opener.

Loughborough’s most important side made their long awaited return to fortress Derby Road last Saturday. Skipper Gaz Bottomley adopted “The Yorkie Method” of selection for the fixture. Bullying, bantering and generally forcing people into playing. Most of whom were either not available or did not want to play in the first place. This led to a squad which on paper (if the list was written 5-6 years ago) was very strong. Grunt and nous up front, coupled with flair and pace a plenty out wide.

Visitors Jimmies arrived promptly and took to the field around 2pm to begin warming up. The wise old heads of Loughborough thought better of this. First of all it was “far too hot for any of that nonsense” and most of the squad did not arrive until at least 2.30pm. The energy conserved here would prove vital later in the game and allowed us the opportunity to notice prop Olly Swain’s new “natural” Midnight Blue hair colour.

Following a fairly lacklustre warm up, where most of us watched with some confusion as Liam Heany worked on his sprint technique and side step…. A characteristically monosyllabic team talk from the skipper was eloquently translated by long faced fly half, and semi-professional Jimmy Nail impersonator, Ben Keast. A simple game plan was the best game plan. Play to our strengths, keep hold of the ball, defend valiantly and the game was there for the taking…..Pet.

Winning the toss, Loughborough opted to play with the slope in the first stanza. Jimmies fielded the kick off well, going through the phases and kept possession in the middle of the pitch. The home side defended well, rolling back the years to drag their Gout and Tendonitis riddled bodies off the line to keep knocking the visitors back. This defence would eventually force a knock on and give the home side their first roll of the dice in attack.

Regular prop Rob Wild was unable to play Loose Head due to a bad back (opting instead to play 2nd row all game and score a pick and go 60 odd mins in….I’ll let you work that one out for yourselves) Club stalwart John Litchfield, embarking on no less that his 32nd senior season stepped in at prop and by and large the scum held up well. Jimmies defence struggled to contain the weight and power of Boro’s centre pairing. A bust from Poodle and some soft hands put winger Rowan Paterson in space, who on his first start in 2 years sailed down the wing to score in the corner.

10 minutes in and 5 points to the good, one could be forgiven for thinking Loughborough had this one in the bag. However Jimmies enormous winger and Loughborough’s limited lung capacity had other ideas. The visitors got their rolling maul game going, giving them a foothold in the game. That combined with a cocktail of soft penalties and handling errors gifted the away team 3 unanswered tries before the break.

Half Time.

Over the wheezing, dry retching and obligatory, yet pointless attempts to loosen hamstrings and calves, the overwhelming message was very similar to before the game. Stick to our guns, don’t throw any stupid out the back offloads and keep the penalty county down. If we can do that, we have a chance of nicking this one.
A few changes were made to get some fresh legs on in the back row and the back three. Loughborough were rejuvenated and ready to get back into it.

Jimmy’s scored again some 2 mins after the break.

However rather than cause an implosion. This Galvanised Loughborough, who proceeded to battle their way back into the game. The trusted, timesless and receding axis of Keast and Coleman began to fire. Freeing up James Brind and Fads McFadden to gain much needed field possession and suck in the Jimmies defence.

A tap and go penalty on the left of the pitch, ruined James Sedgewicks breather out on the right wing, as the space created left him with all the time in the world to put his fag out and finish his pint before crossing the white wash. Keast added the extra’s.

Form then Loughborough really began to kick on. Beefy and Brewin blasting their way through breakdowns to provide quick ruck ball for replacement scrum half Franis Baggins to get the Loughborough attack firing. Romanian assassin Sammy Snake and Veteran Winger Will Blythe made some huge carries, leaving a number of blue shirted bodies in their wake.

James Brind crossed for a quintessentially “Brindeh” try. Hitting the half gap Coleman created for him, he bounced and boshed his way under the posts dragging 2 or 3 would be tacklers along for the ride. Loughborough’s other scores came via a short range snipe from Baggins at 9 and a powerful pick and go from Rob Wild a few yards out. Who despite his arthritic back and his boots trying to commit suicide put in one hell of a shift.

We may or may not have scored again, however I was absolutely knackered by this point, Power is on and my attention span is rapidly dwindling.

The main point if we won!! The beer after the game was as cold and refreshing as the changing room was hot and fusty.

Man of the Match Mat Nurse said after the game “what do you mean I have to let go of the ball at the break down?!?!”

Special Mentions must go to John Litchfield’s Spine and most importantly Rowan Paterson, who’s battled his way back from a life threatening illness to lace his boots back up! Great to have you on back on board mate!

Our next hit out is 26th October – so please make every effort to make yourself available and get your passes stamped for a post-match rehydration session.

Further reading