Taunton Warriors 48 Old Bristolians 29

In 1823 it is reported that William Webb-Ellis picked up a ball whilst playing football and ran with it.  Rugby football is allegedly created from this one act and a ball game evolved where people catch and run with the ball.  In this game I may suggest that both teams had read their history books as it was seventeen minutes into the game before the first ball went into touch for the first lineout.  Both teams were determined to run with the ball which gave us an exciting spectacle.

The first scrum after just two-minutes and OB’s won the ball and from a pickup the try was scored to give OB’s a five-point lead.  This lead lasted just three-minutes as the Warriors secured a try of their own which was converted and so they had a slender two-point lead.  It seemed it was going to be an afternoon of tries as the OB’s second row ran straight through the number 10 channel bursting though the attempted tackle scored the try which was converted and OB’s have a five-point lead.  Just a minute later and from an attempted long pass which was intercepted through they go for try number three so with less than twenty-minutes on the clock there was four tries and OB’s have a seventeen point to five lead.  Although OB’s had the larger pack the experience of George Gosling playing in the back row started to show and he and his two fellow back rows started to control the ball it was on the half hour that the Warriors went in for their second try which was converted.  Discipline was the key to the Warriors performance only conceding two penalties in the first half and so they were able to gain dominance by the number of penalties OB’s were conceding allowing the Warriors to pin OB’s in their own half which resulted in their third try and a half time lead of just two-points.

OB’s came out reinvigorated to start the second half and very quickly scored their fourth and bonus point try and restoring their lead.  This lead did not last long as Broadie Sheach turned over the OB’s ball and drove away slipping the ball of to Oscar James who using his pace and strength went in for the try to level the scores.  The dancing feet of Ben Heath put him in the gap and he raced away before passing to Will Aylen to score the try.  Ekendahl Lindberg had now joined the three-quarter line and his pace was giving the OB’s defence problems and he started a move in his own half which was taken on Ben Heath and Henry Webb before arriving in support to score the try.  The Warriors were dominating possession and OB’s were conceding penalties in defending, eleven in the second half to just three from the Warriors.  Carrying on in Webb-Ellis tradition the tap and go seemed the appropriate route Ben Heath burst through to score the try which was converted.  Almost from the re-start the Warriors were on the rampage again and the pace of wing Will Aylen was too much for the OB’s defence to contain and he went in for the try which again was converted taking the Warriors to 48-points.  It was OB’s who made the last statement of the game and a team which never gave up trying to play rugby were rewarded with an unconverted try in the last move of the game.

The entertainment value of the game was immense as was some of the talent on show from this very young side.  It was really good to see George Gosling back playing and although he was only intending to play for forty-minutes, he was so enjoying being on the park and running about he stayed for sixty-minutes.  He was well supported by Jack Burnett and Ollie Barber.  George and Harvey gave Ollie Jeffrey at hooker a real solid base and with Ben Dodd and Dylan Nation in the engine room this gave a perfect platform for our very talented backs to have a field day.

The Warriors are again home this week but on Friday night under lights against local rivals Chard.  They will need to be at the top of their game for this encounter and will also need to have that extra man in the supporters.  Chard always arrive with a plethora of supporters so please you Taunton folk put on that warm coat and have a pre-match beer and support the Warriors for this fantastic evening.

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