Wimbledon RFC Riding High In The League

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Wimbledon 40 v Twickenham 7

London League 1 South

Match report for February 29

When these two teams met last November at Twickenham’s ground it was the home team’s pack that dominated the game and Wimbledon were a touch lucky to walk away with a win. Whilst they still had a slight edge in the set scrum during Saturday’s re-match, they just could not compete with the rest of Wimbledon’s game, conceding six tries, five of which were converted by captain Neil Hallett – four of them from near touch.

It took just ten minutes for Wimbledon wing Pete Scott to open the scoring, racing into the corner after numerous phases of furious rucking and some great carries by the forwards and very slick hands by the backs, all setting the pattern for the game. Hallett strolled over for the second try ten minutes later after anticipating and neatly intercepting a Twickenham pass 40m out. Then nearing half time a great break by scrum half Rhys Morgan - who had an excellent all round game – almost brought the third try but he was held just short of the line. Not so Hallett moments later when he took a lovely pass out the tackle by Scott to go over in the corner.

Despite being on the wrong side of some puzzling refereeing decisions, it was just 12 minutes after the re-start that Dons added to their 21-0 half time score, when wing Neil Brown finished off wave after wave of Wimbledon attacks to go over for the all-important bonus point try.

With Twickenham’s almost only form of attack - the crash ball – easily snuffed out by the combined forces of Dons’ half backs, centres and dynamic back row of Campbell and Rob Tait and man-of-the-match Steve May, try number five wasn’t long coming. A lovely Morgan break, quick ball to the supporting Campbell Tait, on to the ever-present Bryan Croke and the number ten touched down under the posts.

Croke also got the final try for Dons, showing his many skills in one brief passage….a neat chip over the defence, which he gathered himself before jinking through three tacklers, one still holding him as he reached to touch down.

Even at 40-0 down Twickenham had certainly not given up and their best move of the game gave them a consolation try by centre Mark Hayne, converted by Lorcan Kinsella.

This was a good performance by Wimbledon – one they will hope to replicate next week away to Gosport & Fareham, the team that on Saturday denied second-placed Chobham a bonus point, so putting Wimbledon five points clear at the top of the league.

March 6, 2015