Sussex "Canterbury Jack" Intermediate League

St Francis 22 Norfolk Arms 17

 The omens did not look good for St Francis at 3pm on Saturday afternoon. The young referee, keen to exert his authority, was complaining that neither the match ball or its replacement were correctly inflated and Saints were fielding a weakened pack with three players in unfamiliar roles. Fortunately the omens had it wrong on this occasion. Although Norfolk Arms never once took the lead in this game, the outcome, as in all good thrillers, was to remain in doubt until the last possible moment.

 Saints put their problems behind them from the kick off and dominated the early stages. It was to be fifteen minutes before Norfolk Arms found their way into the Saints half, due in the main to some solid tackling from Saints backs. Saints clearly had problems at the lineout where the throwing in of Imminder Singh, pressed into unfamiliar duties, was rather erratic. Ironically it was to be a misplaced throw which indirectly led to Saints first try after twenty minutes. Singh redeemed himself by taking the scrum awarded for his crooked lineout throw against the head. The ball was passed quickly along the line to Murray Stephenson who injected some pace before passing to John McShane who easily evaded the covering tackles to score under the posts. It was a cracker of a try and, with the conversion duly added by Matt Parish, Saints had a seven point lead.

 Ten minutes later Saints added to their score. A kick ahead by Damian Poole into the Norfolk Arms twenty-two was followed up by the hardworking McShane who harried his opposing full-back into a kick which failed to find touch. Saints collected the ball and when the ball was recycled from a subsequent ruck a lazy Norfolk Arms prop was caught malingering in the Saints back line. The referee signalled his intent to award a penalty but wily old campaigner Damian Poole had other ideas. In an act reminiscent of Jeremy Guscott's try for the successful Lions in Australia in 1989, he produced the perfect kick ahead and easily outpaced his opponent to dive on the ball as it crossed the try line for Saints second try. Parish narrowly missed the conversion attempt and Saints had a healthy 12-0 lead.

 This prompted Norfolk Arms into action and although captain Shannon Millard and Dave Ayres were prominent in the tackle, Saints often had to rely on the big boot of Shane Kenny to clear their lines. After thirty-five minutes Norfolk Arms created a rolling maul from their line out fifteen metres from Saints line. Although their drive was initially resisted by Saints the ball was then moved quickly along the back line for the Norfolk Arms wing to score in the corner despite a despairing cover tackle from McShane. The conversion was missed.

 While Saints were able to produce some strong scrummaging to subdue their heavier opponents they continued to have problems in the line out. Millard offered their best option in the middle but every now and then a misplaced throw over his head would work in Saints favour as big Dave Callan would eagerly gobble up the ball at the back of the line out and set off on one of his customary charges down the pitch. One such charge just before half time saw Callan make fifty metres towards the opposition line and reminded older spectators of his father, George, a former Saints player. Not so much for the way he charged down the field but more for the way he berated his team mates for their lack of support when he was finally tackled ! Despite this pressure Saints were unable to add to their score and as the half time whistle blew the match was finely balanced with Saints leading 12-5.

 The sun came out at the start of the second half and conditions under foot were ideal for running rugby. Saints took the early initiative through some strong running from Stephenson in the centre but a good break from Norfolk Arms saw them come to within fifteen metres of the Saints try line before the ball was thrown forward in the tackle. By now Singh was starting to find his range at the lineout and following one ball off the top of a lineout from Callan the ball was quickly passed along the ling to Alper Aydin on the wing who was eventually marshalled into touch. Norfolk Arms then took a grip on the game and following a period of sustained pressure on the hour mark their centre scored in the corner. The conversion was expertly added to level the score at 12-12.

 Rather against the run of play Saints then conjured a try out of nothing thanks to a moment of brilliance from two players, John McShane and Damian Poole. McShane made a great break down the right wing from inside his own half, when he was stopped Poole was on hand to inject pace into the move before McShane took a return pass to complete his brace of tries in the corner. It was a try that would not have looked out of place at a much higher level of rugby but if Saints thought it had sealed victory they were in for a rude awakening. To their great credit Norfolk Arms hit back almost immediately. Saints failed to gather the restart and following quick ruck ball Norfolk Arms had superior numbers and easily scored to the left of the posts. The conversion was missed and the game was poised on a knife edge with the scores tied once again at 17-17 with twelve minutes remaining.

 Saints dug deep into their energy reserves and forced play to within ten metres of the Norfolk Arms line. A Norfolk Arms forward then had a rush of blood to his head and in an act of violence out of keeping with the rest of the game kicked Saints open-side flanker Millard in the head as he lay on the floor at a ruck. There was a delay of five minutes as the repentant sinner was dismissed from the pitch and the groggy Millard was helped from the field. The delay did not take the edge off Saints determination to make amends for the assault on their captain. Both Dave Callan and Will Roadnight charged at the try line only to be held up agonisingly short. When a further penalty was awarded Callan was not to be denied and reached over the line to ground the ball with one hand. The conversion was missed but it mattered not as the final whistle sounded immediately and Saints had secured a memorable victory.

Team - Vince McGahan, Imminder Singh, Will Arney, Will Roadnight, Gavin Porter, Chris Eagle, Shannon Millard (captain), Dave Callan, Matt Parish, Shane Kenny, Alper Aydin, Murray Stephenson, Dave Ayres, Damian Poole, John McShane, Adie Perry.