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Bournemouth Rugby, Chapel Gate, BH23 6BL
Sat, 5 March 2022, KO 3.00pm at Chapel Gate
Match Sponsored Jointly by Brian Ford and Barker Laundry
Result: Bournemouth 47/7t6c v 5/t Okehampton
HT: Bournemouth 28/4t4c v 0 Okehampton
Team Selection: A couple or so changes to the backs that played Ivybridge a fortnight ago. Alex Sutherland moved from outside centre to take over from Alex Peel at full-back, Sutherland’s place being taken by Jordan Wayman moving from the left-wing in turn replaced by the returning Robbie Johnson. In the forwards just the one change, Jacob Guildford coming off the bench to replace Jack Hennings at lock, with, George Randall returning to replace Guildford on the bench.
Overcast but with a strong Easterly breeze, an unwelcome chilly visitor from the Urals.
Bournemouth end a poor run with a handsome victory
Okehampton kicked off from right to left as viewed from the stand (with the wind) and to their left.
Bournemouth were put under early pressure by the visitors, reflected in the fact they were penalised for their defensive efforts. From a line-out on their left on the Bournemouth 22m, Okehampton pressed hard to breach a well-organised and determined defence which managed to force the attackers back to be rewarded with a penalty on the Bournemouth 10m on the left. From a line-out inside the Okehampton 10m, inside centre Grant Hancox made a half break taking play deeper into the Okehampton half. The ball was worked right as the Bournemouth threes pressed but play was halted while an injured Okehampton was treated. Play restarted with an Okehampton scrum on their own 5m. Despite the Bournemouth drive, Okehampton managed to clear the ball left for a Bournemouth line-out on the Okehampton 22m. Flanker Ciaran Smyth broke off the line-out going left to find Balazs Magda outside him and the prop was ‘in’ for his first try for the club and on his home debut. From just left of the posts, Hancox kicked the goal.
7m: Bournemouth 7-0 Okehampton
Bournemouth came straight back from the restart chasing down scrum-half Mike Pope’s kick and were awarded a penalty on the Okehampton 10m. Full-back Alex Sutherland found a good touch to his right inside the Okehampton 22m. Securing the ball, Bournemouth drove off the line-out, the Okehampton counter forcing the maul to ‘crab’ sideways into midfield where lock Joe Desmond drove over for his first score for the Club. This time from in front of the posts, Hancox kicked the goal.
10m: Bournemouth 14-0 Okehampton
No8 Joe Rees fielded the restart and took the ball into contact. Bournemouth kicked but Okehampton found it very difficult to make any progress in the face of the Bournemouth defence. Bournemouth, however, were penalised and Okehampton found touch to their left inside the Bournemouth 22m. Secured at the back, Okehampton drove but forced right into midfield and then less that ten metres out there was a knock-on and Bournemouth had the relief of the ‘put-in’ at a scrum. Rees broke off the back in typical determined fashion but when his progress was halted Bournemouth kicked only for Okehampton to run it back right and were almost in in the corner. Somehow the Bournemouth defence ‘came up’ with the ball and were awarded a line-out on their 5m. Securing the ball, it was released to Pope who kicked. Okehampton kicked the ball back to be gathered by Sutherland. The full-back, going right, took the ball into contact but there was Bournemouth knock-on and Okehampton had a scrum outside the Bournemouth 10m. Okehampton went right and left with good ball retention in the face of a vigorous Bournemouth defence. Nonetheless, Bournemouth forced the turn-over and kicked. The kick was returned to be fielded by Sutherland who kicked right to find touch outside the Okehampton 10m. Okehampton attacked right off the line-out and Bournemouth were penalised midfield. Play was stopped as another Okehampton player suffered an injury and had to leave the field of play and be replaced.
