Starting line-up

1 Shannon Neyland 2 Ren Pesci 3 Bob Copping

4 Matt Price 5 Nick Wells

6 Chris (The Glove) Milne 7 Graham (Capt) Beckford 8 Rob Bevington

9 Chris (Flora) Beddow 10 Daray Horn 15 John Bateson

11 Matt Turner 12 Will Cleare 13 Colin Weir 14 Roger McGachan

Manager: Richard Cowley

Match report by Eddie Murphy

This much-anticipated clash never failed to entertain. Saffron Walden fielded a big, well-disciplined team and we always knew they would be a tough nut to crack.

Renegades started brilliantly with a great forward rush from the kick-off which took us right up to the Saffron Walden goal line. A strong heave from Bev was stopped just short of the line. Sadly a penalty reversed the play and took Walden down to our line immediately after. Walden sustained the pressure and after a while when a good opportunity for them on the left was thwarted, they quickly switched to the right scoring close enough to the posts for a straightforward conversion (0-7).

Walden kept piling on the pressure. They scored from a kickable penalty (0-10). This was followed by an almost-certain try which was prevented by a great tackle from JB giving Gades a chance to regroup. However, another kickable penalty was conceded and Walden added another three to their total (0-13). Gades dug deep, rallied and took the game back to the Walden 22. This effort was rewarded with three points from a penalty slotted over by Daray (3-13).

The next phase of the game was end-to-end but Walden had the upper hand. Eventually, they piled over the Gades line with a powerful drive which proved too much. They missed the conversion (3-18). However, they kept up the pressure and very nearly scored in the left corner again, denied by a try-saving tackle from Matt Turner. The half finished with Saffron Walden camped on the Gades line but stout defence kept them out.

The half-time team talk had more passion than usual with Beaky and Ren being so passionate that Flora (ever the educational professional) felt obliged to cover the ears of our young water carrier.

The talk had an effect. Renegades started the second half with vigour. Several great kicks from Daray kept putting us back into Walden's 22 and the pressure paid off. Bev made a determined drive to the line but was stopped. Eventually, Shannon got the ball and powered over. Daray slotted over the conversion (10-18). This put fire in Renegades bellies and the next phase of the game we kept returning to the Walden 22. The intensity of the competition caused tempers to fray and there were a few incidents which the ref didn't see. He did claim to see Psycho knee another player and awarded a yellow card which Chris converted to a red card with his mouth.

Despite being a man down, Renegades played their hearts out for the remainder of the half. However, the better discipline of the Walden side led to the inevitable further try which they converted (25-10). The game ended with dogged defence of the Gades line holding out waves of pressure from Walden.

The re-match with strong players like Fabio, Ritz and Lloyd hopefully back in the team is something to look forward to.

Quotes!

"Well played guys, an enthralling match to watch and I thought closer than the scores showed. Not sure if that was their full strength side but it certainly is one that we could beat.

From my initial email at the start of the season there has been a huge improvement.

Firstly the tackling, far more effective than before. our handling and running is very good too, the kicking from hand is productive and no longer aimless, it is an even better strategy when followed up HARD. Our speed to the breakdown and ball retention is much, much better too.

Not sure about the ref and it's hard to say not being on the pitch, but again we are still giving away too many penalties, and in silly places. We shouldn't be forced to offend in their half, our defence is good so let them win the ball at the breakdown and have more players standing off and let them make the errors through pressure and good defence. Although turnover ball is always welcome, it's sometimes a lost cause and energy could be saved to nail the next ball carrier.

With the ref randomly pinging us it's difficult to know when or when not to use your hands. but I'd go with the first person at the breakdown has to pick up the ball, we seemed to lose possession on a few occasions where we had a lot of bodies in the ruck and the ball loose at the back foot, but no one wanted to pick the ball up and we were then eventually pushed off it.

Finally discipline. We all get pissed off with the ref or the opposition if they are bending the rules (like we don't now and again) But use the anger to fire you up for the next hit/hand off/ruck clearance.

Let's take it out on Cambridge next week.
Bloodywellplayedshameabouttheresult love" Tom Wykes

"Tom. Thank you very much for your obs again. It's good to get the perspective of an experienced hand from touchline (although I had expected to be lining up with you after your e-mail on Friday!!)

Always welcomed and good to hear we're making progress. If we can stay positive when the silly things (ref bloopers included) happen and as Tom says channel the frustration I think we'll clean up. As Darey said during 1st half yesterday we were the ones beating us, not the opposition!

We got better in the 2nd half at pulling together and it really showed as we gave them a proper fright.

I think that was a strong line-up for them as one of their former 1st teamers didn't get on and the inside centre was a provincial player in SA. As for the pack if that wasn't a 1st choice line up I'd hate to see the size of the one's they left out!

Lookingforwardtoexilelove

PS big turnout for Wednesday would be great, where perhaps we practice support running - getting to the tackled player first, communicating with them and getting quick ball out???" Will Cleare

"Having read Tom and Will’s views its all true I guess. For what its worth here's what I saw.

Nobody likes losing we know that having done it, but now we have we don't need to be afraid of it. I think perhaps yesterday we were though, we played so much better once we were down and we had our backs to the wall. Make no mistake I believe we wanted to win but were too worried about losing so we didn't start playing before it was too late.

In the first half we know we simply gave away too many penalties, quite often going after ball we were never going to win instead of accepting the ball was lost and setting the defensive line onside. We were also cut to shreds by their backs, which is a fairly new experience; here we were either forced to turn by their kicking or we were chasing shadows. These issues could be helped by talk and alignment; wingers have to sit back and support the fullback then they can defend coming forward; centres rush up and force them in. Hopefully as our mobility improves the rest of us can then defend across behind.

We often failed to retain our ball, we must get with the ball carrier if we sit on his shoulder we'll quite of ten over run the contact area so we need to come from behind him and hit the contact to drive the opposition off and open up the ball. Too often there was 8 hands and 3 boots on the ball and we were using our energy and time to hold rather than deliver the ball.

The positives were the lineout, apologies for getting in the way I just panic when the ball doesn't come away quickly as the lineout used to be guaranteed ball for the opposition! It'd be good to clarify moves here for all though, so get your arses to training. The scrum is much improved although yesterday was tough. There was as Tom has said some great kicking it was just a shame we couldn't capitalise on the position. The backs were catching and running in the first half but were well defended, hitting that gain line at speed from deep is what we need to do.

How did I see all this? When you're out for an afternoon stroll you see all manner of things! I even had time to chat to some of you as we watched the action, remarking to Bev that we should probably get a move on to the ruck. It was at that point I realised, like you, I have a responsibility to get there even if my lungs do come out. Our fitness is our responsibility and perhaps if I was fitter I'd feel better today and tomorrow than I do; although I'm not sure if fitness cures stud marks.

The more people who train the better for their fitness and skills, the better for Renegades.

Whataloadofbollockslove" Chris Beddow

"Hello gents, my thoughts for what little there worth what i saw was a bloody hard game, very physical and they had some big chunks of meat out there. I saw the gades give all they could give, you could see it in every tackle, scrum, ruck and maul. And as captain Beaky you led by example so dont be too hard on yourself, just a little!!!

One thing with regards to the handling in the ruck, Saffron walden were quite blatant about it but seemed to do it on the opposite side to the ref (lucky or clever) and it seemed they got away with it more than us but this was not down to biased reffing.
Well played guys hope your not too sore!!!!" Jay Hall

Try

Shannon Neyland 1

Penalty

Daray Horn 1

Conversion

Daray Horn 1

Drop Goal

Nominations

Player of the Match: John Bateson. Doughnut of the match: Psycho