Another Trophy for Exuberant But Careless Chiswick

Rugby Result: Twickenham 18 Chiswick 25

More of a red-letting than a red letter day this, bloody but not religious, and another trophy for an exuberant, if careless, Chiswick team.

Having taken the Middlesex Bowl, this was the next one up, the Cup, for an improving group of players.

The first long touch kick by Keith Luckman, standing in at scrum half, was carried by the sharp wind into touch in the home 22, but careless handling soon stopped this attack.

The Chiswick scrum was pushing the home pack back at will, but failing to create clear chances, as their improvised back division sought to find a rhythm.

Losing a scrum against the head seemed unlikely, but when it happened Twickenham opened out, and it required a good defensive tackle by lock Aram Delaney, after several others had failed, to halt the move. The home team were competent, if uninspired, and kept the pressure up well, eventually gaining three points from a penalty kick.

Full back Adie Lewis starred in the next Chiswick attack, fielding a long kick and running at the home defence from deep. Ben Cheston was there in support, and a chipped kick from Tom Duffy refused to behave for the Twickenham defence. A neat pick-up by Jub McLean, and Cheston strolled casually over the line for the first try. Duffy missed the kick but from now on this was a thriller. Al Pickering, Jan Joubert and Hansie ( Bez ) Bezuidenhout in turn made bullocking runs at the home defence, which did well to hold on as the heavier Chiswick pack piled in. The home defence had holes knocked in it, but it re-sealed well, and the occasional home attacks were dangerous.

Chiswick were soon 10-3 up at the beginning of the second half after the home backs cocked up a move in their own half and McLean snaffled the ball which Cheston passed to wing Russell Rossi, who had the strength to go over in the corner. The teams swapped penalties, as Chiswick generally failed to turn their possession into points. The battering by Pickering and Bez eventually took the play near the home line, and sub Marcus Rowley got over near the posts. Duffy slotted this one. It was all Chiswick for a while, but then Twickenham began to come back, using their speedy left wing whenever possible, as the Chiswick defence slacked off a bit. A converted try was the result, and home heads were up.

The final minutes were frenetic, both teams throwing the ball about with abandon. Chiswick were pressing the home line when a hopeful backwards flip in their backs presented Twickenham with an opportunity to run the ball down the wing away from the covering forwards, and Chiswick did well to force the scorer into the corner, limiting the damage to five points. With two points in it, mistakes were rife, but Bez was determined, and made a great break, well supported by Cheston. Finally, with an overlap, McLean dummied and scored. The kick failed, and the whistle stopped the entertainment.

Chiswick team :- Donaldson, Joubert, Davies, Delaney, McConnell, Pickering ( Adams ), Robbings ( Rowley ), Bezuidenhout, Luckman, Duffy, Rossi (Crabtree), McLean, Cheston, Jones, Lewis

November 24, 2008