17th January 2009 – Mids 5 East (North)
Leesbrook 3 – 23 Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce belatedly kicked off 2009 with a comfortable league win over near neighbours Leesbrook. Despite the victory, Royces slip to 3rd in the league on points difference after Melbourne stuffed whipping boys Castle Donnington.
To Leesbrook’s credit, they are always keen to play open rugby, which suited the Rolls-Royce style and the game started at a furious pace with both teams attempting to go wide and keep the ball alive. Most of the early exchanges were in the middle of the field until finally RR broke through the home team defence and set up camp in their 22. Some white line fever from the RR forwards meant that some easy chances went begging but finally the patient build up paid dividends with centre Loz Betty going in for the first try near the right hand corner. Conversion missed in to the wind Lees 0 – 5 RR.
Rolls-Royce no.8 Dan Sanderson then made a telling break up the middle of the park from the back of a scrum, dragging the Leesbrook back line with him. Fly-half McLaughlin cleverly switched play back to the left which left centre Betty with a clear run in for his 2nd try in as many minutes. Again the conversion was missed
Lees 0 –10 RR.
Leesbrook then had a decent run of play, reverting to rolling mauls, which were effective enough to take them down the slope in to the RR 22. They came away with a penalty closing the gap to Lees 3 – 10 RR. This was to be Leesbrook’s last score of the match and the last time they came anywhere near the RR try line until the last quarter of the match.
The game was marred by a nasty looking knee injury to impressive winger Adam Davies on the stroke of half-time. Making only his 2nd appearance for the club he now faces a lengthy lay off after suffering a ruptured ACL. Our best wishes go to him for a healthy recovery.
RR were positive at half-time and talked about keeping calm at crucial times having squandered numerous positions in the first half due to bad decisions and dropped passes.
RR started the 2nd half with good intent, flankers Andy Noble and Lee Nithsdale winning the 50-50 balls and driving hard at the home team defence. After some good phase play between backs and forwards, replacement winger Alec Jardine strolled home for Royces 3rd try and to stretch the lead to Lees 3 - 15 RR.
Leesbrook were not deterred by this and kept coming back at RR but the away team defence stood strong with some big hits going in from centres Betty and Burrell in midfield and with 2nd rows Taylor and Lee keeping the Leesbrook pack on the back foot around the fringes. Nithsdale made way for Nick Salmon on the flank, who for the 2nd game in a row, showed that he is pressing for a starting spot with a tireless effort in the tight.
Royces next score came from the left foot of fly-half McLaughlin, slotting an easy penalty in front of the posts to take his team 3 scores in front. Lees 3 – 18 RR.
Soon after came the score of the match. A break in midfield from prop Adam King was well supported by no.8 Dan Sanderson who was stopped just outside the opposition 22. The ball was recycled quickly with the ball finding it’s way to hooker Mike Brown, who was making his long awaited come back from injury. Brown fixed the inside defence and passed to skipper Ranft, who was steaming up on the outside. Left with a lot to do, Ranft beat the winger on the outside and brushed off the cover defence to crash over in the corner for a superb team try. Conversion missed yet again, Lees 3 – 23 RR.
Ranft, having done enough to ensure victory for his team, made way for the evergreen prop Ady Gregory. With Royces now without their play maker and soon down to 14 men, following the departure of Man of the Match Andy Noble to a recurrent rib injury, they did well to stay on top of the home team for the last quarter, thwarting some good play by the Leesbrook backs and pushing their pack off the ball with a 7-man scrum. The highlight of the last quarter was a 40m break by fresh-legged prop Gregory that brought raptures of applause from the travelling supporters (all 3 of them).
Final Score Leesbrook 3 – 23 Rolls-Royce
A good win to blow the cobwebs of xmas out of the system. The standard has been set to build on for the remainder of the season with promotion and silverware still on offer.
Team: Turner (7), Davies (8), Betty (8), Burrell (8), McNamara (8), McLaughlin (7), Poole (7), Ranft (7), Brown (8), King (7), Taylor (7), Lee (7), Noble (8) MoM, Nithsdale (7), Sanderson (7). Subs: Jardine (7) (for Davies 40 mins), Salmon (8) (for Nithsdale 50 mins), Gregory (8) (for Ranft 60 mins)