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I got to Pally to catch the last 10 mins of the 2XV game, to see a well executed move off a set piece generating a midfield breakdown from where multiple options could be taken. Uni D worked around the corner whilst watching the Pally half back direct traffic back from whence it came ... concluding the game with the right winger going over after breaking several loose tackles.
What a contrast we watched in the next game.
The first ten minutes saw degrees of insanity from the home side, making several attempts to run it out of defence only to fall foul of simple handling errors and turnover tackles, as the body position of the Pally blindside was naively high on all 3 occasions. So, expecting a different result from doing the exact same thing, that’s a theory of insanity or in rugby terms; stupidity. Not one call of clear it, send it downfield or similar was heard ... I guess it’s a tight side that believes in what they do!
Uni opened their account with a well worked and patient try after one of those turnover tackles with the game's character on Uni's right wing converting.
The Pally kick off was one of several in the first half that followed the same theme, each and every one taken by the hard working Uni 4 followed by effective ball retention for the effervescent Uni 9 to clear, box or send downfield for more territory, simply playing at the right end of the pitch.
Pally's attempts to hold on to possession lead to desperation at times with several rucks leading to 3 points to Uni from some very orange boots of the kicking winger taking advantage of the strong breeze to send them over from the halfway. Two such penalties whilst temporarily down to 14 men; you know, that time when you try to take advantage of a prop being yellow carded but instead fail to generate one scrum.
Eventually, we saw the first foray from Pally into the other half of the pitch with 25 mins gone. Great speed and gusto saw the mostly resolute Uni defence stretched, almost taken by surprise for a Pally score under the posts. The difference in the movement here was several passes were held as opposed to going behind or being sent to where the distributor thought someone should be! So, Pally had the potential to do some damage and perhaps recover lost ground, but straight from the restart again the upright blindside attempted a run out of defence only to be driven back metres ... further attempts to run out of their own 22 against a mere mild breeze resulted in unforced errors in handling and repeated desperation, inevitably leading to our kicking winger taking more points.
Starting the second half 19-7 down, Pally actually changed something, a long deep kick off … that went dead. Scrum back to the normal position of next to zero territory and back to the natural theme of the game with Uni varying the attack from the set piece and going over to score, thus opening both halves with a try.
Pally still had some of the half time rest in them as they had worked out that to gain some territory, a kick could be a good idea, so up it went and down the pitch they went to make the best of a line out, taking the shortened option with a defence unset and for the 10 to catch the opening and go straight through. This was pretty much the only line out taken cleanly for skew throws, stolen ball and knock on’s were the order of the day for this set piece and the wind was not to blame, nothing is to blame for dumping the ball on a scrum half from a great height and expecting him to take it cleanly for distribution. Even the odd clean ball took an exceptional length of time to get from take to 10.
Uni’s work rate was huge and their own execution was not polished by any means, but it was effective with both half backs controlling where the play should take place, made a little easier by some good back row spadework, especially by the #8, who’s go-forward was evident at every possession he took.
Some momentum from the home side reared it’s head in some consecutive rucks without penalties only to be led down by kicking that resembled a last resort, ot a first option or reverting to the handling errors of passing when they thought people should be again … a trait of arrogant Welsh fly halves, not of half the blue and white team.
Decent defence and line speed from Uni kept any further attacks from the hosts at bay until the changes came and several backs were replaced losing what modicum of structure they had and looking like they hadn’t played together at all.
Into the final 10 minutes and a last flourish from Pally saw a wonderfully committed try saving tackle from the Uni 9 bundling the replacement winger into touch along with the corner flag, the following hurrahs kept the students going for that final spell and kept the clever minds thinking. Slowing the pace of the game right down and taking the penalties for goal ran the clock down several minutes, which you can do when you keep getting penalties!
At the death with no way of coming back, the last laugh went to the winger for the banter he took from the sideline in converting one of those penalties. He may have looked and sounded like one of medical students on the hospital playing fields of south London, but he did everything that was asked and required of him in the tackle, high ball and of course the scoreboard kept ticking over.
UWA finished the game ahead 29-15 through smarter rugby, simple plays to gain territory, a workrate to maintain possession and someone who can kick.
Palmyra have a bit to sort out on the pitch as well as off it, the chilli chicken bun I had was awful and the other end of the foodie spectrum from the roast beef & gravy roll at Baysie!
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