Bournemouth RFC

Season 2008/2009

Bournemouth Lions are sponsored by Wood of Bournemouth, BMW Dealers.

Bournemouth Lions v Redingensians

The English Clubs Rugby Union Championship – South-West 1

Saturday 29 November 2008, KO 2.30 p.m. at Old Bath Road.

Result – Redingensians 7 (1G) v Bournemouth 20 (1G, 2T, 1P). Half-time – 7-13

Attendance – 100+ approximately.

Referee – Simon Lane, Devon.

Touch Judge – Steve Buffery, Bournemouth.

Bournemouth Team – 15: Domenick Davies; 14: James Payne; 13: Joe Frost (Martyn Lever 62); 12: Scott Chislett; 11: Mike Pope (2T, 1C, 1P); 10: ‘Puks’ Ngapaku; 9: Sam Hardcastle; 1: Tim Wareham; 2: Dan Cawley; 3: Alan Manning; 4: Callum Forrest; 5: Jo Burns (Tim Seward 56); 6: Chris Hughes (c); 7: Iain Crombie; 8: Matt Kiely (1T).
Unused substitute: Simon McFarlane.

Joe Frost makes his first appearance for the 1st XV since playing right-wing away to Chinnor in March. He came in as replacement for ‘Eddy’ Edwards who was injured in Thursday-night training. Jo Burns makes his first appearance as lock for the 1st XV since he partnered Anis El-Mariesh away to Swindon College OBs in November 2001. Martyn Lever returns since coming on as a substitute in the game against Ealing in the middle of October. Tim Seward also returns to 1st XV duty for the first time since playing lock away to Old Patesians in October and in the mean time suffering a scare that he might have broken a wrist a couple of weeks ago playing for the twos.

Scorers – Tries (3): Mike Pope 2 (28, 76), Matt Kiely (12). Cons (1): Mike Pope (76). Pens (1): Mike Pope 1 (7).

Milestones – Mike Pope becomes the third highest points scorer in a league season with his 124 points overtaking Jon Sanchez’s figure of 120 set in 2006/2007.

Redingensians Team – 15: Jevon Marsh; 14: Andy Fairweather; 13: Sebastian Reynolds; 12: Peter Freeth (1T); 11: Joao Costa; 10: ‘Spike’ Chandler (1C); 9: Jeremy Flynn, 1: Scott Breadmore; 2: Tom Clare; 3: James Baker; 4: Warren Milne; 5: Ollie Randall; 6: Gavin Marsh (c); 7: Greg Lynch; 8: Dan Southern.
Substitutes: Will Mathews, Paddy Conlon, Matt Hulland.

Scoring Sequence – 7m: 3-0 Pope pen; 12m: Kiely try 8-0; 28m: Pope try 13-0; 40m: 13-5 Freeth try, 13-7 Chandler con; Half-time: 13-7; 76m: 18-7 Pope try, 20-7 Pope con; 80m: Full Time: 20-7.

Tom Hoines, head coach of Redingensians in his pre-match notes in the programme was first of all very generous in his comments on the history of the many years of games between the two clubs (we have played them more than any other club in the league, twenty-one times (you would expect me to know that wouldn’t you!!) and it is remarkable how our league careers have matched each others’) but that he was ‘confident that today, whatever the result, we are in for a cracking game of rugby’. Tom I hope you feel the same way after the game despite what I am sure is a great disappointment that the game didn’t ‘go your way’. I am certain the neutral would have enjoyed a game that lived up to your pre-match billing of two sides who ‘…endeavour to play an attractive style of rugby…’ but forgive us if we express delight to have won against long-standing talented rivals who made such a great contribution to this game of rugby football. From a Bournemouth perspective we were of course delighted in the manner we won and I urge supporters to make every effort to watch their team because they will enjoy the brand of rugby their team plays.

