|
Richard Latimer is back on reporting duties to the great relief of his team:
|
|
|
|
Currie 2nd XV v Watsonians 2nd XV
|
|
Date: 1st December 2007.
|
|
Venue: Malleny Park, Currie.
|
|
|
|
Final Score Currie 15 Watsonians 53.
|
|
|
|
Another Saturday afternoon and another fixture. This week Watsonians 2nd XV visited Malleny Park the home of Currie RFU on what was a must win fixture for us if we are to have any serious chance of retaining the 2nd XV league and keeping up the pressure on table toppers Stirling County.
|
|
|
|
The boys turned up and were clearly in a buoyant mood as there was loads of pre match banter flying all over the changing room. Which is endemic from a team that is relaxed and confident.
|
|
|
|
The side was showing a few changes from the previous week (are you surprised?) and it was surprising (as well as comforting) to see 1st XV regular Andrew Skeen in the changing room. I didn't ask too many questions, but he just nodded and confirmed he was with us this week.
|
|
|
|
Prolific try scorer Gary Dempsey returned to the left wing and Woody slotted into centre while Scott Kennedy moved to full back.
|
|
|
|
Now, if you're not aware Currie have two pitches next to each other, end to end. The main 1st XV pitch and their second pitch, affectionately refereed to as the "Postage stamp" due to its diminutive dimensions. Obviously we were on the latter and it really is miniature. No sooner are you over the ten metre line you are faced with a short hop and a step to the 22 metre line. Not, may I add were any of the lads complaining. Less running about you see. Prop and Captain Gary Scott made the observation "God this pitch really is tiny!" with that glint in his eye followed by his cheeky grin.
|
|
|
|
Anyway, Currie kicked the game off and we were under way in what were heavy underfoot conditions. Not the type of conditions suited to the Watsonians game but perfect for the heavier slower Currie forwards.
|
|
|
|
We were the quicker side out of the blocks and played most of the early rugby. The forwards were recycling some good ball for scrum half Robbie Buchanan to feed fly half Skeen. Unfortunately we were slightly sluggish in midfield at times and our centres were finding space hard to come by as they were being well marshalled by their opposite numbers.
|
|
|
|
Neil Tweedie and Woody would find themselves isolated with our forwards not quick enough to the break down.
|
|
|
|
Early in the first half we were awarded a penalty within a kickable distance. Fly half Skeen confidently took control of the ball and signalled for the posts. Placed it on the deck and started his routine. You know the one, two steps back one to the right, deep breath, relax etc etc. Andy then says, "You know I've never kicked this type of ball before." as he proceeded to nail it. It looked over all the way but just fell short at the last moment. Not bad for a first time I thought.
|
|
|
|
It didn't take us long to make the breakthrough. Which came courtesy of Hooker Neil Malloy who took the ball nicely on the left wing to trot in unopposed. Skeen made the conversion good.
|
|
|
|
Curries game plan was clear. They were using their big forwards to pick and drive which they did to good effect. However our defence was more than up to the task and adsorbed plenty of pressure. Put it this way I wouldn't have liked to have been a winger on the Currie side. From recollection (like this entire report) I don't remember their wingers getting ball.
|
|
|
|
More tries were to come through centre Woody. A loose ball in mid field was hacked up field by Tweedie and well chased. Woody found himself with time, chipped the ball on and winning the chase to the touchdown. The conversion was again good by Skeen.
|
|
|
|
Wing forward Ian Cordell almost scored an identical score to Woody's. Again it was a loose ball and a good old fashioned kick and chase. With Ian barring down on it, he gathered the ball superbly off the deck and was seconds from greatness but was well held up over the line and correctly so the try was not awarded. Satisfying all the same.
|
|
|
|
Skeener cantered in from stand off about fifteen metres out. Making an embarrassment of the Currie defence and like all good players made it look easy.
|
|
|
|
Right wing Stuart Mack also bagged a first half score (his second in as many weeks) and is clearly thriving in confidence and enjoying playing regular rugby. It came from a well executed blind side move up the right and Mack pinned the ears back, showed good pace and dived in the corner.
|
|
|
|
Curries heads could have dropped but to their credit battled away and were rewarded with a score. Their centre went in under the posts. Some sloppy midfield play of our own by way of a missed tackle allowed them to get in behind us and moments later we were standing under our own posts.
|
|
|
|
There was a nasty moment near the end of the first half. Robbie Buchanan took a quick tap penalty and ran hard at their defence. He was met by a ridiculously high tackle up around his neck. Not content with that the Currie player twisted it in such and manner that was not natural and in true WWE style hurled Robbie to the deck, leaving him poll axed flat on the deck not knowing where he was. Luckily he was OK (relatively speaking) and after a few minutes stood up with the aid of the lads. He was clearly in a bad way as his legs immediately went from under him, à la Paul Ackford v Argentina in 1990 for all of you old enough to remember.
|
|
|
|
The referee concluded the incident by awarding Currie the put in to the scrum, baffling!
|
|
|
|
Big Danny Moussa came on to Hooker, while Malloy moved to the flank and Sammy Paulo moved to scrum half.
|
|
|
|
By half time we'd scored four or five tries and were going comfortably.
|
|
|
|
Half time was short a sweet by Stavie. He was looking for us to play rugby at our pace and on our terms. If we did that, we knew Currie could not live with us.
|
|
|
|
In the second half we only scored two tries and were more turgid. We were playing uphill and into a stiff breeze. For large periods of the game we let Currie dictate the game to us through their forwards. They were executing numerous pick and drives round the sides of the rucks. Their second and last try came in just that fashion. Their heavy prop rumbled over from close range. Just sheer wait advantage and a good body position saw him score.
|
|
|
|
We scored two second half tries. The first came from Ian Cordell. He was rewarded for his tireless effort and it more than made up for his earlier missed opportunity. Ian was chuffed as it was his second score in as many weeks as he'd touched down against Ayr last week.
|
|
The second came from Woody who crossed for his second. The man can't stop scoring at the moment and really is a player on form.
|
|
|
|
The full time whistle went and there was a good feeling of job well done. Everyone was truly knackered as the heavy pitch is so zapping. At the debrief Stavie was pleased with the high score and felt it was a good stepping stone for our crucial game against Boroughmuir this weekend.
|
|
|
|
Any readers who fancy giving their support will be hugely welcome. So hopefully see you at Myreside this weekend.
|
|
|
|
Full time score.
|
|
|
|
Currie 17 Watsonians 50.
|
|
|
|
RL.
|
|
watsoniansrugby.com
|
|
Published: 3/12/07
|
|
|