MANOR GIVE ROCHFORD A LESSON IN BASIC RUGBY

Another disappointing afternoon and another defeat for this potentially good team due to a lack of real aggression up front coupled with the giving away of too much hard earnt ball.

Losing flanker Tom Corbet early on and later centre Gavin Tusini both through injury did not help but these things happen and the team just needs to readjust accordingly.

Eton Manor dominated possession for the majority of this hard fought match and played good basic rugby and took their chances when they came, otherwise there was not too much to choose between the sides .

Rochford had the better of the lineouts but Manor were more dominant in the set scrums.

Two tries, one by the excellent James Needham in the first half and another good effort by new scrum half Lloyd O’Connor converted by Dan Needham in the second was all the return Rochford managed.

Compare that to four tries, one conversion, and three penalties by Manor and the amount of ball that they had especially in the second half and the score could have been higher..

The East London side a good workmanlike outfit but not outstanding, like Bury but they are winning games which produces a belief in themselves which is so important and are in second spot in the league.

Rochford are capable of playing good rugby with the best of them as they have shown on a number of occasion and which is so frustrating but a high penalty count against them and the number of points they concede means that team discipline is a matter to be addressed as well as getting some fire back in their bellies.

Enough said.

No better opportunity to do just that next week against local rivals Basildon which should be an interesting affair and a very important game for both sides.