Verwood Rugby Club Reports
Verwood RUFC play in Hampshire Division 3
Home matches are played at Potterne Park Verwood Dorset
Verwood RUFC Match Reports 2007/8
1st March 2008
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Report courtesy ace reporter Robin Peirce
VERWOOD TREAT PAXTON TO A "BIG MAC"
Verwood finally overcame a spirited Paxton side who were third in the league until this weekend with some fine individual tries. If Verwood could replicate their home form away they would undoubtedly have gained promotion this year.
After some 20 minutes Paxton opened the scoring going over for a converted try following a misfield in Verwood's 25. Verwood's first reply came after a decisive break by their young fly-half Charlie Cockram which ended in a short off load to Dan Moore who touched down having supported him all the way. The conversion was added by Paul McGuffie. This made the score 7-8 to Paxton.
Throughout the first half Verwood’s mistakes allowed Paxton's possession and helped the away side to go into the break 7-11 up.
The second half started with Verwood again gifting Paxton a try to make the score 7-18 but with 20 minutes to go the home side finally settled and started playing the style of open rugby that has enabled them to beat the top sides in the league. Another fine break by Charlie Cockram saw him go through two tackles and score under the posts to make make it 12-18 , again Paul McGuffie added the conversation. 14-18 to Paxton.
In the final minutes an inspired substitution by Verwood’s Director of Rugby sending on prop forward Ian Mackrell (Big Mac) making his first start for the club this season - a disconcerting sight for the now tiring opposition - ensured good scrummage ball from a 15 metre scrum with Mackrell picking up and sending a perfectly weighted pass to Brian Thompson who crashed over the line to giving victory for Verwood in the nick of time.
Three of Verwood youngsters shared the man of the match award. Duncan Cook, Michael Mazzio and Andre Jeneson
Verwood 15 Overton 44
26th January 2008
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Report courtesy Overton (with some adaption)
Overton travelled to Verwood expecting a hard fought game and straight
from the off Verwood were clearly prepared to make a point that they could
compete with the Division 3 leaders.After 5 minutes, turnover ball secured
at the ruck by Overton led to a break up the middle of the park only for
Verwood to infringe. 45 metres out Williams sweetly converted the penalty
to take an early 3 point lead.
This kicked Verwood into shape again and the home side came back strongly at Overton and may have scored but for some superb defending from Hall, McLeod, Shepherd and Salmon on the line. Then, Verwood were awarded a penalty 30 metres out. Scrum half Dan Moore elected to try his arm with a speculative cross field kick. Overton turned over the ball and broke out quickly and passed the ball through the hands to Woods who held his defender and passed to Marchment to run 50m for his try. Williams converted to take the score to 0-10.
Verwood continued to take the game to Overton. A lineout 10 metres out, following a clever grubber kick from McGuffie, saw Verwood secure the possession from the Overton lineout. Hooker Steve Thomas led the ensuing forward drive to score.
Verwood picked up the pace from this and made some inroads with their pack (which was clearly heavier) and then shipping the ball wide to the backs who started to make some progress out of their 22 but a handling error led to a break down and once again the support play from the Overton forwards proved to be pivotal in Meggison getting his first try for the club. Williams failed with the conversion 5-15.
Williams slotted another penalty from 40 metres out – 5-18.
With 15 minutes left in the half the home team rallied but despite some good tackling by McLeod and Cornell (senior) Overton conceded another try. From a linout on Overton’s 22, fly-half Charlie Cockram shuffled into space to put right winger Andre Jeneson over in the corner.
From the restart, with Plows leading from the front, Overton tried to disrupt any good ball by fiercely competing at breakdowns. The first lineout in the Verwood 10m was taken superbly by Cornell down to Smith-Jones who darted through the gap, passed to Mountain on his shoulder and inside to Williams to score – Williams added the conversion.
Half Time 10-25
Early into the second half, Overton’s Williams was over again after the ball was effectively run back at Verwood from a 22 drop out. 10-32.
From the restart Overton were to make one last mistake. Quick ball from the forwards and a missed tackle from Williams led to an overlap for the home team. Hooker Steve Thomas held off two tackles and used his strength to drive over in the right hand corner. 15-32. This set Overton up for a flourish of tries in the final quarter although the final scoreline did not really reflect how close the game was. The first was from Hall who battered his way through and dummy to put Cottrell and in under the posts. 39-15 With 2 minutes left of play came the final try of the game from Mountain. Quick ball through the backs and forwards interchanging, a gap appeared for Mountain to side step his man and in for a try.
