A somewhat rare, mild March afternoon greeted the two teams at HAC’s backup location of The Park Club, Acton. The 4G pitch initially covered in football goals led many Harrow players on a wild goose chase for a rugby pitch in the surrounding area. However a heavily delayed referee ensured match preparations although delayed, went off without a hitch and the lads even hoped a competitive match was in the offing as crisp hands and solid running lines in the warm up promised much.

And so it was too prove in the early stages. Harrow receiving from the kick off, showed a rare comfort to play with the ball in hand and early skirmishes wide were only extinguished by HAC scramble defence. Callum Manning making a debut for the Harrow 1st XV showed comfort and calm with some solid runs early on.

HAC clearly used to the 4G surface were rapid in attack. And their ability to spread the ball to both wings with ease rang alarm bells. That being said the boys of Harrow dug deep, Beech, Vincent and Manning tackling well out wide. The finest defensive effort saw heavy hits from the forwards turn the ball over and a beautiful clearance from Sam Harper deep within his own half to just short of the HAC 22 saw the Harrow team rally to congratulate both the kicker and tacklers alike. 10 minutes in 0-0 with an open game of rugby in store. Game On!

Unfortunately, It was the gremlins of this year’s season that once again proved the undoing of Harrow. Attacking ball deep in the HAC 22, the Harrow forwards were finding a way forward in the loose, yet 5 yards from the whitewash a costly knock on was pounced on by the HAC 9 and the ball was in the wide channels almost immediately. A length of the field score looked on the cards, but Harrow’s cover of Beech and Gibson rallied well to pull the HAC winger down 5 yards from the line and even managed to produce a turnover penalty from the ensuing ruck. Threat quelled… for now…

It has to be said at this point that the two backlines were in different classes to each other in this game. One riding high in the league on a surface familiar to them and playing with every confidence vs a once again restructured Harrow backline. That being said there were positive signs of learning and trust from the inexperienced line as prematch goals to force HAC wide and trust the man inside were put into play. Harper and Vincent showing trust in each other was a pleasure to watch from upon the field.

Despite the initial rebuttal of the HAC free flowing attack from deep, Harrow were to succumb to subsequent barrages. A nicely worked passage out to the right saw the HAC winger break free from the Harrow tacklers and it was an easy inside ball to the trailing support runner for HAC to get in for the first score of the game. Harrow came back spiritedly but the speed of the HAC play showed the Harrow defence was weak and tiring in the wide spaces and almost unnoticeably HAC had trotted in 3 more tries.

As well as weak tackling it was the slow transitions from Harrow that cost them. HAC always looked to play quickly from turnover ball, penalties, knock ons. Harrow simply were not cottoned on to this early on and paid the price in territory and points.

Despite this, the lads dug deep and got stuck in. Campbell whose early restarts were a little shaky, consolidated himself and from that point forward his kicking game was exemplary. High hanging restarts and not a single missed touch all game were a welcome sight to the forwards who responded in kind, stealing the restart following the 4th HAC try. Vincent and Whitney followed this up with strong midfield carries. And the next 5 minutes saw Harrow standing toe to toe with the HAC attack. Even the Harrow defence had collected itself and the tackles went in hard time and again. Then came Harrow’s best period of play of the match… having been defending well, James Robertson who in recent matches is showing a great deal of promise in the 7 jersey, won a penalty with a fine jackal on the HAC prop. Campbell following Captain West’s marching orders stuck the ball about 15m out from the HAC line. A neat take from Jesson (another colt stepping up to senior rugby this year) set up the Harrow maul. Peeling off Leaman made some hard yards. With Brennan picking up the baton and taking Harrow to the HAC 5m line. If the set up to this point had been pleasing on the eyes, the next phase was a coach’s and scrum half’s dream… a thundering Togher, who had been listening to the coach’s feedback of having “no snowmen” catching the ball, came from width and depth and with any other line he would have surely been stopped. But as it was he carried 3 HAC defenders with him on his way to the line, a great score. Whitney making a welcome return to Harrow colours, added the extras.

