Bulldogs 10-10 Uxbridge
Hi chaps
What another great game on Saturday!!!
90% of the game was great but the other 10% let us down badly but let’s be positive and get on with the 90%!
It was a good day for rugby ….cool day, firm ground and a clear sky and plenty of natural light.
Uxbridge , from previous season we know well…they tend to have a heavy and very experienced motley crew of “ heavies” that bring a meaning to rugby being an impact sport!
Their outsides have always been unsettled and change from season.
We had a good side out with excellent new players on the bench
Our pack was looking good. We had the return of our old favourite Lenny the Leap who brought his own brand of effective pack leadership and skippering to the side and in the engine room. We had big Rupert 1 back in the front row to join Johnny and Andrew…the back row was an awesome trio of Matt, Saffa and Simon and with Steve partnering Len we had the makings of a good scrum. It was not as heavy as UIxbridge but somehow the Bulldog spirit was aroused and we never lost a ball and it was a fine superb effort. This enabled Dom at scrum half to have decent ball and out to Sticky Stuart at no 10 who played his usual stylish and sold game….moving the ball wide for the wingers of Steel man Mike Bianchi ( son of Iron Man) and Aussie Farren to constantly test out the opposition and so nearly get over the line. Sticky tested the opposituion with some nice long touchline kicks pushing back the Uxbridge forwards time and time again.
In the centre we had the welcome return this season of Ian at outside centre of Ian and Michael at inside centre. This proved a telling combination and the opportunity arose for Ian to collect the ball about 20 yards out and side step two players and make a bee line for the gaol line with Steel man Mike backing up on his shoulder in great support.
The touchline exploded and it was good to see Brad on the touchline well equipped with a reclining chair and nursing his leg in plaster and well supported by martin and some rather nice young ladies making a fuss of him (Brad this is!!)
Our first try resulted and it was a corner area try making the conversion a difficult one which Sticky Stuart just missed.
And so all the hard work of constant drive and support for the ball carrier paid off with Len making his drives into the oppo’s half supported by all the forwards with great tackles going in by everyone and what a high pace rate both Matt and Peter put up and set as the norm for players ten years their junior! Of Simon in his normal quite way pushing and driving , of Johnny, our new prop and his high work out oput around the field and of Andrew and Rupert getting stuck in at the lose and Steve tidying up around the fringe.
And way back at fullback Patrick had an immaculate game with his tackling and catching under the high ball and putting in huge clearance touch kicks
What a great first half effort
We moved into the second half and it was time to bring on our new players and also to bring in Roger ( nelson) back from his unknown leg injury that baffled the Hospital for Tropical diseases….but now he is at No 10 and Mac is on at No 9
Steel man Mike pulled an ankle muscle after some very heavy and penetrating runs and Chris came on. It was a hard second half and suddenly the Uxbridge outsides somehow got through our defence and put in their first try!
This was not converted although it was in front of the posts!
We pushed on and the ball was flicked down the line to Farren who made a long and fast run down the wing and was just stopped short of the try line…a fine effort that deserved a try.
Our lineout play throughoy both halves was immaculate and Andrew found his jumper time and time again which gave us good ball Our forward jumped well and closed down the lineout nicely with no Uxbridge forward getting through…good sold play that enabled the ball to move around
The Uxbidge forwards found themselves 5 yards out from our try line and had a scrum awarded. This time the Bulldogs pushed hard and tried to control the drive against them but the very heavy weight of the Uxbridge players ( just look at the photo report and you will see the sizes of the guys) proved too much for Lenny’s forward and slowly we went back BUT FULL EFFORT WAS BEING GIVEN BY OUR FORWRADS and Uxbridge got theIr second try
Again not converted!!!
The score was now 5 – 10 against us and somehow The Bulldogs dug deep and drove back into Uxbridge half and so nearly scored a quick try but not ot be.
We had to wait until the last few minutes when Nelson. ( roger) put up a high ball in the corner for our winger. Craig caught the ball superbly and went over in the corner for a very good try .. a little like a touch of England!
So we found ourselves at 10 – 10 with a very difficult corner kick to convert….not even Wilkinson would have got this one.
And so the game came to an end at 10- 10…
The game was a great game to watch and we had many spectators including Jamie who tells us he is back next week
After the Bulldogs came off the pitch we had our après huddle and I made the comment that we played “crap” we did but only for 10% of the time and we all knew that w should have had another couple of tries in the first half and at least an additional one in the second half.
Where did we go wrong. Certainly not through spirits or determination. It was only our third game and mistakes will happen that will result in…. rushed, wild passes that are imposible to take to hand… decisons to run from penatties when we have good kickers that could put us way down the pitch and we knew we were winning our own lineout ball.
We took too long to settle but let’s face it this was only our third game and with a constant movement of player positions we all did very well
BUT whatever the situation and no matter the number of player changes made on the day and through the afternoon we must still watch our passing, think about the options and make the best of our great Bulldog ability
That’s it chaps and you will see a very good display of action photos both on the game and après ones attached.
My thanks to Iron Man Tony for his photo journalism and support and my thanks to all players and supporters for their support for this game and our 30th anniversary year
Great
Cheers
Colin
Manager, coach and part ti me skipper apart for my other important position
Keep it coming chaps and enjoy your rugby …if you have a problem with your game or any aspect the let’s have a chat
PLEASE
CONFIRM FOR HOME GAME AGAINST OLD ISLEWORTHIANS THIS SAT!!