Bournemouth v old centralians

Team Selection: Jordan Wayman, having recovered from injury resumes at outside centre in place of Alex Sutherland who, in turn, resumes at full-back in place pf Josh Wickens who is on the bench in place of Dan Boer. In the forwards, Balazs Magda returns after playing for Hungary against Luxembourg and resumes at LH prop in place of Tom Napier who is with the twos. With the return of Joe Rees at No8, Joe Desmond moves back to lock joining Jacob Guildford once again in place of George Randall who is with the twos. On the bench, the other change is Luca Firetto returns to replace Henry Turner.

Bright and sunny but with a now familiar Easterly breeze, that unwelcome chilly visitor from the Urals. Underfoot, it was very dry, dusty even. Astonishing for March but a result of the beautiful weather we have been blessed with over the last week or so.

Bournemouth prevailed against a determined opposition

Old Centralians kicked off into the aforesaid wind from left to right as viewed from the stand and to their left.

Bournemouth rebuffed an early OCs threat as they drove for the line from off a line-out. The forwards turned the ball over and centre Hancox broke out and hared up field chased by the OCs defenders. As he was threatened to be overhauled, Hancox kicked but it had too much on it and the Bournemouth chasers couldn’t get to it before it went dead. Bournemouth maintained the momentum courtesy of a clearance kick going ‘straight out’, attacking right off the line-out. Maintaining good ball retention in the face a determined OCs defence full-back, Sutherland was over wide out on the left. The wind didn’t curl the ball in as anticipated and Hancox’s kick at goal went sailing passed the far post to leave the score at 5-nil after just six minutes play.

6m: Bournemouth 5-0 Old Centralians

‘Losing’ flanker Ben Russell, ‘yellow carded’ for a high tackle in defending an OCs threat down the left, after 14 minutes made things a mite harder for the home side as they strove to contain the visitors which led to a period of play when the defences cancelled each other out. Nonetheless, as OCs drove for the line off the resultant 5m line-out Bournemouth turned the ball over and earned themselves a scrum. No8 Rees broke off the back and kicked. In what can only be described as some scrappy play with knock-ons and advantage being played Bournemouth steadied the ship and earned themselves another scrum. Eventually, breaking left, some great passing saw centre Wayman in unopposed and Hancox had a much easier opportunity to add two points for Bournemouth to lead 12-nil after 22 minutes.

22m: Bournemouth 12-0 Old Centralians

Rees fielded the restart and Bournemouth kicked. An exchange of kicks saw OCs attack first right then back left. A Bournemouth turnover saw Hancox kick clear but when OCs kicked back, a promising attack right came to a frustrating naught when the vital final pass didn’t go to hand. An exchange of kicks saw lock Guildford get injured to be replaced by Jack Hennings. OCs had a dangerous run off a line-out going and were for all money were in but Bournemouth had a 5m line-out instead. The forwards drove to the 22m and were awarded a penalty and Sutherland was able to further lift the siege by finding touch to hos right on the half-way line. Despite the throw-in being ‘overthrown’ Bournemouth recovered for Pope to kick. OCs cleared right for a Bournemouth line-out outside the OCs 22m. Going right Hancox cleared up some messy play and OCs got themselves penalized as they looked to take advantage. From in front of the posts, Hancox kiclked the goal to increase the lead to 15-nil.

32m: Bournemouth 15-0 Old Centralians

OCs responded almost immediately when Bournemouth ‘messed up’ the restart and were penalized. The OCs fly-half found touch to hos left on the Bournemouth 5m and with a seemingly inevitability their forwards drove over to score. Their fly-half kicked a fine goal and his side had almost halved the deficit at 7-15.

33m: Bournemouth 15-7 Old Centralians

Bournemouth responded in kind when fly-half Meaden fielded the restart kick return and moved right. Sutherland came into the line going further right stretching the OCs defence and when it came back left a vital Pope break had Meaden on hand again and he was over for a try. Hancox kicked the goal and Bournemouth had promptly nullified the OCs gain at 22-7.

36m: Bournemouth 22-7 Old Centralians

Pope kicked the OCs restart and flanker Smyth chased the ball down with a strong tackle but OCs almost broke out there was a knock-on for a Bournemouth scrum inside the Bournemouth 10. OCs turned the ball over and attacked right. They were, in turn, turned over and a Pope kick left was chased down by Morrell, but the left winger couldn’t gather cleanly and OCs had a scrum. A strong scrum saw the ball won against the head which set up a strong promising Bournemouth attack. However, an equally strong and robust OCs defence earned themselves a penalty to see off the danger. They ran the ball left taking play into the Bournemouth half before kicking right. Bournemouth recovered the ball and cleared left for an OCs line-out on their own 10m. Their forwards drove off the line-out, but a knock-on saw Bournemouth have the put-in at a scrum. Going right, they got themselves penalized for being off their feet at the break down and a further ten metres for complaining about the decision. OCs found touch to their left, but Bournemouth were awarded a scrum from where Pope promptly kicked the ball off the park to end the first half.

