WESTON-SUPER-MARE v BOURNEMOUTH

Team Selection: The forwards remain unchanged from last week against Royal Wootton Bassett, making it four games in a row. However, there were a couple of changes in the backs. Ashley Taylor moved from the left wing to take the place of right wing Zack Godfrey who was recovering from an ankle injury sustained in the Royal Bassett game. The returning Bailey Andrews made his full 1st XV debut in replacing Ashley on the left wing. On the bench, Luca Firetto who has been suffering ankle problems of late and having missed the last two games, makes a welcome return at the expense of Henry Turner who was with the twos. Youngster Max Robles, making his 1st debut, was preferred to Josh Wickens.

The weather was bright but over cast with a strongish Easterly breeze, that blew straight across the pitch but backed to the North in the latter stages of the first half so it blew left to right as viewed from the stand. Underfoot, the pitch was very dry and firm, the result of a very fine spell of weather we have been enjoying recently.

Bournemouth frustrated by a strong home defence

Weston-super-Mare kicked from left to right as viewed from the stand and to their left, i.e. with the wind blowing from their left.

Bailey Andrews, in his unaccustomed left wing slot, had a promising run early on but was bundled into touch by a defence that was to prove pretty sound all afternoon, a veritable Home Guard you might say. However, it was from a WsM lineout after a Bournemouth threat broke down saw the home side burst into the Bournemouth 22m where the Bournemouth defence was penalized. The penalty was quickly taken and WsM were over in the left corner. A well-judged kick meant WsM were leading 7-nil,

8m: Weston-super-Mare 7-0 Bournemouth

They were worrying signs that the Bournemouth scrum was struggling to hold the WsM shove. When a Bournemouth throw-in was ‘not straight’ the resulting scrum had to be reset as it broke up with the Bournemouth eight under some pressure. At the second time of asking, WsM broke left with a dangerous run by the backs of fully 40 metres deep into the Bournemouth 22m but the pass left was intercepted, and Bournemouth looked to break out. However, referee Binfield had been playing advantage and play was brought all the way back to a Bournemouth offside at the original scrum on the Bournemouth 10m. A fine kick secured the three points.

12m: Weston-super-Mare 10-0 Bournemouth.

Bournemouth showed some adventurous play with a nice chip in behind the defence but not being able to secure their own throw-in meant Bournemouth conceded their advantage. WsM were awarded a free kick from this scrum on their 5m and went left. Bournemouth turned the ball over and Jordan Wayman was over for an apparently easy score. The outside centre was able to make his fellow centre Grant Hancox’s task easier who duly obliged despite the difficult crosswind.

18m: Weston-super-Mare 10-7 Bournemouth

Soon after the restart, hooker Ben Kimber suffered a head injury and had to be replaced. Alan Manning took over as hooker and Luca Firetto came on as tight-head prop. WsM mounted another strong three-quarters attack, but the ball was lost forward for a Bournemouth scrum inside their own 22m. With both sides looking to play some enterprising rugby, scrum-half Connor Hutchison had a great break but when he chipped the ball forward, WsM broke back. However, a forward pass saw Bournemouth awarded a scrum on their own 22m. Another chip forward saw WsM run it back to their right but the ball was lost forward for a Bournemouth scrum on their 10m. No8 Joe Rees broke off the back but was penalized and Bournemouth found themselves defending a line out just 10 metres out from their own line on their left. WsM went left off the line-out and were almost in for a try-line drop-out. When WsM countered they were penalized but Bournemouth failed to find touch to their left. WsM kicked, were awarded a penalty and found touch to their right just 5 metres out from the Bournemouth line. The Wsm forwards drove off the line-out ‘crabbing’ left. They were forced to go right but when they came back left, they breached the defence and were over.

37m: Weston-super-Mare 17-7 Bournemouth

Bournemouth looked to reduce the arrears but a pass not going to hand broke up a promising scoring opportunity. From a scrum on their own 5m, WsM managed to resist the Bournemouth shove and broke out. A desperate Bournemouth defence managed to recover the ball but, when they looked to counter, were penalized on their own 22m. An easy kick increased the home side’s advantage and that pretty well ended the first half.

40+3m: Weston-super-Mare 20-7 Bournemouth.

There was just time to restart before the ball was unceremoniously kicked off by WsM to end the half.

40+4m: Weston-super-Mare 20-7 Bournemouth – Half-time.

A more confident Bournemouth scrum opted for a scrum in front of the WsM posts. With each pack looking to dominate their opposite number the scrum was ‘untidy’ and needed to be reset. Bournemouth attacked right off the scrum, but WsM were caught off side and Hancox kicked the goal from in front of the posts.

53m: Weston-super-Mare 20-10 Bournemouth

From a Bournemouth perspective, the second half proved to be very frustrating. Despite most of the play being in the home side’s half, Bournemouth were unable to break through. Often the Bournemouth ball carrier was tackled by two defenders but Bournemouth were unable to able to exploit the gap should have resulted. Despite this pressure, WsM had a couple of dangerous breaks and, but for a knock-on in each case with the Bournemouth line at their mercy, would surely have increased their lead and thereby frustrate any hope of a Bournemouth second-half revival. Nonetheless they did finally put paid to any lingering hopes Bournemouth might have had when they were awarded a scrum as Bournemouth attempted to break out from their own 22m. Going left they were over in the corner. Another excellent kick from wide-out and now into a strong Northerly wind only added to Bournemouth’s pain.

75m: Weston-super-Mare 27-10 Bournemouth

Bournemouth’s attempts to come back were frustrated by penalties and when they did win a WsM throw-in the final pass didn’t go to hand for a WsM line-out outside the WsM 22m. Despite their efforts to break out, Bournemouth managed to contain the threat and Binfield, having played three minutes of extra time, blew his whistle for no side.

80+3m: Weston-super-Mare 27-10 Bournemouth

Bournemouth dropped one place, swopping places with Brixham, to eighth and remain on 60 points: P26 W10 D0 L16; 640-663.

Weston-super-Mare remain 4th on 88 points: P26 W18 D0 L8; 726-485.

That’s it folks; the end of another season. Tempus fugit. Enjoy your summer break and we look forward to seeing you next season. Thank you for your support as always and for reading my report thus far. Remarkable!

Best wishes and stay safe

Doug Warren

Scribe (The only one they could get), Bournemouth Rugby.