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We ended last season with a cracking match with Billericay and so it was that we started this season the same way, against a mixed U16/17 side. Gareth needed to reorganise the side and ask several boys to play out of position, most notably Daniel Harvey at full back and James Berry on the wing.

The front row started with Daniel House at tight-head prop, Joe Mitchell at hooker and James Mowle at loose-head. Jack Murphy and Sean Honey started in the second row, Reece Garstin started at openside flanker with Austen King at blindside and James Cowland at number 8. Liam Baker began at scrum-half, Tom Harris at fly-half, Louis Croll and Henry Willis at inside and outside centre with James Berry and Connor Jones on the wings. Daniel Harvey completed the side at full-back.

The game began with Billericay kicking off and Rochford returning the ball into the opposition half. Both sides were quick to the tackle and tried to play the play away from contact and into space. However, while Rochford edged the territory neither side was able to encroach into their opponents twenty two for the first twenty minutes of the game. The Rochford scrum was working well, getting low and making good use of their advantage against a much taller Billericay front row.

The teams continued to attack and counter without seriously threatening the line with both defences playing out of their skin. As the clock ticked down to the half time whistle Rochford pushed into the Billericay half and just short of the twenty two the ball was lost. A clearing kick gave Billericay some distance and the bounce gave Daniel Harvey little chance of controlling it easily. The attacking reinforcements arrived before the defence had time to rally and Billericay pushed for the line.

Another couple of phases saw them within sight of the line and they used their physical presence to push over the line and open the scoring on the stroke of half time.

Half-time – Rochford 0 Billericay 5

At half time Gareth bought on Chris Martin at hooker and Jack Cahill replacing Sean Honey in the second row.

Having played so well in the first half and seeing Billericay score just before the break it could have seen the boys heads drop. But they are made of sterner stuff these days and they carried on in the attacking style they had played the first half.

Rochford, playing intelligent rugby and getting the ball out wide to avoid a physical forwards battle began to make ground. With James Berry being tackled into touch just inside the Rochford line, Billericay organised their line-out. This time the ball was stolen by James Cowland and moved out to the backs. Making good ground into the opposition half it eventually broke to Henry Willis just outside the Billericay twenty two. He broke the tackle, wrong footed the full back and powered over, despite the attentions of another defender, to even the score.

With Billericay pushing into the Rochford half the ball was lost and Rochford were able to put in a clearing kick. Unfortunately this fell straight to a Billericay defender who returned the ball, making it over the gain line. Two further phases bought Billericay near to the Rochford ten metre line where they conceded a penalty for coming in at the side. The play was inevitable. A short pass to the biggest Billericay player. Despite the best efforts of the Rochford defenders he got support and they pushed him over the line to put the visitors back in the lead.

With ten minutes left Rochford pressed for the equalising try and had a number of chances but ultimately just couldn’t get over the line.

Full time – Rochford 5 Billericay 10

Despite the disappointment of the defeat the boys should view this match as showing real progress. They were focussed from the first whistle and repeatedly took the game to Billericay. A little more sharpness with the handling and they could have scored regularly throughout the game. The tackling was immense as was the scrum which saw them often dominate a physically bigger pack. The lineouts worked well and in their first game with lifting they managed to steal the ball against the throw.

One piece of bad news is that we learned after the game that James Cowland has fractured his knee. We all hope he recovers quickly as this performance showed what an asset he is on the pitch, particularly in the line out and scrum.

There were any number of boys who could have been chosen as Man of the Match, but on this occasion the honours were shared by Henry Willis for his drive, power and energy in the centre and James Berry for his running, support and some awesome tackling in an unfamiliar position.

Tries
Henry Willis

1, James Mowle; 2, Joe Mitchell; 3, Daniel House; 4, Jack Murphy; 5, Sean Honey; 6, Austen King; 7, Reece Garstin; 8, James Cowland; 9, Liam Baker; 10, Tom Harris; 11, Connor Jones; 12, Louis Croll; 13, Henry Willis; 14, James Berry; 15, Daniel Harvey; 16, Jack Cahill; 17, Chris Martin