Bournemouth RFC

Season 2017/2018

Hampshire KO Cup • Quarter-final

Tottonians v Bournemouth

Saturday, 14 October, KO 2.30pm at Water Lane

Result: Tottonians 25/3t2c2p-58/8t6c2p Bournemouth
HT: 10/tcp-18/2tc2p

Bournemouth reprise their Hampshire past

Bournemouth: Chris Jeffes, Harry Davis/t, Joe O’Hehir, Danny Kirkpatrick, Alex Everett-Bolter/2t, Johnny O’Hehir, Grant Hancox/t5c2p, Pat Fraser, Alan Manning, Matt Christopher, Tom Napier/2t, Conrad Carkeet, Dave McDonald, Adam MacDonald/t. Substitutes: Max Cheater/t, Joe Gwyther/c, Jack Palmer, Joe Spiller, Sammy Veneroso. Touch Judge: Gavin Fisher. DoR: Will Croker. Coach: Jon Sanchez. Manager: Bob Strickland. Medical Team: Andy Curtis. Man of the Match: Adam MacDonald. 1st XV Debuts: Conrad Carkeet, Max Cheater, Harry Davis, Danny Kirkpatrick, Joe O’Hehir, Johnny O’Hehir, Jack Palmer. Maiden Scores: Max Cheater/Sub/t, Harry Davis/14/t, Adam MacDonald/8/t, Tom Napier/5/2t.

Referee: Dave Martin.

Croker took the opportunity to 'blood' a few promising newcomers so it was an unfamiliar lineup that faced Tottonians. Compared to the team that faced Dings Crusaders last week there were a number of changes. Chris Jeffes came in for Grant Hancox, nominated as captain, at full back. Originally selected to be on the bench, Harry Davis started on the right wing in place of Alex Everett-Bolter who moved to the left wing in place of the originally selected but then unavailable Dan Stewart. The centre pairing of Danny Kirkpatrick and Joe O’Hehir took over from Scott Chislett and Freddie Geladowe, while at half-back, brother Johnny O’Hehir took over from Adam Davies at fly-half and Grant Hancox played scrum-half in place of Sam Hardcastle. In the front row, hooker Pat Fraser took over at loosehead in place of Tom Napier who, in turn was moved to lock in place of Adam MacDonald who in his turn was moved to replace Joe Rees at No 8. Alan Manning was moved to hooker in place of Pat and Luca Firetto replaced Alan at tighthead. In the back row Conrad Carkeet, one of a very few seventeen year olds to have played for the 1st XV, replaced Richard Sharp at blindside while Dave McDonald replaced Alexander Bennett at openside. On the bench, Max Cheater and Sam Palmer were making their debuts and Sammy Veneroso was making his first appearance for the 1st XV this season.

The weather was fine but overcast with no discernible breeze. Underfoot, the pitch was dry and looked in excellent condition. Perfect all round then for an enjoyable game of rugby football.

Bournemouth kicked off from right to left as viewed from the clubhouse and to their left.

On a day when Bournemouth supporters of a certain vintage became a little nostalgic, if not weepy eyed, Bournemouth travelled to Totton to play in the Hampshire Cup for the first time since losing to Havant in the final in March 1975. Ineligible to compete in the Dorset & Wilts Cup, Director of Rugby, Will Croker, approached Hampshire and asked if they would entertain the idea of Bournemouth playing in their cup competition. The answer was 'we'd be delighted'. So off we all trooped across the forest to play Tottonians in the, what was for us an historic, quarter-final.

However unfamiliar the line-up was, it was the familiar sight of Grant Hancox kicking two early goals to give the visitors a 6-nil lead to get his ream set for the task ahead. However Bournemouth were penalized at the restart following the second goal but the Tots’s flyhalf’s effort from left of the posts was wide. Left wing Alex Everett-Bolter, who was to prove to be a threat all afternoon made a half break. However tensions were obviously evident when prop Pat Fraser and his fellow antagonist were 'yellow carded' for fighting. Nonetheless Bournemouth showed their running threat when right wing Harry Davis was well stopped short of the line in a feature of the afternoon by a fine scrambled defence that was to prevent a riot of scoring. However the same player did finish off a fine three-quarter move down the right to register the first try of the afternoon. From wide out Hancox pulled is effort outside the near post. However a 11-nil lead was a fair enough start. Tots were far from out of this and they took full advantage of any Bournemouth handling errors of which there were an unsettling number. However it was Davis making a storming break into enemy territory that released Everett-Bolter. The winger was stopped on the line and might have even grounded it but Hancox was on hand to scoop up the ball and dive over. The scrum-half converted his own try and Bournemouth began to stretch away at 18-nil. Hmmh! Not so certain about that said Tots. Following an exchange of kicks, sustained Tots pressure where they showed impressive ball retention skills was rewarded with a try and a conversion. 18-7, not quite so comfortable. A few minutes later referee Dave Martin brought play back to a Bournemouth high tackle and the Tots's flyhalf kicked the goal. 18-10. Even less comfortable but it did bring the first half to a close.

