BackSat 29 Feb 2020 · London 2 South West
Battersea Ironsides
1st XV
34
24
Ironsides outpace Farnham
Mark Weeks2 Mar 2020 - 11:08
Under the lights at Rosslyn Park, a demonstration of the fitness, skill and determination at this level.
Back in November Farnham narrowly won their home encounter against Ironsides by 32-28. Battersea Ironsides (Irons) had battered at the Farnham line for the final five minutes of that match only for the famous Farnham defence to hold out. In this encounter there was a moment where history looked like repeating itself, but two late tries scored by a team more pacey and committed in attack saw Farnham go down 34-24.
Due to the incessant deluge, the game was relocated from Ironsides’ Earlsfield public park to the luxurious surrounds of Rosslyn Park RFC with its wide expanse of artificial surface. Three other league fixtures had made the same switch and after some delays in the prior two, the match scheduled for 5.00pm KO did not get started until 5.30. As the smattering of supporters from the preceding National 2 South encounter between Barnes and Taunton drifted away, the stand was filled by a boisterous and noisy crowd of supporters from the London 2 clubs bolstered by their Vets who had spent the afternoon having a game and enjoying lunch at Ironsides’ home.
The floodlights were taking effect as Ironsides kicked off with a stiff, intermittent breeze at their backs. Farnham looked sharp and their exit was effective. However, Irons clearance kick from their own half was not dealt with. Their mercurial back three hunted down Farnham’s full-back Ben Jones, turned the ball over and released their direct and sharp runners to cut through the scrambling Farnham defence and score out wide. Conversion missed it was 5-0 to Irons after five minutes.
After more cut and thrust, Farnham were on the attack with centre James Corlett bursting through. It took a high tackle to stop him and from the penalty, Salmon T to the corner. Jules Joris – accurate all evening in his 100th game for the club - hit the jumper with the throw. Quick ball to No 9 Ollie Brown who released Toby Salmon for one of his trade-mark dashes for the line. Toby converted his own try and Farnham’s noses were in front 5-7.
Benefitting from the artificial surface, the game was played at a furious pace and with the heaven’s clear for once, the ball was dry and good for handling. On the Farnham flanks, Mike Mizzi and Andrew Kidd tackled like dervishes as they repelled Irons’ direct and determined attacks. Returning from injury, No 8 Rob Mitchell did his fair share of defensive work as well as making many a destructive carry to earn himself man of the match. Andy Naisbitt and Marco Azevedo, props to centurion Joris at hooker, gave Farnham the edge at the set scrum with the bulk of Steve Simmons and skills of Ben Adams in the row. With a solid line out too, Farnham had plenty of ball with which to attack. But the Irons defence was as well drilled as their pacey attack. And they made fewer mistakes.
Twice Farnham hesitated to clear the high clearance kick and twice the Irons attack pounced. With one try converted and the other missed, the team turned around for half time at 17-7 as the home side once again threatened the Farnham line. By this time, it was bitterly cold, but I doubt any of the players felt it.
If the Farnham half time talk had been about using the boot to gain field position and upping the tempo in attack, then the team had listened. They started the half brightly putting pace on the ball from the base of the ruck and the first receivers looking for the offload rather than barging into contact – a tactic that had frustrated Farnham supporters last weekend. Farnham earnt a penalty in front and Toby Salmon was sure from the tee. 17-10.
Seeing the damage that pace can do, the Farnham coaches bring Toby Comley off the bench for Steve Simmonds – who has tackled himself into the ground. With ground gained by long raking kicks from both Toby and Mike Salmon, Farnham are on the attack. Toby Salmon scooped up the ball in broken play and dashed down the left. Inside to the supporting Reece Stennett who off loaded in the tackle to that man Comley who is over for the try. The Farnham coach must have felt like the proverbial Premiership manager who watch their substitute crash in a goal with his first touch. Salmon T converted to make it 17-17.
