Far from Dickie in Billericay (apologies to Ian Drury)

It had been a couple of seasons since the under 14s had made the trip to a frozen Billericay for a game of touch, this time despite a chill wind, the pitches were in great condition. Daniel House was the latest boy to make his debut for what seems an ever expanding U14s squad. Billericay were fielding a mix of U14s and 15s including some imposingly tall lads.

The front row started with Elliot Parsell at tight-head prop, Joe Mitchell at hooker and James Mowle at loose-head. Harrison McKenna and Jack Cahill started in the second row, Reece Garstin started at openside flanker with Henry Willis at blindside and Jacob Lipscome at number 8. Callum Stanley began at scrum-half, Tom Harris at fly-half, Ethan Hepton and Joseph Cottam at inside and outside centre with Aaron Cocks and Jacob Wright on the wings. Corey Lazell completed the side at full-back.

Billericay won the toss and elected to kick. Rochford needed to make the most of playing down the slope in the first half. From the start the boys were alert and began to impose themselves on the game. Rochford made ground into the opposition half, spreading the ball left and right and getting to the rucks quickly to retain possession. Inside the Billericay twenty two, Jack Cahill picked the ball up from a ruck and used his strength to power over the line to open the Rochford account.

The tackles started flying in and going low as they stopped the big Billericay forwards from making ground. The defensive line closed down the gap quickly and refused to give Billericay any time and space. With Rochford using their width to get past the imposing Billericay pack, the ball made its way out to Aaron Cocks on the left who made good ground and then popped a pass out to Tom Harris on the overlap who got past three defenders and made it to the try line. Only a foot out of play stopped him from doubling the Rochford lead.

Play was halted for a neck injury to a Billericay player, and after moving pitches the game restarted with a home lineout. Despite the home side having a big height advantage in the lineouts it was Rochford who controlled them using their speed to tackle the catcher before he had a chance to offload and driving the ball carrier back towards his own line.

Another expansive attack from Rochford saw Joseph Cottam combine well with Jacob Wright to take the ball at speed mid-way into the Billericay half and break tackles left and right to get over the try line and have time to touch down near the posts. Callum Stanley secured the extra two points.

Rochford were far from finished and went on the attack again. This time Tom Harris made no mistake and with a break through the defensive line scored Rochford’s third try of the match.

Half-time – Billericay 0 Rochford 17

At half time Gareth made seven changes with Chris Martin coming on at hooker, Jack Murphy replacing Jack Cahill in the second row and being joined by Reece Garstin, Daniel Harvey and Daniel House coming on at flanker, Louis Dawkins at number 8, and Louis Croll and James Berry came on at centre.

Playing uphill in the second half was going to give Rochford a new challenge but the boys were more than up to the task. They battled against the slope and the big Billericay boys to push them back into their own twenty two. Chris Martin picked up from another successful ruck and made a break for the line. A crunching tackle saw the ball knocked on and Rochford had to regroup.

Back in their own half and looking to regain possession Chris Martin pulled a hamstring and was replaced by Joe Mitchell. The boys drove forward again and pushed the home team back to their own twenty two. Having secured the ball again, this time it was Louis Dawkins who broke for the line and score our first points of the half. Callum Stanley made no mistake again with the conversion.

If anyone remembers the eighth Welsh try on Saturday against Italy, Rochford matched that with their fifth, and this against 15 players who were still up for the game. With Billericay using all their strength to try and drive the last few metres to the Rochford line the ball was ripped from their grasp by Daniel House who made a vital few metres to allow Rochford to set the ruck and play the ball from their own five metre line. Rather than kick, Tom Harris made more ground before popping a pass to Louis Croll, who in turn drew the defender and offloaded to James Berry. Fixing the defender as he approached the 10 metre line James Berry timed his pass perfectly to Jacob Wright who set off, out pacing the last three Billericay defenders to touch down to the right of the posts. A great pitch-length try from our own try line. Callum Stanley made no mistake with the conversion.

Full time – Billericay 0 Rochford 31

This was the sort of performance the boys have been threatening in patches all season. This was a full fifty minutes of gutsy, hard-working and attractive rugby against a big physical side that kept trying right to the final whistle. All that is needed now is for this performance to be repeated in their two remaining league games. To their credit Billericay never stopped working and made it a thrilling match.

The Billericay player who was taken to hospital has been discharged with nothing more serious than a whiplash injury and told not to play for a month. We wish him a speedy recovery.

On a day when any of the boys could have been chosen as Man of the Match, Tom Harris was singled out for his barnstorming performance at fly half, leading the line and creating many of the expansive moves that proved so effective.

Tries
Jack Cahill
Joseph Cottam
Tom Harris
Louis Dawkins
Jacob Wright

Conversions
Callum Stanley 3

1, James Mowle; 2, Joe Mitchell; 3, Elliott Parsell; 4, Harrison McKenna; 5, Jack Cahill; 6, Henry Willis; 7, Reece Garstin; 8, Jacob Lipscombe; 9, Callum Stanley; 10, Tom Harris; 11, Aaron Cocks; 12, Ethan Hepton; 13, Joseph Cottam; 14, Jacob Wright; 15, Corey Lazell; 16, Jack Murphy; 17, James Berry; 18, Chris Martin; 19, Louis Croll; 20, Louis Dawkins; 21, Daniel Harvey; 22, Daniel House