Okehampton found touch to their right inside the Bournemouth 10m. However, Bournemouth won the ball, attacked left and kicked, returned by Okehampton. Sutherland fielded the ball and ran right. The full-back got dispossessed and Bournemouth also got penalised. Okehampton found touch to their left outside the Bournemouth 22m. They attacked off the line-out with typical strong running backs but got dispossessed themselves wideout as they came back left. As Bournemouth countered Okehampton were penalised for a deliberate knock-on and Sutherland found touch to his right for a Bournemouth line-out outside the Okehampton 10m. Bournemouth attacked left off the line-out and the aggressive running Hancox made a dent. The forwards maintained the momentum and lock Jacob Guildford made it a pair for the middle-row men driving over close to the posts for Hancox to be given every chance to maintain his 100% conversion record.
30m: Bournemouth 21-0 Okehampton
Bournemouth kicked the restart back but the defence had to be at their best to resist the those Okehampton backs. They were up to it, turning the ball over and Sutherland took the ball into contact but when they came back left there was a knock-on for an Okehampton scruminsiae the Bournemouth 10m. They attacked left and the winger chipped the ball in behind the Bournemouth defence for a Bournemouth line-out inside their own 22m. Pope kicked and Okehampton attacked right but again the Bournemouth defence turned the ball over and kicked right. Okehampton kicked the ball back but in retrieving the ball. fly-half Ben Meaden got ‘pinged’ for ‘crossing’. Okehampton sought the sanctuary of the touch to their left and the throw-in on the Bournemouth 22m. Attacking right off the line-out Okehampton were ‘pinged’ in turn for ‘crossing’ and it was Bournemouth’s turn to seek the sanctuary of the righthand touch through the boot of Sutherland. From the line-out on their own 10m. Bournemouth attacked strongly but another knock-on meant an Okehampton put-in at a scrum on their 10m. Okehampton kicked but Sutherland’s kick went deep into the Okehampton half. Their clearance kick was fielded by Pope and the scrum-half took the ball into contact where Okehampton were penalised outside their own 10m. Sutherland pressed them further back with a fine kick to his right for a Bournemouth line-out on the Okehampton 5m.. The Bournemouth forwards drove off the line-out and were held up over the try-line for an Okehampton try-line drop-out. Sutherland fielded the ball and took it into contact, where supported by the forwards, they were again held up for another try-line drop-out. This time, Hancox was not to be denied and the inside centre added some variety to his scoring feats by crashing over wide out on the right. He then picked himself up and, to the obvious delight of the home crowd, kicked a fine goal. As the ball sailed between the posts referee Jack Tompkins blew for half-time and the chance for the combatants, and perhaps the referee as well, to troop off and enjoy those ubiquitous oranges.
40+4m: Bournemouth 28-0 Okehampton – Half-time
Now with the wind, the Bournemouth restart was kicked left. Okehampton kicked back and a good chase enabled them to recover the ball but were promptly disabused of such temerity and Bournemouth swung the ball left through some strong running backs. They came back right but some pretty slick passing went awry and Okehampton had a scrum on their 10m instead. Kicking from the base of the scrum, Bournemouth ran the ball back but play was stopped on the Bournemouth 10m due to an injury to outside centre Jordan Wayman who had to leave the field. As result, there was a minor reshuffle as full-back Sutherland took Wayman’s place and Ryan Morrell came off the bench as the replacement full-back.
From the resulting scrum, Pope had a ‘dart’ setting up a Bournemouth attack and they pressed going left but a pass didn’t go to hand bringing things to a grinding halt resulting in an Okehampton line-out outside their own 10m. Bournemouth seemed to have retrieved the situation by ‘nicking’ the throw-in but there was Tompkins indicating an Okehampton scrum instead. The visitors attacked left and kicked Bournemouth penalised for ‘holding on’ as they tried to secure the ball. Okehampton found touch to their left just ten or so metres out from the Bournemouth try-line. Bournemouth again managed to turn the ball over but rather spoilt things by losing it. A dangerous chip through, fortunately, resulted in nothing more than one of these try-line drop-outs. The Okehampton right winger did well with quick feet to avoid the would-be tackle but a knock-on spared Bournemouth further embarrassment. To make matters worse, Okehampton got themselves penalised at the resulting scrum and Sutherland was more than happy to bang the ball off the field of play to his left.
