On a very wet and boggy Saturday afternoon The Swans travelled to Tunbridge Wells, with a great supporting bevy, for round 14 of the league.

For the first 10 minutes it was end to end stuff with both teams doing good attacking play and entertaining the crowd. Swans displayed good defensive covering tackles, however could not finish off their own moves when carrying out attacks in the opposition’s 22. The highlight of the first 10 minutes was when the Tunbridge Wells hooker, during their line out, only managed to throw the ball half a yard in the air, landing on Toby Baker’s head. For sheer entertainment value The Swans allowed them to take the lineout again, once all had stopped laughing, including the referee!

This led to a break down the middle of the park by Stuart Tate for him to be tackled just 2m from the try line. Swans forwards were there in close support and managed to drive the ball another metre giving Stu enough time to get to his feet and pop the ball to Toby to crash over the line for Swans first try in the 14th minute, not converted (0-5). Straight from the restart Swans forwards attacked with good interlinking play with breakthroughs by Guy Cook, Jack Nash and Conor Gladdish for the ball to be set up at the base of a ruck then released to George Oliver. Despite being dragged down by 3 players and bouncing his head off the post protector, he scored his first try of the day. When asked by the coach if he was okay, George politely reminded the coach the post protectors are there for a reason! Not converted (0-10).

Five minutes later, in the 24th minute, Stu picked up from the back of a ruck by the Tunbridge 10m line, sprinted in to their 22 to pop the ball to George to demonstrate the now legendary ‘Dorset sidestep’ to score his second try. Converted Phil Butler (0-17). The game started to bog down, literally, and it wasn’t until the dying minutes of the first half when, inside Tunbridge’s 22, the veteran Dave ‘The Cheesecake’ Coombes received a pass and darted for the line. Knowing he wasn’t going to make it he presented the ball to Guy and, smashing through “only” 3 defenders, Guy scored his try. Not converted (0-22).

Right from the off in the second half, Swans piled the pressure on and within 5 minutes they were rewarded a penalty 10m from the posts. Stu directed the pack to spread left to suck in and divert their defenders and, as instructed by his Captain Sean O’Reilly, he tapped the ball and went himself ducking under the tackles of 2 hefty forwards to score his try. Uncharacteristically Stu missed his own conversion. (0-27).

Tunbridge stepped up the ante and in the 58th minute were rewarded with a well worked try, not converted (5-27). From the kick off Swans managed to win the ball and after 10 phases of play, with great offloads and supporting runs, the final pass reached Toby who barrelled over the line for his second try. Not converted (5-32). Within 5 minutes Tunbridge scored their second try by taking a quick throw in, catching the Swanley defence unorganised and off guard. Not converted (10-32).

No sooner had Tunbridge scored their try, The Swans replied with their own which was started off by James Yates coming in as a forward in to a ruck. Having no idea what patting his arse meant, he tapped it anyway, then running off the side of the breakdown he was surprised by the 3 supporting forwards following him. With a well timed pass to Sean who hit the right angle to sprint in for The Swans final try. Not converted (10-37).

Alas Tunbridge had the final say with well worked moves by their forwards and backs, managing to score in the 72nd minute. Not converted (15-37). The final minutes of the game saw Swanley dominate. Mud presented a challenge to try and run through, with some players enjoying sliding around. The team were cheered by a great number of wet, cold but entertained supporters who had travelled on a typical Rugby Saturday afternoon.

Thanks to Captain Sean O’Reilly for filling the very big boots of Ant Sumbler, leading by example. Man of the Match: Dave Coombes for his outstanding, all round play. Gladiator: James Iles for doing the bravest tackle which could have led to his immediate death, however he managed to smash their Game of Thrones giant in to the ground. Dick of the Day: James Iles for surviving the tackle and the shock leading him to give away an instant penalty for coming in at the side of the ruck. It didn’t help that his clean shirt meant his stuck out like a saw thumb.