Determined to repell these usurpers from across the border, another penalty, reward for sustained pressure from the restart, saw the arrears reduced even further at 18-13. Worse was to follow when the Tots's inside centre broke through some woeful tackling at the restart and ran unopposed to score under the posts. An easy conversion duly followed and Bournemouth found themselves behind at 18-20. Oh dear! That wasn't in the script for our historic return to Hampshire Cup competition. Helped by a kick straight into touch from a pass back from outside the 22m. Bournemouth had a useful lineout just 20 or less metres out. A forward drive in an apparent signal that things better be brought back under control saw the ball released right. Everett-Bolter had the ball dislodged and Tots were able clear left for another Bournemouth lineout. This time they made sure with another drive but in the face of a determined Tots defence No 8 Adam MacDonald drove over. Hancox kicked the goal from his 'favoured' side to restore the lead at 25-20. Playing with this new found intensity, turnover ball at a Tots lineout on their 10m line, saw Napier score his maiden try for the 1st XV. Hancox failed to convert but Bournemouth had a 'two-score' lead at 30-10. Any comfortable feeling Bournemouth may have had as a result of this position was in for a rude shock. The Tots left winger, who was a speedy threat all afternoon, was much more determined than the Bournemouth receivers at the restart and with a finely judged, not to say brave, leap secured the ball. Again showing those great ball retention skills which saw Bournemouth struggling to deal with, Tots relentlessly drove up field and scored again. The conversion attempt was pushed past the far post but Tots were very much back in this at 30-25. Bournemouth immediately responded when going right from a lineout at the restart Davis, now at blindside in the place of the injured Carkeet, made another eye-catching break and Napier was on hand to register his second try of the afternoon. Hancox kicked the goal and Bournemouth lead 37-25. The Tots's left winger almost repeated his earlier party trick but a knock on saved Bournemouth's blushes. From the resulting scrum a kick and another break by Davis supported by Adam MacDonald saw Tots again desperately defending. Tots turnover ball saw them able to clear their lines right but it was another Bournemouth lineout. Veneroso, on for Hancox at scrum who had been moved to full back in place of Jeffes, tried to get a movement going down the short side but again Tots turned the ball over. Hancox fielded the clearance kick and he released Cheater on at right wing and the newcomer showed some useful pace to take play deep into the Tots's half where the defence was penalized for 'not rolling away'. Gwyther, on for Johnny O’Hahir at fly-half, found touch to his right and Bournemouth had an attacking lineout just ten metres out. When Bournemouth's initial drive was stalled the ball was released left to Gwyther. The fly-half's deft pass back inside to Everett-Bolter coming off his wing created the gap the winger needed for him to score under the posts. Hancox made sure the lead was increased to 44-25. Gwyther’s kick back to the right from the restart went ‘straight out’ and Tots had a line-out inside the Bournemouth 22m. Bournemouth managed to ‘nick’ the ball and they attacked strongly down the left and for all money they were ‘in’ but ‘lost’ the ball in face of the Tots defence. With no semblance of a Bournemouth defence, Tots broke out with some enterprise and the inside centre was ‘clear’ in the Bournemouth half with Bournemouth chasing back to cut him off. Only Napier had the pace and strength to carry on and he dragged his quarry down some ten metres short of the line. A ‘lung-busting’ effort and dare I say, especially for a prop cum lock. A knock-on, gave a relieved Bournemouth the ‘put in’ at a scrum and Hancox boomed an enormous, dispiriting kick down field to just short of the Tots try-line. Tots were grateful to clear right for a Bournemouth line-out. Adam MacDonald secured the throw-in and Bournemouth drove forward releasing the ball left. Again they seemed certain to score but a knock-on meant Tots had a scrum just ten metres from their line. Bournemouth, whose scrummaging was generally stronger all afternoon, won the ball and went right and Cheater was almost in but when he was stopped the refreee brought play back to an original Tots offside. Bournemouth opted for a scrum and winning the ball it went right again and this time Cheater was in for his maiden score. A confident Hancox turned away almost as soon as he struck the ball and Bournemouth had passed the 50 mark at 51-25. Adam MacDonald fielded the restart and released the ball left to Alan Manning. In a characteristic charge, the hooker broke through a couple of tackles to set up another Bournemouth surge up field. With Tots scrambling back there were too many in the advancing horde and Everett-Bolter, having been involved earlier in the move, was again on hand to round off the move by scoring wide out on the left. With no pressure, Gwyther, taking over the kicking duties from the now departed Hancox, kicked an excellent goal from the touchline and Bournemouth lead 58-25. Tots weren’t dismayed by the margin and with a final flourish looked to embarrass their visitors when they intercepted a Bournemouth pass back inside and broke out going left. Just outside the Bournemouth 22m, this spectacular act of last defiance was rather spoilt by a knock-on and referee Dave Martin blew for no side.

It has been disappointing for the Bournemouth 1st XVers not to be able to play in D&W Cup and this rather historic innovation went a long way to sweetening the pill. The game also gave the opportunity for a number of promising new comers to strut their stuff at 1st XV level and show what they were made of. It also raises the possibility of once again meeting a number of clubs that have disappeared over the years as a result of those boundary changes and later the advent of League rugby. We are in the West, Hampshire is in the East and only at Level 4 do the twain meet. So names like Winchester, Havant, Basingstoke, Portsmouth may once again appear in a Bournemouth fixture list. We look forward to the semi-final encounter and hope Hampshire have enjoyed our participation in their cup competition. After all, we haven’t moved, it is only political smoke and mirrors.

It should also be noted now that we are in a cup competition and not solely playing League it has doubled the workload of the club statistician and it is hoped that, at his advanced years and general senility, he is able to cope. His wife despairs and sees it as just another reason to stick his nose against a computer screen.

Next week we are back to League rugby and travel to meet long-standing friends Exmouth. KO is 2.30pm. See our website on how you might enjoy a lunch/game offer by the hosts.

Doug Warren