Verwood 22 Kingsclere 0
19th January 2008
This was Verwood’s most convincing win over promotion chasing Kingsclere in 4 seasons of League competition. Although Kingsclere contributed to this game in terms of physical effort, the real difference between the two sides lay in inventiveness, which Verwood had a plenty.
The deadlock between the sides was unlocked after 15 minutes. A loose clearance kick was well gathered by Zimbabwean full-back Karl Jeneson. The portly youngster ran the ball upfield with intent. Swerving the first defender, he fed inside to Cockram who threw a wide flat pass right which stretched Clere’s defence. Quick ruck ball was spread wide through the hands. Welsh trialist hooker Stevie Thomas almost failed to straighten and draw the last defender leaving winger Kendall the unnecessary task of riding the final tackle to score in the corner. McGuffie failed narrowly with the conversion from the corner.
Then, a classic of its kind. Straight from the restart the ball was gathered on the 10 metre line. No messing, the ball was thrown left. Two passes later, inside centre Paul McGuffie was galloping down the mid-field. Crossing half way, he put in the daintiest of grubbers having the presence of mind to realise that space was opening up behind the drifting defensive line. Fly half Charlie Cockram, obviously tuned into 800 KHz chased and gathered the ball effortlessly 40 metres out to have a clear run in to score. Is it not a simple game really? McGuffie converted.
10 minutes later, scrappy lineout ball on half way turned to Verwood’s advantage. Cockram spun out a flat pass & good inter-passing saw Andre Jensen over in the corner.
17-0 at half time.
Despite a strong cross field wind in their favour, Kingsclere failed to capitalize on the advantage of the elements in their favour. They stuck rigidly to an in effectual game plan of rolling mauls from quite readiculas field positions.
Verwood scored the only try of the second half from a well worked first phase move from a linout 15 metres out from Clere’s line. Scrum half Dan Moore fed Number 8 Chris Tunnicliff 10 metres out who charged over to score.
Scorers:
Verwood: Darren Kendall; Charlie Cockram; Andre Jeneson; Chris Tunnicliff
Conversion: Paul Scruffier
Stoneham Park 0 Verwood 52
5th January 2008
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Stoneham Park must be regretting the day their influential Captain Andy Stride hung up his boots. Without him, they were directionless against a committed & well drilled Verwood XV. At their very best, there is no question that Verwood are still good enough to beat any team in Hampshire 3.
Right from the outset Verwood dominated the possession and were camped in Stoneham’s 22. Then after 10 minutes, a loose clearance kick was run back at Stoneham by newcomer Andre Jeneson from full back. His arcing run saw him give a well timed pass to left winger Darren Kendall who stretched his legs to go over in the corner.
Soon after, a clever box kick by Verwood’s scrum half Dan Moore saw Olympic hopeful Matt Moore sprint 30 metres down the right to win the chase and score in the right hand corner. Paul McGuffie kicked a wonderful conversion from the touchline.
All credit to Stoneham they continued to take the game to Verwood with gusto and for 15 minutes enjoyed a modicum of possession but were unable to achieve any real penetration and showed no hidden talents. Even so, Stoneham’s veteran Mike Locke was ever present in the loose and certainly added a degree of grunt to the home side. Verwood managed to break loose from this brief stagnant stranglehold, gaining field position 15 metres out. A quickly taken tap penalty by Number 8 Brian Thompson saw him off load a nifty pass to his back row pal James Chisholm who twisted his way through the last tackle. McGuffie converted.
0-19 at half-time
Almost immediately from the restart, Verwood secured clean lineout ball raising full gallop and moving it swiftly left. Winger Moore kicked ahead cleverly for centre Matt Pike to chase winning the race for the line to score. McGuffie converted. Yet more clean ball soon after from another lineout saw back rower Will Trim take a well timed short pass from Dan Moore to score.
The floodgates were beginning to take shape. A speculative kick downfield by Verwood’s flyhalf Karl Jeneson was mis-handled on the ground by Stoneham’s full back Peters. Verwood centre Paul McGuffie picked up the ball to feed Matt Pike 40 metres out. The youngster pinned his ears back and ran in under the posts. McGuffie converted.
At the Close, Kendall went over for his second following a clever inside switch from Jeneson 20 metres out converted by McGuffie followed by replacement flanker Richard Cooke taking a slip pass from scrum half Dan Moore at the back of the scrum to scramble in from 20 metres out. McGuffie converted.
Scorers:
Tries: Darren Kendall (2); Matt Moore; James Chisholm; Matt Pike (2);Will
Trim; Richard Cooke
Conversions: Paul McGuffie (6)