HAC replied in force and Harrow who after initially clearing their lines from the restart, were under the cosh. Brennan trying to steal back the momentum for Harrow that they had recently fought hard to gain, used a loose arms tackle on his opposite number, it was some collision! Regrettably no one backed Brennan up and the prop smuggled himself over the line under the posts. Brennan was still sent to the bin.

The remaining 5 minutes of the half seemed to suggest Harrow had collected themselves… but another display of weak Harrow tackling, meant the powerful HAC 8 crossed the whitewash on the stroke of half time. 6 tries to 1 at half time. 40 – 7.

From an insider’s perspective it was pleasing sight to see heads up and a team willing to go out and fight for another half. A team that has had a tough season were in the middle of another uphill struggle, yet the huddle was tight, the conversation was positive and playing with a bunch of lads with such resolve was uplifting. We went out in the second half keen to put right some of the first half wrongs.

Straight from the kick off of the second half the attitude was right. The kick chase and tackling kept HAC to their own 22 which produced a rare kick from their 10 to clear their lines. Great start lads.

And once again Harrow got the first few plays of the second half right, playing the game at their tempo. But HAC are not top of the table by chance, raising the pace of the game with their forwards, Harrow were pegged back to their own line. Short passes to powerful runners saw the holes appear inside and the small HAC centre who had been wreaking havoc in the first half broke through again. The cover tackle could not wrap up the ball and the offload saw his centre partner in for the score.

Another try 2 minutes later from the HAC fullback all but ended the contest.

Despite this the Harrow men who had put themselves on the field that day were not to go quietly. And returning back to their forward power play that had seen results in the first half. Harrow made a fist fight of the next 10 minutes. David Aniebonam another colt had come on, and boy what an impact! His powerful carries inspired his pack to follow suit, Henry Jesson and Jamie Taffs playing in the row were reborn and both carried strongly. Progress was being made down the left side of the field. The HAC pack obliged by giving up a few penalties. And after spurning some initial opportunities. Harrow had a line out on the HAC 22. Leaman who had been calling the lineout all day called it upon himself, and quick distribution out to the backs saw Captain West and Vincent pull off a scrumptious switch, not a single HAC finger could touch Vincent as he strolled under the posts. Whitney as usual added the extras.

The final 10 minutes saw fatigue on both sides, yet it was HAC’s ability to finish off the opportunity which proved key. 2 more tries from deep. Not much more to mention there.

Harrow finished the stronger and were pushing for the try in the final flurries. And so HAC satisfied with their tally, took the opportunity to end the game when the ball was back in their possession.

With that Harrow’s fate has been sealed and it will be London 3 next year.

Honourable mentions must go out to all those who have played throughout the season for battling hard and always stepping up to be counted each week.
On this weekend I would especially like to mention a few names:
Timothy Grimshaw, his fitness and abrasive nature in open play combined with the fact he has recently turned his hand to learning the dark arts of the front row make him a force to be reckoned with. The row tested him this week, but he did not shy away and no team mate or coach can ask for more.
To the colts who came into the team this week: Callum Manning, Henry Jesson, David Aniebonam, you all played excellently and we hope to see your talents continuing to grow on and off the field.
To Christian Whitney and Dutch Jim! Thank you for pulling on the Harrow colours for us this weekend, for me and many more your offer to give up your Saturday and pull on a jersey for your mates is the true spirit of Rugby. Thank you again.

Gentlemen, stick at it, work hard. Seasons like this are a test, you either stand and face it or you don’t. 2 games left. Let’s face them head on and do the jersey proud.

To the Harrow faithful, the team genuinely appreciate you supporting us each week. Please stick with us. We will get there! And as the saying goes “it will be ok in the end, if it is not ok, it is not the end!”

Mark Gibson