1st XV
Matches
Sat 04 Dec 2021  ·  London 1S
Farnham R.U.F.C.
1st XV
85
15
London Cornish
Farnham overwhelm London Cornish with record breaking home score

Farnham overwhelm London Cornish with record breaking home score

Mark Weeks6 Dec 2021 - 14:37
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Three hat tricks in tremendous try fest!

There was little between the teams after fifteen minutes of this encounter between bottom-of-the-league sides. Farnham started brightly winning possession from their kick-off to send prop Jules Joris on a bullocking charge into the London Cornish 22. The ball was quickly recycled and spun out to winger Sam Thomas. He sped down the line and as the cover defence drew near, slipped the ball inside to skipper Ollie Brown who dotted down under the posts. Easy conversion for Toby Salmon and it was 7-0 after just a couple of minutes.
That score stung Cornish into action and the ensuing spell of sparring tipped in their favour. After securing possession, they kept the ball well and took it up the pitch over several phases only to be halted illegally. Cornish skipper and No 10 Fin Robjohn kicked the penalty goal and it was 7-3.
Fifteen minutes gone, and the Black and Whites cut loose.
Toby Comley again won the ball at the restart to launch an all-team attack that saw Gab Hills held just short. Quick ball from the ruck and Toby Salmon skipped through to score the first of his three tries for the afternoon. The conversion was good. 14-3 on 20 minutes.
The first of Sam Thomas’ three tries was next. Quick ball off the top of a lineout. Joris again on the charge and Thomas is released to sprint to the line. Conversion missed. 19-3 on 25 minutes.
To their credit, Cornish do not lie down. Again, they retain possession – a trademark of their play on the few occasions they secured good ball – to threaten the Farnham line. However, the Farnham defence – well tried and tested at last week’s match at London Welsh – held and forced the knock on. Turning defence to attack in the blink of an eye, Farnham spun the ball wide to Toby Salmon on an unguarded left wing. He raced eighty metres to cross the line unchallenged and then, after a deep breath or two, converted his own try. 26-3 on 30 minutes.
The Farnham front row of Marco Azevedo, Jules Joris and Ben Edwards have put the opposition’s scrum under pressure all season and, with the able support of Ben Adams and Jamie Lowe in the back row, they pretty much destroyed their opposition in this match. Cornish were brutally shoved off the ball at their the put-in to the scrum on their own 22. Pete Daly attacked off the base and was held. A couple of phases later the ball zipped left and there’s Daly again lurking by the touchline to power over for the try. Difficult conversion missed. 31-3.
Michael Salmon collected the Cornish restart kick as securely as ever and sent a siege gun clearance back into the Cornish half. The Cornish full back returned the ball with a mighty hoof of his own – but the ball landed in the arms of Farnham’s full back Gabe Hills. He looked up and saw the opportunity. A mazy, aggressive seventy meter run cut through the heart of the Cornish defence and ended under the posts making it easy for Toby Salmon to convert the first of Hill’s hat trick of tries. 38-3 and the half time whistle blew.
Perhaps beguiled by their lead, Farnham opened the second half sloppily. An ill-advised clearance kick was charged down and Cornish seized the opportunity to run around the Farnham defence to score in the corner. The conversion from wide out is good. 38-10.
The play remained scrappy, but the lively Farnham backs are happy to live off scraps and Toby Salmon skipped through for his second try which he failed to convert from wide out. 43-10.
The Black and White’s half century score came as structure returned to Farnham’s play in mid-field. To ring the changes, Ollie Brown hoisted a box kick high. Cornish failed to collect and the ever-energetic Sam Thomas was there to hack the spilt ball on and chase it over the line and fall on it under the posts. A very well taken individual effort! The conversion was good.
Despite being so far in arrears, Cornish continue to play and put in one last, controlled and sharp multi-phase attack to send winger Kieran Rodda over on the right. The conversion attempt from near the touchline is missed. 50-15.
From the restart, Cornish once again put in the phases – credit to their flankers Shirlaw and Wheeler who kept the Farnham scavengers at bay. Retaining possession and stretching the Farnham defence, the Cornishmen create a two man overlap on their left – only for the final pass to be intercepted by Thomas who raced in from the half-way line to score under the posts for his third of the afternoon. 57-10.
That cruel blow at last knocked the stuffing out of a gallant Cornish side as the last quarter witnessed a procession of Farnham scores.
Ben Adams wrestled the ball from his Cornish counterpart at their lineout and put Daly on the charge. The ball was quickly recycled from the ruck. Soft hands and clever interplay between brothers Mike and Tim Salmon – off the bench for Alex Chalker – created the gap for second row Angus Butcher – on for Jamie Lowe - to burst through and off-load to fellow rower Jamie Lowe for the try. 64-15.
A training ground move off the Farnham lineout and Toby Salmon sliced through the defence to release Hills for this second. 71-15. The Cornish scrum was again demolished on their put in and from the base Daly slipped the ball to Reece Stennett who crossed the line out wide. Mike Salmon, now on kicking duty, converted the difficult chance. 78-15. Gabe Hills delivered the coup de grace with his third try of the match following an incisive dart from scrum half Ollie Brown. Mike Salmon converted and the final whistle blew. 85-15 and the Farnham Faithful headed back to the bar to celebrate a 1st XV home victory by the largest margin of points in the club’s history.
Presidents Podium for the hat trick boys. Hard to rank them but rank them we must….
Sam Thomas 3 – took his chances brilliantly.
Toby Salmon 2 – controlled the game.
Gabe Hills 1 – at his most dangerous.

Match details

Match date

Sat 04 Dec 2021

Kickoff

14:00

Competition

London 1S

League position

10
Farnham
13
London Cornish
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