Farnham come tearing back from the restart playing their fast, offloading game. Toby Salmon saw a gap behind the defence and dabbed a grubber kick through. The Irons full-back was there to cover but so were the Farnham chasers who held him over the line. From the five-metre scrum, the forwards pound the Irons line with successive pick and drives until Andy Naisbitt burrowed over under the posts. The conversion easy for Salmon T and it was 17-24 with ten minutes left to play.
The Irons come back attacking round the fringes of the ruck. Farnham are adjudged off-side at the ruck and Irons No 10, brilliant with the boot all evening, makes touch five meters out into the nagging wind. The line out won, Irons drive for the line inevitably sucking in the defence to create space for their centre to crash through under the posts. The conversion was good and the score even at 24-24.
More direct play from the restart took Irons into the Farnham half. Ben Brown on at hooker for Jules Joris has the misfortune to encounter a fired-up Irons pack who shove Farnham off the ball. The Farnham defence in disarray cannot stop the Irons attack out wide. The conversion is held in the wind. 29-24
Farnham attacked with ball in hand from the kick-off desperate to rescue the one score game. The backs sweep to the left. Toby Salmon on the loop looking for the matching winning pass offloaded into touch. And the pendulum finally swung back to Irons. Back they came from that line out, direct and disciplined, round the fringes. Farnham conceded their final penalty of the day and Irons find touch in the Farnham 22. Farnham knock on at the line out and the Irons dominated the set scrum releasing their backs to once again sweep right and over in the corner. As the tremendous effort at the conversion hits the upright, the final whistle sounded and the game ends 34-24 to the Ironsides.
Farnham did not play badly but Ironsides were deserved winners of this match. Those from other clubs who stayed to watch this final match of the day at the Park were treated to a quality fixture that demonstrated the high levels of fitness, skill and determination at this level of “junior” rugby.
Presidents Podium:
Rob Mitchell, 3 the battering ram carrier that put Farnham on the front foot
Ben Adams, 2 skilful forward and assured leader
Toby Salmon, 1 the point scorer, constant threat and hefty boot out of hand.
Next Saturday, Farnham are scheduled to replay the rematch against Old Reigatian at Monkton Lane the result of which was disputed by ORs following the referee’s decision to play 15 a-side albeit with uncontested scrums. If ever there was a game at which Farnham will be motivated to bounce back to winning ways, this is it! Given England v Wales KO at 16.45, the KO for this match will be decided later this week.
Due to the incessant deluge, the game was relocated from Ironsides’ Earlsfield public park to the luxurious surrounds of Rosslyn Park RFC with its wide expanse of artificial surface. Three other league fixtures had made the same switch and after some delays in the prior two, the match scheduled for 5.00pm KO did not get started until 5.30. As the smattering of supporters from the preceding National 2 South encounter between Barnes and Taunton drifted away, the stand was filled by a boisterous and noisy crowd of supporters from the London 2 clubs bolstered by their Vets who had spent the afternoon having a game and enjoying lunch at Ironsides’ home.
The floodlights were taking effect as Ironsides kicked off with a stiff, intermittent breeze at their backs. Farnham looked sharp and their exit was effective. However, Irons clearance kick from their own half was not dealt with. Their mercurial back three hunted down Farnham’s full-back Ben Jones, turned the ball over and released their direct and sharp runners to cut through the scrambling Farnham defence and score out wide. Conversion missed it was 5-0 to Irons after five minutes.
After more cut and thrust, Farnham were on the attack with centre James Corlett bursting through. It took a high tackle to stop him and from the penalty, Salmon T to the corner. Jules Joris – accurate all evening in his 100th game for the club - hit the jumper with the throw. Quick ball to No 9 Ollie Brown who released Toby Salmon for one of his trade-mark dashes for the line. Toby converted his own try and Farnham’s noses were in front 5-7.
