All-Weather Victory For Dons In Re-Arranged Match


Rugby result: Tunbridge Wells 10 v Wimbledon 40

London & SE Premier League, 15 March


Wimbledon travelled to Kent to play the match originally scheduled for December14, even then the match had to be played at the ground of Skinner’s school on the all-weather pitch.

 

The Wimbledon team had several players playing out of position, including three scrum-halves and two outside halves. 

 

Facing the wind in the first half Wimbledon came out of the blocks quickly and with their first attack on 12 minutes shortly after the first dominant scrum, scrum half Ben Newman burst through and fed centre Jack Reville who needed no help crossing the line. The conversion from outside half James Moffat was made and Wimbledon were ahead.

 

The scrum was dominant for the entire match and Wimbledon’s front row were too much for the home team, matters remained the same after replacement Dave Wayman replaced hooker Bradley Ugoduluwa. One blight was a yellow card for a Wimbledon player impeding a lineout jumper.

 

On the Wimbledon throws Rob Louw, Kane Alboni and Chris York also secured good ball as Wimbledon varied their options but also disrupted the home team’s throws.

 

Somewhat against the run of play two well worked Tunbridge Wells tries on 23 minutes and on 38 minutes were scored by S Nicholls and Ryan Taylor-Dennehy, but both were near to the right hand touch line and were unconverted. The half time score was 10 – 7 to the home team, and the visitors having use of the wind in the second half.

 

After 3 minutes of the restart another big scrum by Wimbledon saw Reville get his second under the posts, converted by Moffat and from then onwards it was generally one-way traffic as Wimbledon took 33 points without reply.

 

Tunbridge Wells also earned themselves a yellow card. Against a team one player short, on 49 minutes lock Rob Louw made a 30 metre break through the middle, the ball was recycled and eventually replacement lock Jack Cooke was alone on the left wing to stroll over, this time the conversion attempt was missed.

 

Ten minutes later another scrum earned a Wimbledon penalty, the home team defended the first line-out drive but Blane Wilson, now at scrum half for Ben Newman saw a gap and was through, again converted to take the score to 26 – 10.

 

The match was finished off by Ugoduluwa scoring near to the posts and finally as the time ran out, flanker Kane Alboni brushed off a tired defence to score near the posts with the fifth conversion by Moffat bringing up the 40 points.

 

March 18, 2020

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