The day was very dark and overcast and became very gloomy as the match progressed but we were spared any rain although there was a very cool northerly breeze blowing straight down the pitch but not strong enough to spoil the game or make it too cold for the spectators—mind you the game warmed us and made us impervious to the cold. Underfoot the pitch was very heavy after recent rain. Bournemouth kicked-off from the end furthest from the clubhouse and thus into the aforesaid breeze. Almost straight from the start Bournemouth won a scrum and No-8 Matt Kiely made the first of many characteristic drives off the back but, although the forwards joined in a promising drive, they were penalized for ‘holding on’ when the ball carrier went to ground. Fly-half ‘Spike’ Chandler with that equally characteristic ‘easy’ action of his punished Bournemouth with a long kick to find touch down his right on the Bournemouth 10-metre line. Bournemouth did well to win the ball back as Redingensians attacked off the line-out but fly-half ‘Puks’ Ngapaku, despite being inside his own 22-metre, was not able to find touch directly and instead found Chandler. The fly-half immediately brought his backs into play as they first attacked going right and when that channel was sealed off manage to retain the ball to be able to move back left. The Bournemouth defence was up to the task, as they were to demonstrate all afternoon, and, having won the ball back, were awarded a penalty by referee Simon Lane. Ngapaku found touch on his left on the Bournemouth 10-metre where he might have wanted to get the ball to in the first place. With lock Callum Forrest winning the ball it set up a strong thrust by captain Chris Hughes that punched up the middle which set up an opportunity for scrum-half Sam Hardcastle to test the Redingensians defence down the left-hand side but put a foot in touch before being able to get his pass back inside. It was clear from these opening salvoes both sides wanted to ‘play rugby’ with Hardcastle using every opportunity to get the ball wide from the contact for his threes to constantly probe for an opening in the Redingesians’s defensive line. However, determined and well-organized defence kept the visitors out otherwise the flood of attacking moves may well of swamped them. Chandler was able to clear from this line-out on his 22-metre line down his right but it was Forrest again who secured the ball for Bournemouth from the resultant line-out. The forwards set up a drive back inside the Redingesians’s 22-metre where they were penalized just left of the posts. Left-wing Mike Pope was given the opportunity to open up the Bournemouth account and he duly did with a well-struck ball that went straight between the posts. 3-0 after seven minutes play. Straight from the kick-off Bournemouth were back on the offensive with that mix of strong forward drives coupled with that quick ball swung wide as the momentum slowed. They won a scrum inside the Redingensians 22-metre and there was Kiely again driving at the heart of the defence and putting them under all sorts of pressure. Bournemouth retained the ball and moved it right where Kiely again was in the thick of it to be driven over wide out. Pope’s attempt at goal from the right-hand touchline was short and across the face of the goal but his side was 8-nil up after just twelve minutes. Although both sides ran the ball at every opportunity a Bournemouth kick was returned with interest by a Chandler kick and when right-wing James Payne received the ball from outside the 22-metre line his kick went directly into touch for a Redingensians line-out some 18 metres out on their left. However they rather spoilt their opportunity by not throwing the ball in straight for a Bournemouth scrum. Hardcastle broke right and Payne made a strong break out. With the ball being moved out left it went to ground but when Pope went down to retrieve it he wasn’t allowed to regain his feet for a Bournemouth penalty and Ngapaku to bang the ball down field to the left-hand touch. Forrest again won the ball and set up another Bournemouth attack with Ngapaku with deft passes and feints constantly looking to give his centres the opening they required. Outside centre Joe Frost almost capitalized on one such move but he was forced into touch some ten metres short of the line by a stretched Redingensians defence. Redingensians were awarded a scrum at the line-out but when it was turned Bournemouth were awarded the scrum. Winning the ball Hardcastle fed Ngapaku and he put Scott Chislett into a half gap but the inside-centre lost the ball in the contact and Chandler was able to put in a long clearance kick all the way to the Bournemouth 10-metre line down his left. Bournemouth nonetheless re-exerted the pressure on the Redingensians defence with some exciting three-quarter play with Chislett at last put into that hole Ngapaku had been trying hard to create for the visitors to be awarded a scrum inside the Redingesians 22-metre. Kiely again broke off the back to drive into the fringe defence going to his right and with Bournemouth doing well to retain the ball attacked down the left but knocked the ball on for a Redingensians put-in. Chandler put in a high clearance kick and full-back Domenick Davies showed great