Benefitting from the artificial surface, the game was played at a furious pace and with the heaven’s clear for once, the ball was dry and good for handling. On the Farnham flanks, Mike Mizzi and Andrew Kidd tackled like dervishes as they repelled Irons’ direct and determined attacks. Returning from injury, No 8 Rob Mitchell did his fair share of defensive work as well as making many a destructive carry to earn himself man of the match. Andy Naisbitt and Marco Azevedo, props to centurion Joris at hooker, gave Farnham the edge at the set scrum with the bulk of Steve Simmons and skills of Ben Adams in the row. With a solid line out too, Farnham had plenty of ball with which to attack. But the Irons defence was as well drilled as their pacey attack. And they made fewer mistakes.
Twice Farnham hesitated to clear the high clearance kick and twice the Irons attack pounced. With one try converted and the other missed, the team turned around for half time at 17-7 as the home side once again threatened the Farnham line. By this time, it was bitterly cold, but I doubt any of the players felt it.
If the Farnham half time talk had been about using the boot to gain field position and upping the tempo in attack, then the team had listened. They started the half brightly putting pace on the ball from the base of the ruck and the first receivers looking for the offload rather than barging into contact – a tactic that had frustrated Farnham supporters last weekend. Farnham earnt a penalty in front and Toby Salmon was sure from the tee. 17-10.
Seeing the damage that pace can do, the Farnham coaches bring Toby Comley off the bench for Steve Simmonds – who has tackled himself into the ground. With ground gained by long raking kicks from both Toby and Mike Salmon, Farnham are on the attack. Toby Salmon scooped up the ball in broken play and dashed down the left. Inside to the supporting Reece Stennett who off loaded in the tackle to that man Comley who is over for the try. The Farnham coach must have felt like the proverbial Premiership manager who watch their substitute crash in a goal with his first touch. Salmon T converted to make it 17-17.
Farnham come tearing back from the restart playing their fast, offloading game. Toby Salmon saw a gap behind the defence and dabbed a grubber kick through. The Irons full-back was there to cover but so were the Farnham chasers who held him over the line. From the five-metre scrum, the forwards pound the Irons line with successive pick and drives until Andy Naisbitt burrowed over under the posts. The conversion easy for Salmon T and it was 17-24 with ten minutes left to play.
The Irons come back attacking round the fringes of the ruck. Farnham are adjudged off-side at the ruck and Irons No 10, brilliant with the boot all evening, makes touch five meters out into the nagging wind. The line out won, Irons drive for the line inevitably sucking in the defence to create space for their centre to crash through under the posts. The conversion was good and the score even at 24-24.
More direct play from the restart took Irons into the Farnham half. Ben Brown on at hooker for Jules Joris has the misfortune to encounter a fired-up Irons pack who shove Farnham off the ball. The Farnham defence in disarray cannot stop the Irons attack out wide. The conversion is held in the wind. 29-24
Farnham attacked with ball in hand from the kick-off desperate to rescue the one score game. The backs sweep to the left. Toby Salmon on the loop looking for the matching winning pass offloaded into touch. And the pendulum finally swung back to Irons. Back they came from that line out, direct and disciplined, round the fringes. Farnham conceded their final penalty of the day and Irons find touch in the Farnham 22. Farnham knock on at the line out and the Irons dominated the set scrum releasing their backs to once again sweep right and over in the corner. As the tremendous effort at the conversion hits the upright, the final whistle sounded and the game ends 34-24 to the Ironsides.
Farnham did not play badly but Ironsides were deserved winners of this match. Those from other clubs who stayed to watch this final match of the day at the Park were treated to a quality fixture that demonstrated the high levels of fitness, skill and determination at this level of “junior” rugby.
Presidents Podium:
Rob Mitchell, 3 the battering ram carrier that put Farnham on the front foot
Ben Adams, 2 skilful forward and assured leader
Toby Salmon, 1 the point scorer, constant threat and hefty boot out of hand.
Next Saturday, Farnham are scheduled to replay the rematch against Old Reigatian at Monkton Lane the result of which was disputed by ORs following the referee’s decision to play 15 a-side albeit with uncontested scrums. If ever there was a game at which Farnham will be motivated to bounce back to winning ways, this is it! Given England v Wales KO at 16.45, the KO for this match will be decided later this week.
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