SGHMSRFC 1st XV Match report vs GKT 1st XV
UH Cup Semi Final
Date: 27/2/11
Venue: Honor Oak Park
Article written by: Ian Gibbons
Weeks of talking. Months of training. Years of hoping. Decades of belief. The UH cup semi- final was finally upon us. The preparations had been meticulous and the positivity in the George’s camp was overwhelming. 22 men dressed in fetching pink attire warmed up with intent and desire evident in their eyes. Every man knew his role. Every man was fully committed. A quagmire of a pitch would be the battlefield for the combat to take place. It was a dreary bleak Sunday with a noticeable chill in the air and a marked north westerly breeze blowing down the combat zone. Friends, family, doctors and team mates assembled pitch side with high hopes, desperate to bear witness to a George’s triumph.
In spite of the painstakingly precise preparations, George’s were immediately on the back foot. Some rumbling forward phases from the kick off found George’s off their guard. Courageous defending was not enough to prevent an early score from the enemy. Now the reality set in. This would be no formality. No walkover. George’s would need to raise their game to a level of rugby that many had not seen before but which everyone knew these sporting giants were more than capable of. They would make amends and would not waste a single moment in doing so. Christopher Records, Recs to his friends, stepped up to fire an almighty kick- off deep in to enemy territory. His wounded hamstring finding strength from deep within to put George’s straight back on to the attack. From this promising field position, George’s mounted a barrage of bludgeoning attacks in to the valley of death. They approached enemy lines with fantastic tactical awareness, power and desire yet their passage was thwarted by deceitful and illegal play from the opposition. George’s knew how close things were likely to be so sensibly entrusted Dan Rossiter with the ball to comfortably knock over the penalty to give George’s a more than deserved 3 points to account for their early efforts. Pressure was likely to surround Dan Rossiter more than most during this game so the calmness and ease with which he secured the first points was a relief for all involved.
It was as if George’s had 16 men on their side as the passion within the crowd was ignited. They could be no closer to the action without impinging the white lines. GKT had not expected such hostility on their own patch. The atmosphere was ablaze. They felt every tackle, every pass, every collision as if they were out there themselves. Every man and every woman was wearing their heart on their sleeve, displaying true and absolute pride for the badge. Small scuffles began to break loose and the opposing weasel of a scrum half ill- advisedly attempted to take on the monstrous Adam Briki. This foolish mistake soon escalated with all the forward pack becoming involved in a hefty brawl and the 16th man was in no mood to take a step back either. Crowd and players instinctively rushed to the aid of their comrades. The situation soon diffused but George’s had left a permanent reminder. They were not to be bullied. Under no circumstance whatsoever.
George’s forward dominance was starting to tell. All the forwards were hitting incisive, destructive lines. Arny Vyas took one pass, and fending off a tackle with a remarkable iron pillar of a hand off, broke though opposition lines to the delight of the crowd. These sorts of plays were becoming more and more apparent. The pressure was amplifying and it took just a few more minutes for the GKT defences to be completely breached. The ever dominant pack boshed their way through to the 5m line. Left winger Steve Garvey had noticed there was a potential overlap on the right side of the park and as the forwards progressively worked the ball to the left, a call was made for Rex to switch the direction of play. The ball was played accurately in to Dan Tallbott’s hands off the next phase, who immediately applied genuine pace in to the move. The full back, with his flowing blonde locks took the ball in to contact and selflessly played the ball out to the steaming Garvey. The young Irishman put his head down and went for the line. Then, on his knees, he took a breath, and his war cry could be felt all around south east London.
Another clinical Rossiter penalty took George’s in to the break with a score of 11- 5 in their favour.
Both teams respected each others strengths and as the second half got underway the game became like a chess match. Penalties a piece were traded early on to put the score at 14- 8. Still George’s forwards charged onwards. The line out was working majestically with Adam Smith and John Melville synergizing to devastating effect.
After a while however, the game became looser and the electrifying George’s back line were starting to put their stamp on the game. Greg Davies at scrum half, who clearly had the better of his opposite number, was able to find Recs with assertive distribution. Recs, as usual was finding his way through gaps and tackles like a dolphin playing rugby, if ever that was possible. Both centres were excelling in their roles of keeping the dominant opposition threat at 12 under wraps. They were making the hard yards in possession too. Pete Finney’s decades at George’s have been long and eventful yet success in the UH cup has been the one thing that has eluded this great club during this period. The hope, belief and longing beats within us all yet for Pete Finney it takes on an enhanced meaning. This, being the only form of institution he has ever known.
George’s were unable to extend on their 6 point cushion and soon found themselves up against it as GKT starting to gain the upper hand and establish a foot hold on the game. George’s laid everything on the line and fought courageously to stop the tide. The defending was truly immense. A monumental human blockade was erected in the St George’s twenty two. Thou shalt not pass. Along with his fellow GEP back rowers Rupar and Reynolds, Will Nokes had had a storming afternoon making big hits and big carries. Cropping up all over the pitch to subdue and arrest any GKT attacks from germinating. For a player who operates on the edge of the rules, he would do anything in his powers to halt the dirty opposition in their tracks. In true St George’s style, Nokes wanted GKT's defeat to be complete and everlasting. In order to do so, he had himself sent off, to give them a sense of hope. This flicker of light was extinguished, in a pre planned manouver, almost as soon as it was ignited by some champagne George’s rugby. George’s continued to fight valiantly, but a penalty try was to be the final verdict from the referee. While horse and hero fell. They that had fought so well. With a conversion in front of the posts, even the incompetent GKT kicker could not fail in his task to finalise the 7 points that put GKT in to a 15- 14 lead.
One can only imagine what Rupar bellowed to his players beneath the posts at this point. Whatever it was it worked. With just minutes remaining George’s had one last throw of the dice. With bodies battered and bruised, legs lacerated and lambasted, George’s kept going. Cannons to the left of them. Cannons to the right of them. Cannons in front of them. George’s kept going. The glorious green and gold coated in a hard fought, hard earned layer of mud. With no answer to the green and gold onslaught, GKT were forced to commit crime that led to George’s being justly awarded a penalty. With the clock ticking and with just one point in it, the decision was made and the referee pointed to the posts. The tee and water bottles were brought on and a calm and collected Rossiter gathered himself. It’s moments like this that heroes are made. It’s moments like this that villains are made. The tension could be cut with a knife as he stanced over the ball and took careful steps back to start his run- up. Everything went silent. Every supporter and player transfixed in anticipation. Rossiter glanced up at the posts. Then he looked down at the ball. He repeated this ritual twice, perhaps three further times. And then the spirit of the dragon awoke inside him. He stepped up and struck the ball home. Clean and true, the ball flew through the sticks. The crowd went wild, so many great emotions it’s impossible to capture them in to words. GKT had no answer and George’s were able to play out the final few minutes finishing with the score 17 -15 to them. The scenes were of pure ecstasy. Jubilation that had never been seen before.
They had done it. They had made the final. These George’s heroes now stand on the brink of history. Just one step away now from reaching the promised land. Just four letters now stand in their way. I. C. S. M. Weeks of talking. Months of training. Years of hoping. Decades of belief. Could St Georges Medical School Rugby Football Club now go on to win the UH cup for the first time since 1880?
FINAL SCORE
St George’s 17- 15 GKT