Clifton more than meaks the Eye

Saturday afternoon this week see's me on a sojourn up the M5 to what must have been at one point the best hill in the area, as it became the Chosen Hill.

It seemed that there were two games taking place that afternoon Clifton Wanderers V Chosen Hill 2’s and North Bristol First XV v Chosen Hill First XV. As I understand it the less than spacious changing room area made thing's, pre and post-game very snug.

I am told that it had been a torrid week for the coaches in trying to get 15 able bodied men to play, in the intrepid Wanderers XV who duly met at the club on Saturday. It was a convivial meeting, each player introducing himself to a team mate and this in November!

Bill Meaks our antipodean friend was also there and at first many thought he was early for the 1st xv game … but no Bill was returning from being “Crook” and was happy to be back to playing. The team looked a little small in number, As half the side were making their own way to Chosen Hill for the later meet. I saw the Healy Bros, pulling out what was left of their hair, as they organised the side and waited for everyone to arrive.

Once at Chosen Hill they boys were quickly out on the paddock and running around, Richie Kevern was stretching a fetlock as he had a slight problem and everyone waited for Matt Smith to arrive, that wait continued for some time! Anyway with what appeared to be a swiftly rearranged side, Out onto the field they ran and the game commenced.

I say game in fact the first 20 minutes or so resembled a Sunday afternoon game in the park rather a coherent team affair making for a less than enjoyable opening period. The rugby after this till the end of the first session however improved significantly, With Clifton raising their game to somewhere nearer the standard that would be expected regardless of the opposition. We should in light of this period have won the game much more comfortably! However we found ourselves drawn in to a quite scrappy affair

The referee, who was being coached onto greater things had throughout given some interesting decisions, and much noise was heard from our rather more vocal players. This did not lie well with the official, who it seems had made it clear that he was in control, if at times it could be debated exactly as to what he was in control of.

In the latter part of the first session we started to give the backs some ball and a few passes later Rich wyse went over for a try converted in traditional "hole in the ground" style by the returning skipper, Will at 15. The Johnny Wilkinson Clinic method of using a tee was not needed by our hero! We then scored another following some barnstorming running by Bill Meakes unfortunately the kick was missed when and over excited canine chimed in at the important moment and disrupted the Captains normally meticulous kicking regime. A third try followed by the now free flowing backs finished again by Mr Wyse.

Half time came and went and it was noticeable that we suddenly had a replacement on the bench; Matt Smith had decided to join the party and was soon pressed into action as Richie Keverns fetlock gave up on him. We now saw the referee’s assortment of cards first a yellow to Peter Gray for ruck infringements, Peter was replaced by Sat Nav Simon Bannister after the 10 minute break. Bill Meakes was then adjudged to have tip tackled his opposite number, a claim he refuted as did their players and Red was the order of the day. If the tackle was dangerous then I am looking forward to our non -contact, contact sport we are developing, all for safety but !!!!!! Previous to this a rather enthusiastic Hill player had it appeared hit Leroy with a one two combination of punches.

This was only rewarded with a yellow but good to see the big man animated and ready for the next act. Should this too have been a red?
I Over heard the conversation in the car park that this was not a punch but a swinging arm??? We then had another yellow for not retiring / offside from kick when the Clifton player had retired and was in fact also put on side by the player who had kicked the ball. Playing, with 13 men is not easy. But with the 30 seconds of the game that were left after Stephen Kirks enforced break he returned to the field to play a major part in the last gasp tackle that prevented Hill from breaching the Clifton line, like ther All Blacks we played right to end, fantastic.

The defence shown was admirable and the Hill were kept on the right side of the whitewash for a 19 – 0 victory to Clifton.

There was much discussion in the bar about the decisions taken by the ref, all agreed you cannot play without one, all also agreed that consistency is vital!

The lads play North Bristol away next Saturday following the Friday evening Match for the first xv, I shall break out the hip flask and tartan rug to watch both games and 2 wins I hope!

Touchline Tarquin