commitment to catch the ball on the full which enabled him to burst through down the left touch. He couldn’t find the man inside and Redingensians had a line-out. Redingensians drove first up the left and then swung the ball right in the face of a determined Bournemouth defence. When Chandler opted to kick Davies did well to field the ball and the full-back set Payne up for a strong run back up the middle where he was able to link to the left. Bournemouth continued the momentum and, with the Redingensians defence overstretched, Pope was given all the space he needed to skip in for a touch down. As had been a problem earlier, his standing foot slipped as he attempted to convert his own try but Bournemouth were well worth their thirteen point lead after twenty-eight minutes. Kiely fielded the restart under some considerable pressure and did well to retain the ball. Hardcastle completed the task with a long kick down field. Bournemouth again did well to win the ball back in the contact but Redingensians cleared long to their left where Payne fielded the ball in space. He immediately threw it wide inside to Davies who linked up with Pope as Bournemouth countered down the left. Redingensians forced the ball into touch as Pope tried hard to shake of his tacklers. From the line-out Chandler threw it wide going left and the Redingensians put in a long kick in the face of the Bournemouth defensive line for a Bournemouth line-out on their own 10-metre lime. Hughes made a huge dent in midfield with his hitch kick and low shoulder giving the tackler a hard time but Bournemouth were penalized for ‘holding on’ giving Chandler the opportunity to find touch on the left-hand side and just fifteen metres out from the Bournemouth try-line. The Bournemouth forwards did well to win the ball but Ngapaku failed to find touch with his clearance. In trying to recover the situation the forwards were penalized for ‘diving in’ but Chandler was wayward with his attempt to find an advantageous touch and kicked the ball ‘dead’ for a relieved Bournemouth to be given the scrum. Kiely again broke off the back of the scrum and Bournemouth were able to get in a kick to clear but Redingesians promptly kicked it back. Davies did well to scramble across and secure the ball to mount a counter attack. Bournemouth were given the scrum at the point of contact in mid-field for Kiely again to test that fringe defence as he went right. Hardcastle found Payne on the bounce but Bournemouth had been penalized in the meantime for Chandler to maintain the pressure by finding touch inside the Bournemouth 22-metre. However another golden opportunity when, under pressure from the Bournemouth jumpers, the ball was again not thrown in straight for a Bournemouth scrum. Redingensians recovered the situation by worryingly disrupting the Bournemouth scrum which enabled Redingensians to attack first to the right before Chandler threw in a long pass left for full-back Jevon Marsh to make another telling thrust at the heart of the Bournemouth defence. The Bournemouth defenders did well to win the ball back and then were rewarded with a penalty for Ngapaku to find touch on the halfway line on his right. As Bournemouth attacked trying to reassert themselves they managed to lose ball which gave Chandler the opportunity to bang the ball to the right and to find touch inside the Bournemouth 22-metre maintaining this period of Redingensians reassertiveness. Bournemouth compounded their problems by knocking the ball on at the line-out to give Redingensians the put in. Hardcastle managed to harry his opposite number Jeremy Flynn enough to force the scrum-half not to find his half-back partner cleanly. Nonetheless Chandler did well to recover and set up another attack through his mid-field runners. When this was contained the ball came back wide to the right and finding the Bournemouth defence on the back foot inside-centre Peter Freeth was given enough space to break through to score a well-worked try out on the right. The ever reliable Chandler didn’t fluff his lines and Redingensians were able to turn round seven points better off than they might have been. From the restart, Bournemouth threatened down the left with some neat passing and feints looking for that gap for Chislett to make a promising half break but the pass back inside was knocked-on. Hughes, having need some treatment for a knock, showed he was still up for it with another of his testimonials but again another knock-on stopped another promising move. The very lively Redingensians three-quarters ably supported by Marsh who brought his bulk to bear on their endeavours at every opportunity tested the visitors’ defensive resolve and Bournemouth were rewarded when Redingensians were penalized for ‘holding on’. Ngapaku found touch on the right and some thirty metres out. Hardcastle stood off the line-out to be fed by hooker Dan Cawley and the scrum-half was in support of the move further out to the left when he chipped into the Redingensians 22-metre. The ball was marked and cleared for a Bournemouth line-out halfway between the 10-metre line and the 22-metre line. Hooker Dan Cawley made a half break off the back of the line-out coming right. As the ball came back left Forrest was in the line forcing Redingensians