Norwich v Southwold

After a night of rain, the conditions for this visit to Norwich were nigh-on perfect, soft, but firm pitch, sunny and a light breeze. The guys were obviously ready to get back to normal business after last week’s 7s exertions and started off at breakneck speed. Toby claimed the ball from the kick-off after Norwich hesitated and let it bounce, before setting up a maul which led to the ball going rapidly down the line to Waldo, who opened the try-scoring after less than 30 seconds! Kicking conversions was going to be difficult in the first half against the wind from long-ish grass and Jack had to contend with this from that point.

Would the fast start continue, though? The answer was an emphatic, ‘yes!’ as Josh caught the restart on the Wold 22 metre line, brushed off one tackle, ran through another and showed all the spectators what was to come as he sprinted down the touchline to score under the posts before Norwich could lay another hand on him. Jack converted and the score had ticked over to 12-0 within two minutes.

Soon after, Dylan’s dummy in midfield set up Josh again, though this time the defence stopped him just short of the line, their defence turned to attack and the end result was a line-out on half-way. Possession secured, the ball moved along the back line in a precise, flowing move that put Waldo over for his second score. Norwich had no answer to the pace and power being exhibited by the Southwold backs and this was the tone for the rest of the game. (17-0 after 10 minutes)

The game settled into a midfield phase before a kick through put Norwich under pressure near their own line as they scrambled back to secure the ball. Josh turned the screw and isolated the Norwich full back, literally pushing him back twice before calmly stripping him of the ball and jogging over unopposed from about five yards out.

Ollie decided to come to the party at the restart and a searing run through the Norwich defence took play back into the opposition’s 22, though a clearing kick looked to then relieve the pressure. However, Jade gathered at full-back and drove back into the Norwich half, before passing to Toby to continue the move, with Billy then setting up a ruck and quick hands putting Renee in on the left.

The procession continued…

A series of rucks on the left resulted in the ball in Josh’s hands in space, the rest was inevitable, a score under the posts to make Renee’s conversion easier. 34-0

A catch and dart from Ashley at the restart, a pass to Toby in support, then a knock-on allowed Archie to strike not once, but twice, against the head at the resulting scrum, allowing Dylan and Renee to take the ball in close before a charging Billy crashed over for his first score of the season.

Charlie disrupted an opposition ruck superbly to claim the ball, closely supported in turn by Joe and Matthew. The forwards’ momentum set up Renee who sliced through what now looked like a shell-shocked defence to touch down under the posts. Jack knocked over the kick and the referee blew for some respite for Norwich as the score had risen to 46-0.

The first half had been a tale of three Ps…Pace, Power and Precision handling, to which Norwich had no answer.

Early in the second phase, another scrum against the head, (way to go Archie!), allowed Ashley to snipe down the blind side from the half-way line. He was hauled down short, though this was at the cost of a penalty, which was quickly taken and Henry barrelled over to make the score 51-0.

The next score came from a planned and rehearsed move at a line-out near the Norwich line. Up went the call, over came the ball, in went everyone and over went Toby for a well-executed try. Simple!

Josh and Jack combined to take the score up to 63-0 with a straightforward try (straightforward for Josh anyway) and a conversion, before Toby ran through a scattered defence straight from the restart and Wold had posted seventy unanswered points.

Two more tries came before Norwich broke their duck. Firstly, Charlie drove off the base of a scrum then fed Waldo to carry on with the attack. Matthew and Ben were involved in pushing play further into Norwich territory, setting up Josh for his sixth and final try of the day. Then Henry caught the restart and drove forward at pace, popping the ball up for Dylan to score between the posts.

Ollie was tackling everything that moved at this point, (even if they didn’t have the ball on occasion!), creating havoc with attacking runs and solid tackling, imagine if there were two of him!! (Get well soon, Will).

Norwich kept plugging away and were finally rewarded with a consolation try in the corner after a period of dogged forward work and a succession of free kicks given away by Wold.

The hard work at training is coming to fruition and one move exemplified the progression. An attacking line-out in the opposition 22 was claimed imperiously by a lifted jumper, (which is new to the lads this year), the ball went to the scrum half ‘off the top’ and two swift, accurate passes later fetched up in the centre’s hands. The speed and accuracy of the whole move was testament to the work put in.

The final score of the day resulted from a wind-assisted kick that went over Norwich’s dead ball line. The 22 drop-out was charged down by a marauding Henry, though the ball went into touch, with a penalty being awarded to Southwold after the lineout on the Norwich 22. Ashley took the penalty quickly, before the defence could sort itself out and he darted through to take the score to 87-5. Jack converted five tries in all on a difficult day and pitch for kickers, which is to be commended

This was a comprehensive win, born out of pace and power from the back division, hard work from the forwards and a combined will to work to a pattern.

It was good to see the often unheralded players coming to the fore today. Ben, Joe, Matthew, Archie…take a bow! Jack has joined this season and is adding more welcome power and size, his name will appear in more match reports this season for sure

MoM: Matthew and Henry for their hard work and driving play.
Next week – Ipswich (a)