Starting line-up

1 Sam Vail 2 Ren Pesci 3 Rik Relph

4 Brian Smith 5 Young Brian

6 Rolando Pesci 7 Chris (Psycho) Edwards 8 Ritz Steytler

9 Chris (Flora) Beddow 10 Daray Horn 15 Rob Bevington

11 Jay Hall 12 Graham (Capt) Beckford 13 Stuart Faben 14 Eddie (BillBob) Murphy

Manager: Graham Beckford

Match report by Ben Sutton

On a cold Saturday afternoon we lined up against a very new looking Wendens team - in fact we lined up against two Wendens teams, we brought one sub, they brought fourteen!

We still fielded a strong side with most players comfortable in their positions and welcomed Brian Jnr - Hugh? Our newest and youngest Renegade, we needed a little youth on our side, Wendens having about 25 of them.

At the kick off Renegades began by playing up hill on a frosty semi -solid pitch, and shocked the opposition with some powerful running from our back line attacking their right flank. At the second play we completed the breakthrough and scored a try through Fabio's running down the same side of the pitch (missed conversion). 0-5.

Wendens took the game to the renegades line, strong defence repelled this attack, neither side would be able to relax at any point this afternoon. From the sidelines it was to be an exciting game to watch and play in. Wendens Ambo pressured well at the scrum and from the pressure they applied here Renegades were on the back foot here, 9 and 10 - (where a few handbags were exchanged, after gratuitous niggling of Darey by their no. 8). Wendens burst through on our left wing after play moved from one side of the pitch to the other. 5-5

Renegades woke up and at the restart determined to fight for the ball a mid-air collision was well and truly won by the flying renegade (it looked like Psycho from my side of the pitch). Hard running was met by a strong and quick defence which was unlocked by quick hands, and great support running and were through for a second try (Daray I think looped to finish this one again unconverted). 5-10.

Wendens Ambo returned barging down the middle they successfully retained possession and momentum to carry the ball over under the posts the 'gades defence rushed to get wide and was unable to back track to their point of unexpected point of attack. 12-10.

Little Brian left the field (very quietly) with a dislocated finger, I warmed myself in the scrum and half time rolled around. Brian Jnr returned to the fray at the start of the 2nd half and left shortly after to keep Brian snr out of too much trouble.

The second half was littered with knock-ons and forward passes by both teams and lots and lots of scrums. With gravity on our side in the pack our line out was sometimes superb and sometimes disrupted - wendens did field a player so tall that he was almost as high at the jump as little Bri when lifted by Rik and co. Psycho will remember stopping this beast (or at least his ribs will).

Our scrum sometimes held steady (while I was in it) and sometimes went backwards (while I was under it) - it can't have been easy for Flora to distribute quality passes. Ren passed Jay man and ball and he squeaked through and dotted down near the posts, Darey was unfairly impeded and a penalty try was awarded after Fab broke through. Fabio dragged a couple of players over the line to score. For the last ten minutes a Wendens come back was on the cards, the ref had misread his writing and we thought it was close after they scored running wide of the renegades defence. A helter skelter last ten and the game was over.

Somehow the score was 29 - 17

Quotes!

"Bloody hell boys what was that?

Saturday night was spent in pain and sweating my bollocks of with some sort of fever, then woke up on Sunday morning feeling fine! I think it must have been an allergic reaction to young rugby players.

At least we now know how Custer must have felt at Little Big Horn. Out numbered by younger and fitter opponents; but that is where the similarity ends. Was it experience, ability, determination or belligerence that made the difference? I don’t know, but it was good to win! I do resent being abused by a bunch of teenagers and twenty-somethings, it’s not the Wendons I know and like which made victory even sweeter. Well done to them for their recruitment drive but I’m not afraid to say they need to instil some old fashioned values before I’ll accept loosing to them.

On the opposite side of the coin Little Brian was a credit to youth. He had a monstrous game and was a credit to himself, the youth of today and his parents, although Brian I think he may take your place in the team! Good to have Chris Edwards back and focussed, hard fair hits, and I’m glad he’s with us and not against us.

Well done boys, there was good and there was bad. I still feel we’re better than we were and that’s when we’re down on numbers. I’d like to see the ball being passed through the hands more often, even Darey, to avoid contact, without throwing it away; in the backs we must come up consistently from 10 to 13 and communicate; in contact I’d like to see communicated retention/retrieval of the ball.

Still good to limp around with you, until we wince with pain together again" Flora

Try

Stuart Faben 2
Daray Horn 1
Ren Pesci 1

Penalty Try

Daray Horn 1

Conversion

Stuart Faben 2

Drop Goal

Nominations

Player of the Match: Young Brian. Doughnut of the match: Graham Beckford.