Not certain why Okehampton had the throw-in but I have a poor grasp of the modern laws and find sanctuary by drifting off to the saner times of my youth I’m afraid. Whatever, Okehampton had the throw-in outside the Bournemouth 10m and attacked left. The lively Bournemouth defence were again successful at turning the ball over to snuff out the threat. The Bournemouth kick saw Okehampton countering strongly down the right wing where Okehampton got themselves the throw-in at a line-out outside the Bournemouth 10m. However, Bournemouth again ‘nicked’ the throw-in and Pope kicked high. Okehampton countered with a kick of their own but Pope was again on hand to kick left to find touch inside the Okehampton 22m. Okehampton were aware a scrum at the line-out and then got themselves a free kick which went right for a line-out on the Bournemouth 10m.
Okehampton attacked first left then right testing the resolve of the Bournemouth defenders. They lifted the siege by turning g the ball over and countered right. A chip through was chased down by the alert Hancox who was clearly not in a mood not to be denied his second try of the afternoon. However, he rather blotted his copybook by failing to convert his own try from wide-out.
59m: Bournemouth 33-0 Okehampton
Okehampton restarted right but Bournemouth’s clearance kick went ‘straight out’ for an Okehampton throw-in just outside the Bournemouth 22m on their right. Again a similar pattern of play developed with the Okehampton backs attacking strongly first to the eft then back right but again suffering from Bournemouth turning the ball over. With an exciting passage of play, Bournemouth surged back up field for blindside Ben Russell to finish off the move by going over under the posts for Hancox to add the two points.
61m: Bournemouth 40-0 Okehampton
Guildford was replaced by George Randall.
On receiving the restart, Bournemouth attacked right but a forward pass gave Okehampton a scrum. Bournemouth won the ball and attacked left and were awarded a scrum just short of the Okehampton line but rather rebuffed this kind offer and were got themselves penalised. Okehampton found touch to their right outside the Okehampton 10m. Okehampton attacked left off the line-out before kicking. They managed to recover their own kick but nonetheless Bournemouth do well to recover the situation but not to the referee’s satisfaction and got themselves penalised instead. Onehampton committed the Cardinal of sins by not finding touch which enabled Bournemouth to run it back. Okehampton, however, redeemed themselves by turning the ball over but promptly lost it again when Bournemouth turned the ball over. As they countered a forward pass gave Okehampton a scrum inside the Bournemouth 10m. Okehampton attacked right off the scrum but were penalised for ‘holding on’ when tackled and Sutherland found touch to his left on the Bournemouth 22m. Bournemouth went right from the line-out taking play deep into the Okehampton half but the visitors were awarded a scrum just ten metres out from their on line.. The first scrum was reset but Bournemouth drove the second attempt and were given the put-in to a third scrum as a result. Attacking right, fly-half Meaden stepped through to score and Hancox to kicked the goal.
76m: Bournemouth 47-0 Okehampton
Okehampton restarted right and Bournemouth were penalised. Okehampton found touch to their right just ten metres out. Okehampton and with Tompkins playing advantage, Okehampton drove over to score wide out. The try was not converted but a spirited Okehampton had at least got a score.
80m: Bournemouth 47-5 Okehampton
Bournemouth had one last hurrah from the restart when they turned the ball over and attacked right but a knock-on effectively brought things to a close. Okehampton had a scrum outside their 22m but at the next stoppage, Tompkins blew for no time.
