The bottom line: we won 34-33. “Never in doubt,” as Bob Sharpe would have said.
Perhaps a wee doubt, as we trailed 0-21, following a nightmare fifteen minutes in the first half, and then 7-28, one minute after half-time. From this lowest point, we clicked into gear, Rams faltered, and we were leading 34-28 as the clock went red. Now we were pushed and penalised at a scrum; Rams pressed for five minutes, almost scoring from a maul; finally they did score from a kick-pass to the wing.
Fraser Honey had not looked like missing a goal kick all afternoon, but he missed this one, and we took the five vital points – of which more, in a moment.
I have taken my time editing the photos, and I have tried to make the descriptions factually correct by carefully studying the Sedge Media video. The result can be found here. Judge for yourselves. https://www.flickr.com/photos/forwarddefensive/albums/72177720324313364
Those five league points give us a nice cushion ahead of 12th-placed Esher. We are well aware of the tough games to come, and Esher’s run-in is easier than ours. However, on March 9th the RFU produced a document, which confirms what we thought, that the Championship is to be increased from 12 clubs to 14, next season. Therefore, there will be no relegation from level 2 to NL1, and consequently only two clubs relegated from our league, instead of the statutory three.
There is a colourful spreadsheet, and I have copied the relevant part of it onto my Flickr pages, following the match photos.
Rotherham, away, next Saturday, which I won’t be attending, then Richmond at Park Lane on March 22nd. I did say we had a tough run of fixtures! Rosslyn Park after that.
Last, and absolutely not least – John Lawrence.
I heard on Saturday of John’s recent death, an old man of course, and a long life to be celebrated. We have lost a character. John was known as an after-dinner speaker, even before he came to our club, I think. He was certainly very funny, with an exquisite gift of timing, and he loved an audience.
He did not lack self-confidence, and was rarely lost for an opinion. “The Sage of St Helens,” George Hinds named him, not entirely kindly. John himself had some dismissive put-down phrases. He described one victim as ‘a modest man, with much to be modest about’, and another as suffering from ‘delusions of adequacy’. He had a collection of these. I don’t think they were original.
On match days, for some years, John would play host to the visitors at lunch. Such was his style, that he would insult them – especially if they were from Yorkshire – for which they would applaud him! Quite a knack.
He was so at ease in front of an audience! He seemed to be such a natural, but he called it ‘carefully rehearsed spontaneity.’ He did his homework, in other words. On the speaking circuit, at Such & Such Rugby Club, he would often rescue the evening after the celebrity speaker had bored his audience half to death. This was John’s own estimate. “They gave me a standing ovation,” he would say, which became a bit of a mocking catchphrase.
Well, John lad, you can have one more, final, standing ovation from me. Thanks for being a good bloke, and funny, and generous, and a friend.
