National Cup Quarter Final
Rosslyn Park U18 Vs. Dorking Colts
17-21
Walking into this game the Colts knew that Rosslyn Park were a force to be reckoned with. A narrow victory in the Surrey Cup Final before Christmas showed that the boys had plenty to beat their opposition. Although as the boys put it, that was “just the warm up cup” and now it’s the business end of the season with matches coming thick and fast.
Good preparation from the boys, and a national cup debut for Freddie Webb on the bench having converted from Centre to Front-Row and showing all a real aptitude and application since that move. The match also saw usual centre Christian Styles moved back to back-row due to team injuries (a position he hasn’t played since U16s).
The first 10 minutes is normally a case of the match report saying that the teams “traded blows” and the teams “jostled for territory” but in truth, it wasn’t that way at all. Dorking dominated. Inside the Rosslyn Park 22 for around 15 minutes. But through a combination of errors from the attack, and stubborn defence from Park the scores were still 0-0.
Unusually for Dorking their pressure didn’t yield any points, and even the trusty boot of Charlie Nichol went wayward from the tee as they struggled to convert territory into points. Line-Breaks from on the right hand side from Will Darbishire (newly picked for London South East U18 - along with 3 talented Rosslyn Park players) and Will Simpson couldn’t connect with support runners. And a typical captains dart from Alex Power was pinged by the referee as he crawled on the floor searching for a forced opening score.
Then, three penalties against Dorking, a great line-out, out the back play in midfield and Rosslyn Park had scored, against the run of play, in the left hand bottom corner. A brilliantly worked score, and evidence of the potent threat that their attack clearly had in abundance. Dorking protests for a foot in touch, but the colts live and die by the sword on that one. Who am I to be the Judge of that?
Dorking however are never one to back down from the fight, a comeback victory against Winchester in the last round proved that… and from the kickoff the ball seemed to love a charmed life, escaping the finger tips of two different dorking chasers as it found its way, from the floor to Christian Styles hands and he dotted down in the top left corner. Duly converted by a confident Charlie Nichol.
10 more minutes of brutal dorking attack and resolute defence from Park. Tom James, Scotty Bloomfield, Dan Gale all making carry after carry. Woody Aldridge pulling the strings from 10, moving the attack from width to width with speed and accuracy. And then on the stroke of half-time a break from that man Will Darbishire after a lovely set move from the backs and he ghosted in, under the posts with all the ease of a boy playing touch rugby with his mates in the park. Again converted by Charlie Nichol.
Half time 5-14 Dorking
The second half told a completely different story. Park moved their winger to the centre and he caused more problems around the park than a Christmas episode of Eastenders. But tackles flying in from Will Elkeles and Calum Maddick stopping any line speed he created. The former, Elkeles seemed to get more powerful with every tackle, hitting anything that moved.
The next score a Rosslyn Park try in the right corner. Well worked again, and well deserved for the field position and possession.
As the game edged towards the end, both sides knew the next score was vital. Rosslyn opting to take a scrum under the posts instead of points in search of what could have been a match winning score, but excellent scrummaging from the front-row provided a pressure relieving penalty. Territory gained and some clever Dorking kicking meant with 5 minutes to go Rosslyn were searching hard, and off turnover ball Charlie Nichol used some incredible feet to beat two men and coast in under the sticks (early celebration pictured - note the 5 players all celebrating in the background proving how very individual that score was). Converting his own try, Dorking led 10-21
The tale didn’t end their, Rosslyn Parks excellent winger/centre did score a wonderful try of his own, brushing off 3 players, scoring and drop kicking a conversion to line up a nervy final minute.
Ball secured, rucks won, ball kicked off.
Final Score:
17-21
Tries: Styles, Darbishire, Nichol
Conversions: Nichol x3
The next round scheduled for Sunday 31st March - HOME vs. Rams
Roll on the Semi-Final
The colts Whites & Reds both have their Quins Cup groups to complete before then, and Semi-Finals of the same competition (currently the Reds are on course to play Rosslyn Park at some point in that cup too) to play before that game, so some level headed planning ahead.
