Well, I don’t know how it was at the office, but it was a tough day in Wakey. Trees had travelled to West Yorkshire with a bench (how luxurious!), but despite a gallant team effort, the ball ended up mostly in Rods’ hands and...the score? Well, one can only defend for so long... In spite of the score, players enjoyed this first fixture of 2020, played in bright and breezy weather.

The locals kicked off, and opened their account after three little minutes, making the most of a defensive mishap. A few minutes later, Rowntree’s Sino-Tibetan full-back, 霓虹燈黃色啟動 Harder, using the wind with a certain finesse, scored a penalty kick from 40 metres (7-3), but unfortunately, these were to be the only points scored by the visitors for a while. A period of - dare I say castrating - ball deprivation ensued, leaving Trees no choice but tackling aplenty - which they did successfully for a good 25 minute period, until Rods concluded a hotly contested first half by scoring two converted tries in a row (21-3).

After a few invigorating orange slices, Rowntree began to attack more: backs made good ground on several occasions, after a few powerful phases in the forwards. Unfortunately, injuries began to take their toll: first winger Jake Porter’s hamstring twanged, followed by flanker Rhys Carlyle who had to go and nurse a dodgy knee. Then second row Chris Reeves run out of kryptonite, and finally, Dave Harder had to leave his comrades behind. The bench got busy, and the forward pack offered a few good scrums, propelled in particular by Ryan Roodt, the electric hooker, efficiently propped by Marc Ford and Conor Lynch-Smith. Strong ball carriers like second row Henry Smith or inside centr...no. 8...or is he a prop?...in short, Zak Hardy pierced the defence with penetrating carries whilst John Hatton, the impish fly-half, or inside centre Sam Protheroe sought to create space for the legs of wingers Sam Bigden and Daniel Mahlaulo. Flanker Owain Sudron, from Middlesbrough but pretending to be Mackem, ventured some refereeing advice, only to see a vexed official inviting him to rest for ten minutes on the sidelines. With all the commotion, the huge labours of Trees players notwithstanding, the local boys scored three more converted tries, mostly thanks to an efficient offloading game. At the very end of the afternoon, in a defiant and spirited last effort saw another powerful scrum thrust flanker Sam Edris over the whitewash, scoring a well-deserved try for the visitors, obligingly converted by outside centre Ali O’Gara (42-10).

Whilst the scoreboard is a little more uncomplimentary than one would have liked, a run-around after the festive season was much needed! Next week sees Rowntree travel to South Yorkshire, where they will face Sheffield Oaks, which will conclude the first phase of the League. Kick-off at 14:15 at Parson Cross, see y’all there!

Try: S. Edris.
Conversion: A. O’Gara.
Penalty: D. Harder.

Squad: M. Ford; R. Roodt (C); C. Lynch-Smith; H. Smith; T. Eaton; S. Edris; R. Carlyle; Z Hardy; R. Cames; J. Hatton; S. Bigden; S. Protheroe; A. O’Gara; D. Mahlaulo; D. Harder.
Finishers: C. Reeves; O. Sudron; D. Hall; J. Porter.

Nestle Rowntree (York) RUFC

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