Saxons 29 - 23 Ampthill 2nd XV

The start of a new era!
With the departure of Duncan to start a sheep shearing, fosters bottling, cork hat making, wife beater wearing factory back in Terra Australis Incognita, the mantle to lead the Saxons has passed to me. This season looks like being an exciting one, the Saxons have joined a new league ‘The Shield - 3N’ as it was felt in order to provide the best support for the 1st the Saxons should be playing at a level closer to the 1st team. So we can look forward to expanding our rugby playing map by now playing as far afield as Luton and Dorking, as well as our old adversary Redingensians (who have followed us into this league).
So to Saturdays opener, there were a few issues surrounding selection (not aided by the fact I was in Scotland and Mat was almost knocked out cold in training on Tuesday) but sterling work by Simmo, Huw and Gibbo (our Saxons coaching team this year) backed up by PJ and Luke Thundertree, meant we had a very decent squad to play our first game with. The starting Line up we Ben, Mike, Lurch in the front row, Luke and Will in the second row, a back row of Steve, Paddy and my good self, Ted, Hackers, Tom and Dom 9,10,12,13 and a back 3 of Zach, Josh and the very Naughty Jerry, on the bench we had the returning LC12(aka lewis) James Schofield, Gazzard and Marcus.
With the second team pitch resembling a cross between a running track and a sand pit (although the rope around the outside does look lovely) we were forced onto the railway line pitch. We (when I say we I me I) lost the toss and were going down the hill in the first half.
From the Kick off we pressured well and some strong tackling by Chiltern resulted in a penalty, conscious that we needed to make the hill count in the first half we kicked for the corner, a text book catch and drive by Mike and Luke saw Lurch go over in the corner for the first try of the match (conversion missed). A good take by Will from the kick off saw the Saxons back in the Ampthill half, the resulting 5/10mins of play were quite scrappy with balls not going to hand and people overrunning passes. A good strong run from Will (who ran well all day) resulted in good field position and a nice show and go (with a good dummy line from Tom) from Hackers saw him go under the posts for the second try of the game which Hackers himself converted. Immediately from the kick off the Saxons scored again, another good take by Will gave us a good platform to clear our lines and Hackers put in a long kick down field, Zach was onto it like a flash, this is when Josh’s cunning plan came into effect, Josh had decided even though he was playing full back that he would ware the number 11 shirt, it so happens that as Hackers kicked the ball Josh was in front of the kicker, so the Ref called for number 11 to stop, Ampthill assumed (wrongly) that Zach was number 11 and almost all of them stopped chasing allowing Zach to scoop up the ball burn the full back and score a lovely try! Converted by Hackers. Ampthill responded well and drove up field with some good running from their 12 especially, a few infringements at the break down meant that Ampthill got on the board with 2 successful penalties. From the kick off Ampthill knocked on and from the resulting scrum some poor Chiltern Handling meant that the ball bounced lose which resulted in Ampthill diving over and conceding a penalty, this was quickly taken by yours truly and I must have run at least half the pitch handing of players ( I was informed later it may have been 20meters give or take but I am writing this they are not!) and a floated pass saw Jerry go in untouched converted Hackers.
26- 6
So onto the second half, Ben had to trundle off to work so James replaced him in the front row, Lewis had come on for Tom at the end of the second half as well. We were well aware that Ampthill would use the massive advantage of the hill in the second half and that only strong tackling would keep them out, the line was led by Luke who put in a couple of his usual big hits. From an Ampthill lineout in the Chiltern 22 Chiltern managed to secure the ball, unfortunately instead of clearing our lines we choose to run it and try risky offloads in our own 22 (this won’t happen again lads!) as a result Ampthill drove well for the line and scored and converted, (26-13) After a little chat to confirm the need to calm down and play good consistent rugby we ran and mauled our way up the pitch in a very nice passage of play, at the end of which Ampthill infringed at the break down and hackers popped over the resultant penalty, a former Chiltern first team captain once said ‘points make prizes’ hence the reason we went for goal (29-13) Ampthill again came back strongly and slotted a penalty of their own (29-16) and so it stayed for a good 15mins as the heat and the hill started to take its toll on both sides, Gazzard came on to replace Zach and Marcus came on to replace Paddy. The last 5 mins were spent in the Chiltern 22 with repeated scrums resulting in the ball being held up 3 times as well as a nasty ankle injury for James, eventually the pressure told and with the last act of the game there number 8 managed to ground the ball over the line, the resultant conversion was successful leaving a final score of 29-23 to Chiltern a deserved victory against a determined Ampthill side who showed passion and heart throughout the 80 mins.
Man of the Match Will Smyth (although he needs to work on his drinking if he wants to earn that accolade again! The Saxons do not lose the boatrace!!)
MID Luke and Wiggles
I wonder if anyone will read this I know it is not as eloquent or as weird as JC12’s match reports but with the forum being all loggy in now i feel a few people may miss out I know Ging for one won’t be bothered to log in and he used to love my match reports!
Next week the real business of the league begins please let your availability be known to either myself or one of the coaching team and please try and make both training sessions this week as with a bit of practice we could dominate this league.
One final point next week number 1’s will be required after the match, this means a tie, trousers (no jeans) and proper shoes as a minimum, Simmo will be incharge of whether you have met his standards and fines will be issued (kitty to be redistributed at the end of season winners party)