to give away a penalty. Hardcastle quickly took the penalty and was off and Chislett was stopped only just short of the line as Bournemouth sought to drive the ball over. Bournemouth were given the scrum just five metres out and just left of the posts. Kiely had a ‘go’ off the back of the scrum but despite the efforts of his fellow conspirators they could not carry the ball over and Redingensians were given the scrum when Bournemouth players ran in to each other. Redingensians were then able to lift the siege when Bournemouth were penalized for handling in the scrum when Chandler found sanctuary in the left-hand touch some thirty metres away from danger. Further relief was gained when Bournemouth were penalized for closing the gap at the line-out. Redingensians attacked down the left and won another scrum when Bournemouth knocked on in the tackle. In awarding Redingensians a penalty in mid-field referee Lane had a long chat with the captains about players not staying on their feet. When play resumed, Bournemouth promptly were awarded a penalty and Ngapaku cleared to the right for a line-out on the Redingensians 10-metre line. Bournemouth knocked the ball on at the back of the line-out and Redingensians set up a dangerous three-quarter attack from the scrum. It was rather spoilt by Chandler chipping straight into the right-hand touch for a Bournemouth throw-in on the halfway line. Redingensians however won the ball but when Marsh, coming into the line, chipped the ball he wasn’t able to recover the ball and it was a Bournemouth line-out. A long kick by Bournemouth was returned by Marsh in equal measure forcing a Bournemouth knock-on. Chandler’s kick right was fielded by Davies but Redingensians won it back to attack first to attack down the left before switching right. Bournemouth gave nothing away and a penalty enabled Ngapaku to find touch on the Redingensians 10-metre line on his left. Redingensians gave away another penalty this time for not ‘rolling away’ after the tackle and Ngapaku pushed them back to inside their 22-metre. Off the line-out, the Bournemouth forwards drove for the line but conspired to lose it for Redingensians to clear. Bournemouth managed to secure the ball to set up another attack through Hardcastle who went right to link with Ngapaku who in turn found Martyn Lever, who had come on in place of Frost a few minutes earlier, but the ball flew out of the inside-centre’s hands as he was tackled with a fierce commitment. Although Bournemouth managed to snaffle Chandler before he could get the ball away Redingensians were given a scrum and this time the fly-half managed to clear. However his kick sent the ball high and not as far forward as he would have liked. It was well short of Davies but the full-back showed the same commitment as he had earlier to get the ball but he was just short and he put a foot out to kick the ball. Unfortunately in attempting to recover the ball and his amazing effort was choked off with a knock-on and Redingensians scrum. When Bournemouth were penalized for offside at a ruck as Redingensians tried to break the stranglehold, they were penalized in turn for diving in. Pope was asked to kick at goal from some thirty-two metres out but his effort was short and Redingensians were able to touch down for a 22-metre drop-out. Bournemouth were penalized after Chandler dropped out but the same player failed to find touch with his kick. From a scrum Kiely again drove off the back and Redingensians were penalized for being offside at the resultant ruck. Lever was asked to take the longish range kick from fifteen metres in from the right-hand touch and some thirty metres out. He slipped in the act of kicking and the ball hit the cross bar to bounce back into play. Redingensians recovered the ball and cleared right for a Bournemouth line-out. They unfortunately lost the ball and Redingensians were able to kick down field. However this resulted in us being treated to a little bit of magic. Pope fielded the ball and slipped the player following up and then with a classic open field play with no organized defence in front of him, the winger jinked round one then another before sprinting to the line for a great individual score. He capped it all with a well-struck kick at goal and with four minutes to go Bournemouth were thirteen points to the good at 20-7. It simply remained that Bournemouth made sure that Redingensians didn’t get a sniff of chance to score as had been the case throughout the second half for them to run out highly competent winners of an enthralling encounter. Other than that wobble in the closing stages of the first half when they conceded that score Bournemouth had and played to a game plan for which Redingensians found hard to counter. Their authority was reestablished from the beginning of the second half to such an extent Redingensians did not get into the Bournemouth 22-metre in that second forty minutes let alone threaten to score. The game was played in a fair but competitive spirit, notice there were no cards of either hue, and provided an exciting spectacle for the faithful few with some not unskilful rugby. The result means we remain third to Redingensians but by points difference only and at least two points clear of fourth placed Bracknell.