Chiswick Devoured by Colchester

Rugby result : Colchester 27 Chiswick 3

This could have been a really close encounter in the Intermediate Cup, with both teams capable of exciting open rugby. Unfortunately, injuries and/or cry-offs robbed Chiswick of a number of first team regulars, and by the time the team members had introduced themselves to each other, they were well down.

Choosing to play with the wind, Chiswick proceeded to play a poor kicking game against a team with youthful backs and a large pack. Coping with this pack meant Chiswick defenders being drawn in, and after five minutes a clever kick by the home fly-half was collected by their full-back, who raced through to score. The wind grabbed the conversion attempt, but was also mucking up the Chiswick lineout work, where Sam Hood usually excels.

Colchesters’ second try, also unconverted, came from their No.8. The restart kick, however, caught Colchester offside, and Tom Duffy slotted a good penalty kick. The home teams pack were rampaging in the loose, and soon a third try came, via their winger. This was followed by another try for their full-back, set up by a precise punt from their fly-half.

Chiswick seemed to be invigorated by the wind in their faces, and scrum half John Feltham made a series of darting runs in the second half without the backs being able to make the crucial break. The Chiswick scrummaging, and their ruck and maul work improved as the match progressed, and hooker Stuart Parmeter was prominent in the loose, as were flanker Tom Adams and centre and captain John Gibson, but an injudicious tackle led to a yellow-carding for the Chiswick winger, and eventually it was Colchester who got the final try, the wind helping the kick over.

Chiswick team :- Donaldson ( Warrington ), Parmeter, Chraplewczyk, Tonkin, Hood, Adams, Robbings, McGranaghan ( Costello ), Feltham, Luckman, Miller ( McDonald ), Duffy, Gibson, Merritt, Hill

October 6, 2009