Renewing Old Rivalries

I could start with, on a blisteringly hot day, right for sunbathing rather than rugby, but I won't I'll leave that till the end of the season when its to fecking hot to play. All's I say is, thank god it rained the day before to soften up the ground so us old gits don't break anything as we fall down, get knocked down or generally lie down from exhaustion.

The day started like any otherSaturday in the Ritchie household. Dropping kids off, trying to hide from the wife to get out of doing last minute jobs that will only take a second but are designed to make you late for the game and sorting out last last second cry off because some numpty drank too much the night before and got into trouble with his wife/girlfriend/lover/mistress etc and has to make recompense ! (YES BUNGLE YOU !!)

Anyway back to the game, after the last two encounters with Wilmslow which we won we and the previous weeks defeat to the Students from Christleton we wanted to get back to winning ways and make it 4 from 5. No easy task when the 2nds hada ab ear 15, we only had 14 and the 4's 15 but alot of these players were relatively inexperienced. Wilmslow from the footy players area turned up with 19 and their manager agreed to play for us so that everyone could get as much rugby in as possible.

With Wirral losing the toss and having to play down the massive slope first half I feared i might actually have to do a bit instead of directing operations and so it proved. After 5mins we were down by 7 ! poor tackling and a general lethargy letting the chechire boys in under the posts. With the Ginger Josh away we had to rely on a bit of guile and cunning from the ever youthful Proudy to get us back into the game and some skillful play from Martin Bennett to put young Coutinio in at the corner. Proudy missed the conversion and we resumed 5-7 down. Though the course of the half, Wilmslow seemed to lose players at every breakdown, so it was with no surprise just as Wirral were pressing for a second try on the WIlmslow line that their Manager had to transfer back to his own side as they were down a man after another injury (apparently Rugby appears to be a dangerous game !). However the second best moment (you'll see why in a moment) of the half came when as Wilmslows young second row seemed to brush off a dozen tackles and drove for the line, Mr Dependable arrived, after a summer spent doing nothing (his words) playing cricket, he managed to some how tackle the 2nd rower over the line and rolled onto his back so that the wilsmlow lad could not score. The ever yound Stu Hughes arriving as though he had be teleported in secured the ball and from the resulting scrum Wirral cleared.

Now for the best bit of the half, down to 14 (we're used to it in the 3's) and with a couple of walking wounded from the 4's watching Wirral somehow won a scrum under the posts and from the resulting plays and ruck the ever youthful, handsome, sophisticaed, athletic, charming captain (me) powered over the line after brushing aside 5 would be tacklers ! (Well thats how I saw it and what I said at selection, the truth ! from 3 yards I was shoved unceramouniously over by the props chip and zorba, think I like my version better !) With Proudy adding the extras we turned round at half time to play up hill with a small 5 point lead ! (Did I mention I scored ?) See I said it was the best bit of the half !

With a man extra for the whole of the second half we knew we would have to be at our best to keep Wilmslow out and so it proved. Wave after wave of attacks pushing the wirral line back. Time after time Wilmslow threw everything at us including the kitchen sink (got that hurt when it hit me !)

With time running out and Wirral holding on Wilmslow spilled the ball once to often and MOM Martin Bennett managed to collect the ball and launched the ball up field towards the Wilmslow 15. As the ball bounced towards the touch line he decided that it would be better to let the ball bounce into touch rather than try and collect it and risk knocking on ! unfortunatley for him young Coutinhio knocked the ball past him as it was about to go out and raced in under the posts to score. With Proudy adding 2 more points Wirral were 19-7 up with 16 to play. Could we hold out, after all the effort we had put in in tackling practice we hopped so. Again Wilmslow took the game to Wirral but time after time with penalties and scrums all along the 5 metre line Wirral held out. Wilmslow pressed and pressed and eventually though completed exhaustion we let them in just shy of the posts. The conversion was missed but with 2 mins to go it was game on ! The resulting kick off resulted in guess what ! Wilmslow running back at us, but a Wilmslow player lost the ball forward and from the resulting scrum, which we somehow won and knock on afterwards, the ref blew for full time ! What a win !

If ever there was a a more deserved win than this was it, despite only having 14 everyone from Zorba, Cairney and Chip in the front row to Jimmy K, Tpom C and Gonzo in the back row (we did try Gonzo in at 8 but after looking like a rabbit in the headlights we moved hime back to openside) to the backs, twoladies, Proudy, Benno, Stu Hughes, Andy Benno, Jonny Carroll and Charlie Ayre (who had to have a head transplant a few times) played their hearts out and tackled ourselves to a standstill. A special mention to Zorba who for once raced past me in the last few mins to make a tackle as I could no longer lift my legs and to Proudy who was so close to MOM but did not set up the winning try like Benno did !

The Final Score would seem to be a fare reflection on the game with Wirral taking our oppurtunities when we could and then defending against almost overwheming odds to carve out a win to keep up top of the table.

Final score Wirral 3's 19 - 12 Wilmslow 3's.
(Did I mention I SCORED !!!!)