Face Off

Report by Greg Marks

There can be only one winner, and on a windswept Clacton pitch the two teams went through their warm ups with our lads asking parents and coaches alike ‘have we played them before? Have we beaten them?’ So with the usual feelings of excitement and trepidation the match was kicked off by Clacton. This was caught by Louis who manged to return the ball at least twenty metres before offloading to Ben C, there followed a series of passing and running between Ben C, Jack H and Olly T to drive R100 to the Clacton 22. Olly T was eventually brought down and Clacton managed to turn the ball over. Then kicked to clear their lines only to have Adam catch it and relaunch the attack. After gaining ground an unselfish pass to Joe enabled Joe to charge at the posts, even a heroic tackle from a Clacton player (and the posts) could not prevent Joe from opening the scoring. Ben C then converted the try.

Kick off again by Clacton, again to Louis, who this time was caught on his 22. After a hard fought ruck, Clacton manged to secure ball but could not find a way through the Rochford defence and eventually Rochford forced a knock on. The Rochford scrum kept possession of the ball which then allowed Rochford the chance for another attack, a carefully weighted ball was lofted to Ben C on the wing but was called back as the ref deemed Ben C to be in front of the kicker.
First penalty against Rochford.
Clacton kicked to touch, took a short lineout and in the play that followed Jack H managed to intercept the ball, gain ground, but was eventually brought down. In the ensuing ruck R100 were penalised again.
Second penalty against Rochford
Clacton again kicked to touch, took a short line out and formed a maul, somehow Rochford managed to strip the ball, pass to Jack H who then ran 60 metres for a try. Converted by Ben C

Kick off from Clacton this time went to Jack H who passed to Billy-Joe, running at full speed, who had at one stage three lads trying to bring him down. Billy-Joe was brought down eventually after gaining 35 metres. The Rochford forwards secured the ball in the ruck to then allow Joe to score in the corner. No conversion.

Kick off Clacton, caught by Charlie, who unfortunately knocked on from the fierce pressure from Clacton. What came next was a concentrated attack from Clacton, using their scrum to launch the attack but unfortunately during one passage of open play, Louis managed to intercept the ball and after being tackled, the ruck ball came Ducks way. He then threaded his way through a number of players before being tackled. Unfortunately the Rochford support players lost the ball and it was a Clacton turnover. Clacton then launched another attack with heroic tackles from Olly T and Riley denying them a try. The ensuing ruck was then won by Rochford with Kane forming a maul which gained ground. After breaking off, the backs were running hard but unfortunately knocked on. Scrum Clacton. The Clacton scrum was very well worked with the scrum half controlling it well. After the ball came out of the back, the scrum half kicked to the winger who ran in a try, which was converted.

Q. Was the winger in front of the kicker?

Rochford kicked off and Louis led the tackling to keep Clacton in their own half. Sam then tackled a player, regained his feet, ripped the ball from the next player and gained 15 meters. Half time was called when Sam was tackled.
Rochford kick off by Toby was then caught by Jack H who passed to Ben C, to Olly T and then to Ben F – TRY. Converted by Ben C.

Kick off by Clacton was then caught by Sam and in the following passage of play from Joe, Toby, Jack and Louis, Rochford gained 30 metres. An unfortunate knock on led to another Clacton scrum. Following a Sam G tackle and rip, the ball was passed out to Jake. After another hard fought ruck, a maul was formed with Olly T eventually passing the ball to Ben C who scored in the corner and then converted his own try.

Kick off from Clacton, this time went to Jack H who passed the ball to Toby, who then put a kick up for the backs to chase, which resulted in a Clacton scrum on their own 5 metre line. Clacton then attempted to clear their line. Only to have the ball charged down by Sam. Another Scrum to Clacton on their 5 metre line. Clacton attempted to clear their lines again, which resulted in a penalty to Rochford on the Clacton 22. A set move rehearsed in training on Wednesday for the first time was then called by Rochford scrum half, which saw Kane facing the wrong direction and trusting his team mates to get to him as he offloaded the ball to Billy-Joe; running at full speed for a 22 metre try. Conversion by Ben C

Kick off by Clacton was then caught by Toby and after some excellent hand and foot work with passes to Kane, Mason, Billy, Sam G and Joe, the ball was eventually delivered to Ben C who scored in the corner and converted his own try.

Kick off by Clacton was unfortunately knocked on as a result of very determined Clacton pressure, the following Clacton scrum was only the second time that Clacton had been in Rochford territory. After a penalty at the scrum Clacton then kicked to touch and Rochford found themselves defending their 22 metre line. After fierce counter rucking which saw the Rochford lads physically push the Clacton lads backwards, Louis picked the ball up on his 10 metre line and ran 60 metres for a try which was then converted by Toby.

Kick off by Clacton was caught by Charlie who ran straight at the Clacton players and offloaded to Nathan who was then brought down and in the ruck that followed, Rochford were awarded a penalty. Toby then kicked the ball in to touch on the Clacton 10 metre line, Rochford line out. What followed was another training ground move with the ball being passed to Toby from the lineout who then passed to Jack, then to Sam, for Sam G to score in the corner. No conversion.

Today we have seen the Rochford lads develop their skills in handling, footwork, teamwork, patience and discipline in all areas of the game, especially the passing and offloading of the ball. Well done lads.

Final score: Clacton 7 – Rochford 59