40+8m: Bournemouth 22-7 Old Centralians – Half-time

An early exchange of kicks resulted in an OCs line-out inside their own 10m on their left. Overthrown, Bournemouth recovered the ball and went left with lock Joe Desmond having a strong run into contact but was penalized for ‘holding on’ having taken play into the OCs 22m. Finding touch to their right inside their own 10m, the OCs forwards drove off the line-out into the Bournemouth half but when they released the ball left Bournemouth turned the ball over. A dummy from Pope and the scrumhalf was over under the posts. Hancox kicked the goal and Bournemouth had extended their lead at 29-7. A good start to the half.

47m: Bournemouth 29-7 Old Centralians

Bournemouth knocked-on the OCs restart and found themselves under some pressure not helped by conceding a free kick at the scrum. A strong running attack first right then back left had the Bournemouth defence on high alert but OCs got themselves penalized which enabled Sutherland to relieve the situation by finding touch to his left. Bournemouth attacked right off the line-out and OCs got themselves penalized again. Perhaps it was the wind, but Sutherland didn’t find touch to his left enabling OCs to run it back and then kick right for a Bournemouth throw-in.

As Bournemouth attacked right, the OCs inside centre was ‘yellow carded’ for a deliberate knock-on. Sutherland found touch to his left and Bournemouth threes attacked first right then back left off the line-out as they sought to pierce a determined defence but were penalized for ‘being over the top’ in the contact. OCs found touch to their right outside the Bournemouth 10m. The forwards drove off the line-out but a knock-on saw referee playing advantage for Bournemouth to attack right but they kicked the ball ‘straight out’ for an OCs line-out outside the Bournemouth 10m.

As Bournemouth defended the OCs attack left flanker Russell was ‘yellow carded’ for a deliberate knock-on and was shown the red card to end his participation in the game just 14 minutes into the half. The chance was taken for Magda and Wayman to come off and Firetto and Josh Wickens to come on.

OCs went right from the penalty but were penalized and Sutherland was able to press them back, finding touch to his on the Bournemouth 10m. OCs were awarded a scrum at the line-out and, for good measure, Bournemouth got themselves penalized. The result was defending a line-out on their own 5m. The OCs drove off the line-out ‘crabbing’ right so they were under the posts but the Bournemouth defence held and they couldn’t get over the line. OCs maintained the pressure releasing the ball left and eventually got over. The goal was kicked and Bournemouth’s lead, considering the circumstances, began to look a little precarious at 29-14 with 16 minutes or more left to play.

Bournemouth, however, soon struck back to settle some of the spectators’ nerves. The OCs restart kick return found touch to their right for a Bournemouth line-out on the OCs 10m. Bournemouth chose to kick left off the line-out and OCs managed to knpock the ball on. From the scrum outside the OCs 22m, great passing saw Sotherland over under the posts for his second of the afternoon. Hancox kicked the goal and once again Bournemouth had promptly nullified an OCs gain at 36-14.

69m: Bournemouth 36-14 Old Centralians

Winning two penalties at the restart OCs signaled their intent but it was obvious that the Bournemouth players, being a man short, ‘stepped up to the plate’, as our American cousins might say, noticeably upping their own intensity to neutralize the one-man advantage. Despite having a 5m line-out on their right, the Bournemouth forwards drove OCs back forcing them to release the ball left but were penalized under the posts. OCs took a quick penalty, but they still couldn’t get through as they first went right then back left. Bournemouth eventually ’won’ their penalty for Sutherland to find the sanctuary of the touch to his right on the Bournemouth 22m. Attacking left off the line-out, OCs were forced to concede another penalty and Sutherland again found touch to his right for a Bournemouth line-out outside the OCs 22m. Bournemouth attacked left, but OCs turned the ball over and kicked left for Bournemouth to find themselves with a throw-in but now back on their own 22m. They kicked and were grateful to see the kick return go straight out meaning that at least Bournemouth had moved up field to the OCs 10m.

Bournemouth drove off the line-out before releasing the ball only to get themselves penalized. The OCs kick failed to find touch, Bournemouth kicking the ball but again getting themselves penalized. OCs found touch to their right inside the Bournemouth 10m. Attacking first right then back left as they sought a way through, but Bournemouth got themselves penalized when they apparently had turned the ball over.

Finding touch to their left on the Bournemouth they attacked right, and someone found a gap and he stepped through to score, The kick didn’t succeed, and Evans blew for no side.

80+3m: Bournemouth 36-19 Old Centralians –Full Time.

Bournemouth’s next match is next week (April 2) away to 2nd-placed Old Redcliffians KO 2.00PM. Note two o’clock.

Doug Warren

Scribe, Bournemouth RFC.