Age before beauty!

Club Select XV 17 - 5 Wanderers XV
29th December 2007

Club Select XV (12) 17
Tries: Long, Richardson B, Schrauwers T
Cons: Richardson D

Wanderers XV (5) 5
Tries: Smalley 

A good size crowd was entertained by an absorbing game as no quarter was given in the now traditional Christmas match between the Club Select XV and returning students and other ex players aka the Wanderers. It was particularly good to welcome back four members of the successful colts team of nine years ago i.e. Richard Shakespeare, Nick Edwards, Ryan Westamacott and Simon Little. All looked as they would be more than useful additions to the Chiltern squad if they did not live too far away.

The Wanderers started off the brighter of the two teams and used their extra speed to stretch the Select XV's defence which creaked but held on. Eventually the pressure told and Rob Smalley sped down the right wing to score the first try in the corner for a 0-5 lead. The Wanderers continued to impress but unfortunately allowed Brian Richardson to intercept on the half way line and he showed he still had a turn of pace and scored a fine try to bring the game level at 5-5. To Brian it must have felt like a sprint from his own twenty two. The try was converted by his brother Dave. 

Later in the half, the Select XV's extra weight helped to dominate the scrums and put pressure on the Wanderers line. They put this pressure to good effect and Rob Long broke clear of a maul and raced down the wing to give the Select XV a 12-5 lead. The Wanderers fought back but were denied an equalizing score by some good defence and also by a number of penalties which the Select XV conceded to stop tries being scored allowing them to hold out for a narrow half time lead.

The second half was mainly the Wanderers attacking but failing to score due to forward passes, dropped passes or more penalties conceded by the Select XV to preserve their line. It always looked as if the Wanderers would score but it was not to be and close to the end of the game Tim Schrauwers secured the win for the Select XV when he burst through from twenty yards to score the final try for a 17-5 victory.

A great way to run off the Christmas indulgences and prepare oneself for the New Year celebrations.

Teams

CLUB SELECT XV: Dave Richardson, Antony Page, Richard Shakespeare, Brian Richardson, Dave Fineman, Tim Schrauwers, ‘DJ’ Yarroll, Julian Alexander, Nick Edwards, Simon Little, Mike Griffiths, Pete Gibson, Rob Long, Ryan Westamacott, ‘Yogi’ Schrauwers, Jonathon Hughes. 

WANDERERS XV: Tom Fletcher, Charlie Wilton, Rob Smalley, Chris Jackson, Rich Tulloch, Ross Bugden, Andy Spikings, Bob Coutts, Greg Douglas, Charlie Bond, Luke Donnebaum, Ryan Lee, Dave Morgan, Nick Fischer.