News & match reports
13-14 March - Lewes 1st, 3rds & Colts results
15th March 2010
Seniors
Lewes 1st XV vs KCS Old Boys
Score: 76 - 7
Match report by Dereck Wade
Photos courtesy of Nigel Coomber, NLC Photography (more pictures >>)
With probably the highest winning score ever seen at the Stanley Turner Ground, Lewes completely overwhelmed their opponents – whose team was weakened by injuries and unavailability – by winning comprehensively to consolidate their fourth place in the League.
Scoring 11 tries in the process, the outcome of the game was never in doubt from the virtually the kick-off, but to KCS's credit, they never gave up and their fighting spirit was rewarded a few minutes from the whistle with a fine consolation try, to avoid a total white-wash.
After an early missed penalty on 4 minutes, it took the home side only another three minutes to get onto the scoreboard, the pack winning the ball from a ruck on the half-way line to see it fed out to full-back Sam Hutchinson, who had come crashing into the line to pick up and sprint 40 metres for the opening try of the match. Outside-half Rocky Matatumua kicked the difficult conversion to see Lewes 7 – 0 up.
Five minutes later, the ball was again won on half-way, followed by a fine break from scrum-half Matt Blunt deep into KCS's half, who then passed the ball out left for speedy winger Steve Mills to sprint to the line for Lewes's second, but unconverted, try to stretch the advantage to 12 – 0. This became 19 –0 two minutes later, centre Will Bell slicing through the visitors' defence to touch down under the posts, with the conversion by Matatumua.
With a penalty from the same player on 22 minutes for offside, taking the score to 22 – 0, Lewes had scored at exactly a point a minute! A further, unconverted try three minutes later from influential No. 8, Matt Ridley made it 27 – 0, and Lewes's overall strength was so complete that it took KCS fully 25 minutes before they had managed to get inside the home team's own half. Even then, Lewes's organised defence and counter-attacking abilities nullified this rare attack by the visitors. A second try from Mills on 33 minutes, and one from Matatumua two minutes from the half-time whistle (both of which he converted) saw Lewes go in at the break with an unassailable 41 – 0 lead.
In the second half, Lewes somewhat unsurprisingly took their foot of the pedal for the next few minutes, allowing KCS more possession and territory as a result, but the balance was restored on 48 minutes when flanker Rupert Arbuthnot sped from the half-way line for a great individual try under the posts, converted by Matatumua. This was followed some 9 minutes later with a fine team try rounded off by replacement winger Charlie Terry , after a clever tap-penalty from prop-forward Steve Andre, with another Matatumua conversion, to see Lewes out of sight at 55 – 0.
Further tries from Hutchinson and Andre, both converted by Matatuma, made it 69 – 0 after 74 minutes but one minute later, KCS finally got points on the scoreboard at 69 – 7 when their full-back Jamie Hearne, sped through the Lewes defence for a consolation try under the posts, which he also converted.
But Lewes rounded off their finest performance this season with the last try, just before the whistle, Arbuthnot scoring his second, converted by Matatumua, for the final score of 76 – 7.
Although every one the Lewes squad performed well, making it difficult to single out individual players for attention, special mention must be made of Rocky Matatumua, as the outside's half's personal contribution - 1 try, 9 conversions and a penalty - was 26 points.
Lewes: Andre, Denslow (Mason 75mins), Lundin (Read 40 mins), Gorbell, Brant, Arbuthnot, Tudor, Ridley, Blunt, Matatumua, Mills, Hamer (Capt.), Bell, Halpin (Terry 53 mins), Hutchinson
On Saturday, Lewes are away to Purley John Fisher, and are hoping to stretch their current run of 3 wins on the trot to 4.
Lewes wins shoot out with Hove Fusiliers
Lewes 3rd XV v Hove Fusiliers
Report by Steve Jackson
Score: 13 - 10
Hove Fusiliers visited the Stanley Turner ground for a Sussex Division 2 east fixture to play Lewes 3rd team. The game started with Hove the stronger camped in the Lewes five metre line for a good 10 minutes, some good Lewes defence finally gave way when Hove crashed over for the 1st try of the match but were unable to convert.
Then Lewes took a strangle hold of the 1st half with the forward pack taking control of the scrum, with veteran props Ginger Sheill, tight head Ray Stenning and young Samual Rawson playing his first league game of senior rugby as hooker were getting right under the noses of their Hove counterparts.
This was becoming a forwards game with ball rarely getting out to the backs, only on the odd occasion the ball came out to the wing with skipper Steve Jackson making a couple of runs only to be strongly tackled by the Hove full back. However veteran fly half Mark Wignal was a calming influence hence Lewes did not panic, and the pressure paid off when they won a line out near the Hove 22. The ball was secured in the maul and quickly came out in the hands of tight head Ginger Sheill, who tore away on the blind side to charge over for an intelligent try in the corner. Then scrum half Simon Coe’s fine kick out wide sailed over the posts to secure a 7-5 lead. Hove then conceded another penalty which Simon Coe coolly despatched to go further ahead 10-5.
After the break Hove began to get their maul going again which proved to be their weapon through the match, especially as Lewes began to tire. Because of some minor injuries to the forwards Hove eventually scored again but failed with the conversion. So with the score at 10-10 it was always going to be a close match right to the end.
Lewes then made some replacements to aid the effective Leigh Rafel at 2nd row and Paul Johnson, always lively and making breaks, at no8. This bolstered Lewes, and they mounted some pressure in the final minutes, resulting in Hove conceding another penalty in front of the posts, which Coe again coolly despatched to claim the win for Lewes.
All in all this was a fine effort indeed by the 3rds with back to back wins. The forwards must take much of the credit for the performance – a great mix of old and young: Sam Rawson playing in the front row with Uncle Ginger Shiel was nice to see with Sam easily making the step up to senior rugby. A fine team effort indeed.
Juniors
Sunday 14 March 2010
Lewes Colts round robin vs Havant and Cobham
Scores: Lewes 5 - Havant 0, Lewes 0 - Cobham 13
More pictures in the Lewes RFC Flickr gallery >>
Article by 3
More Photos >>
| Facebook