80+3m: Bournemouth 47-5 Okehampton – Full Time
Reflecting a very competitive division, Okehampton competed to the very end and were at least rewarded with a score. It should be pointed out an ostensibly dominant Bournemouth didn’t score in that third quarter. Losing three players due to injury, and I wasn’t even sure that they weren’t down to 14 players for a short while, didn’t help. However, from a Bournemouth perspective, it was pleasing to see such a spirited performance, especially defensively, from a team determined to end a poor run of results. Congratulations to Grant on being Man of the Match in a game where any of a number might have been similarly recognised. However, 22 points and the manner in which they were scored coupled with outstanding defensive work can hardly be ignored. It also made Mum & Dad very proud.
Bournemouth remain eighth on 49 points: P21 W8 D0 L13; 520-527 whilst Okehampton drop one place to 14th on 27 points: P21 W5 D1 L15; 401-702.
Bournemouth’s next match is next week is away to 6th-placed Launceston KO 3PM. With the current situation, viz a viz Covid, check the game is on before travelling.
None of what I have described above would have happened if it wasn’t for the support of the likes of Brian and Matt in our efforts to provide the opportunity for youngsters to play sport, in our case rugby football. It has become clear over these past two years what an important part clubs like ourselves play in maintaining a healthy spirit of community and the value of friendships thus forged. ‘Thank you’ gentlemen.
Dare I also add, wouldn’t it be better if a certain so-called grown-up got involved in rugby or whatever rather than visiting the most appalling atrocities upon an innocent people?
Doug Warren
President, Bournemouth RFC.
PS Please excuse the dilatory nature of the appearance of this report. Had trouble with a new internet provider but it appear, thanks to the Herculean efforts of my techno savvy son Toby, we are back up and running.
Bournemouth’s playing record against Okehampton in the League.
Home: P1 W1 D0 L0. For 47, Ag 5.
Away: P1 W0 D0 L1. For 22, Ag 25.
Overall: P2 W1 D0 L1. For 69, Ag 30
Results Today:
Bournemouth (8) 47-5 Okehampton (14)
Brixham (9) 25-25 Ivybridge (7)
Camborne (11) 10-39 Hornets (2)
Drybrook (12) 22-8 Exmouth (5)
Old Redcliffians (3) 40-11 Old Centralians (10)
Royal Wootton Bassett (13) 9-25 Launceston (6)
Weston-super-Mare (4) 14-36 Exeter University (1)
MATCH DETAILS
Chapel Gate
Tribute South West Premier
Sat, 5 March 2022
KO 3.00pm
Attendance:
Referee:Jack Tompkins, Hampshire Society
Half Time score: 28 – 10
Bournemouth: Alex Sutherland (43m: 28-0, replaced Wayman), Ashley Taylor, Jordan Wayman (43m: 28-0, injured), Grant Hancox/2t6c (MotM), Robbie Johnson, Ben Meaden/t, Mike Pope, Balazs Magda/t, Ben Kimber, Alan Manning (C), Joe Desmond/t, Jake Guildford/t, Ben Russell/t, Ciaran Smyth, Joe Rees.
Substitutes: Luca Firetto, Ryan Morrell (43m: 28-0, replaced Sutherland/15), George Randall (63m: 40-0, replaced Guildford/5).
Manager: Joe Rees.
Head Coach: Mike Pope.
Coach: Matt Sturgess.
Physio: Andy Curtis.
Leading Scorers this Season: Ryan Morrell with 11 tries; Grant Hancox with 35 conversions, 30 penalty goals and 175 points.
Club League Career Records:
Grant Hancox extends his own records to: 321 conversions and 1,429 points. Alan Manning extends his own records to: 334 starts, 202 starts as TH prop and 195 as captain. Jack Rees extends his own No8-start record to 126, a record he has held since he established a new record of 22 away to Dings Crusaders on 5 September 2015. Other Notables: Balazs Magda scores his first try on his home debut and has been selected to play (as lock) for Hungary v Luxembourg (I think he said) next week. We offer ‘Baz’ our warmest congratulations. Grant Hancox’s 22 points is the highest score by an individual so far this season. Joe Desmond scores his first try for the Club.