BackSat 09 Oct 2021
Witham 2nd XV
3rd XV
14
10
Tries: D Jackson, D Lyndon-Smith
Witham 2nd XV v BRUFC Social XV
Nick Ellis22 Oct 2021 - 10:37
The Skippers 40th!
Match Report 9th October 2020
A much delay match report from the author for which he can only apologise. The afters, following this match had a significant deleterious effect on the skipper’s ability to compose any words.
However again on this day the Social Team jumped in their chariots and took the short journey to Witham Rugby Club for a friendly bout against their second team. In the words of Crowded House (giving away my age again) it appears we always take the weather with us. As we stepped, squinting from our chosen automobiles no one could quite believe the sun had decided to grace us with its full armoury once again. That is all of us apart from one Mr Stinton who rocked up in his convertible mobile hairdressing mobile, looking like a slightly younger Paul O’Grady without the miniature poodle.
The warmup proceeded at its usual pace with Rob Ingram keeping the skipper informed of the time. Halfway through a spirited game of touch followed by some wheezy stretches we realised there was half an hour still to go and we had already expended half a tank of the vigorous special sauce we all bring to the game. So, we slowed it down to a much more leisurely pace with some lineout practice and for the backs some fumbling drills.
Big shout out to our referee who in these times, we know they are in short supply. He did let us know that he used to play prop and to look I have to say not many of us where surprised. However, most of the team were surprised when they found out that he had once played for Plymouth. The reason for this being, as most of the team are Essextonians and believe the UK stretches to Brentwood and finishes at Colchester, so couldn’t believe that a referee would bring his passport to a game.
But finally, on to the game! Braintree stormed the initial stages. Playing some Aotearoa style rugby with pops from the floor, offloads and even one behind the back pass the ball flowed freely. Braintree had an attacking purpose with the intention of spreading the ball across the park and the forwards even realised that there were eight other players behind them and that pick and go wasn’t the only move. To open the scoring Dale finished off a beautiful move using his strength to finish off a powerful move with a drive to the line. Dale was particularly pleased as it gave him a new excuse for the wife why he would be late that night, “Sorry darling, try scorers always have to stay till at least 10pm its just a tradition”.
The second score came from another strong drive up the middle with some flowing hands. Finished by the younger of the two ‘posh boys’ on the pitch that day. Another proud moment in the Social Team history as we were able to facilitate another father son moment. Posh Boy senior who has been training memorably recently got to share the pitch with Posh Boy junior, what they differ in stature they match in heart. It can be taken as a measure of the industrial nature of the Social Team, that the only reason Posh Boy grabbed his moniker, is due to a double-barrelled name, we actually have no idea if he is posh or not.
What followed was a slow levelling up of the game as the power of our scrum was negated by the cohesiveness of a strong Witham side, who levelled the game. Unfortunately for us their kicker proved to be superior on the day and they took the game by four points all through converting their tries. This was a shame as it was a game that the Social Team feel they could have taken and with a bit more experience in the scrums we may have taken all the points. However, we will take the lessons away and really drive forwards to our next game at Billericay.
Two big shout outs, firstly to Bobby Davies, who has returned to gloomy North for a diet of lardy cake, barms and coal mining. We may not have understood a word you said for 12 months but you will be missed. The second big shout is from the author to everyone after the game who made it a very memorable 40th Birthday, I would write more but cant remember any of it.
Finally, Braintree Rugby Club, lost a club stalwart in Rigsby recently who was always involved in Social Rugby and as team we all felt his passing. Rest in Peace.
Yours in Rugby,
Braintree Social Team
A much delay match report from the author for which he can only apologise. The afters, following this match had a significant deleterious effect on the skipper’s ability to compose any words.
However again on this day the Social Team jumped in their chariots and took the short journey to Witham Rugby Club for a friendly bout against their second team. In the words of Crowded House (giving away my age again) it appears we always take the weather with us. As we stepped, squinting from our chosen automobiles no one could quite believe the sun had decided to grace us with its full armoury once again. That is all of us apart from one Mr Stinton who rocked up in his convertible mobile hairdressing mobile, looking like a slightly younger Paul O’Grady without the miniature poodle.
The warmup proceeded at its usual pace with Rob Ingram keeping the skipper informed of the time. Halfway through a spirited game of touch followed by some wheezy stretches we realised there was half an hour still to go and we had already expended half a tank of the vigorous special sauce we all bring to the game. So, we slowed it down to a much more leisurely pace with some lineout practice and for the backs some fumbling drills.
Big shout out to our referee who in these times, we know they are in short supply. He did let us know that he used to play prop and to look I have to say not many of us where surprised. However, most of the team were surprised when they found out that he had once played for Plymouth. The reason for this being, as most of the team are Essextonians and believe the UK stretches to Brentwood and finishes at Colchester, so couldn’t believe that a referee would bring his passport to a game.
But finally, on to the game! Braintree stormed the initial stages. Playing some Aotearoa style rugby with pops from the floor, offloads and even one behind the back pass the ball flowed freely. Braintree had an attacking purpose with the intention of spreading the ball across the park and the forwards even realised that there were eight other players behind them and that pick and go wasn’t the only move. To open the scoring Dale finished off a beautiful move using his strength to finish off a powerful move with a drive to the line. Dale was particularly pleased as it gave him a new excuse for the wife why he would be late that night, “Sorry darling, try scorers always have to stay till at least 10pm its just a tradition”.
The second score came from another strong drive up the middle with some flowing hands. Finished by the younger of the two ‘posh boys’ on the pitch that day. Another proud moment in the Social Team history as we were able to facilitate another father son moment. Posh Boy senior who has been training memorably recently got to share the pitch with Posh Boy junior, what they differ in stature they match in heart. It can be taken as a measure of the industrial nature of the Social Team, that the only reason Posh Boy grabbed his moniker, is due to a double-barrelled name, we actually have no idea if he is posh or not.
What followed was a slow levelling up of the game as the power of our scrum was negated by the cohesiveness of a strong Witham side, who levelled the game. Unfortunately for us their kicker proved to be superior on the day and they took the game by four points all through converting their tries. This was a shame as it was a game that the Social Team feel they could have taken and with a bit more experience in the scrums we may have taken all the points. However, we will take the lessons away and really drive forwards to our next game at Billericay.
Two big shout outs, firstly to Bobby Davies, who has returned to gloomy North for a diet of lardy cake, barms and coal mining. We may not have understood a word you said for 12 months but you will be missed. The second big shout is from the author to everyone after the game who made it a very memorable 40th Birthday, I would write more but cant remember any of it.
Finally, Braintree Rugby Club, lost a club stalwart in Rigsby recently who was always involved in Social Rugby and as team we all felt his passing. Rest in Peace.
Yours in Rugby,
Braintree Social Team
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