COUNTIES TWO HERTS-MIDDLESEX

TABARD 15 ENFIELD IGNATIANS 11

The games between ENFIELD IGNATIANS and Tabard have tended to be close, nervy affairs and this was no different, although the visitors ultimately had to console themselves with a losing bonus point in the wake of the 15-11 defeat at Cobden Hill, writes Jonathan Landi.

Narrow 12-9 winners when the sides met in October, Ignatians confidently responded to Tabard taking the lead via a penalty with a neat score of their own, as they cleverly sucked in the hosts’ blindside defence with promising prop and new recruit, Tom Rushmer (ex Kingston and cousin of No 8 Sam Rushmer), playing in the surging Frank Antwi on the flank.

Equally pleasing was the way in which Ignatians got into a prime attacking pitch in the first place, with Tabard having originally kicked long and deep into Ignatians’ territory, with the visitors commendably spurning the safety-first approach of kicking for touch.

Instead, in real devil may care mode, Ignatians went for broke by speading the ball wide, with Tom MacDougall and Frank Antwi combining to set free left winger, Alfie Fordham, whose kick through unnerved the Tabard fullback. As the latter spilled the ball on the edge of his own 22, and thereby gifting Ignatians an excellent field position, in the form of an attacking scrum, from which they scored their only try.

However, Ignatians subsequently fell victim to a sucker punch, having failed to defend the Tabard catch and drive from the lineout, after taking the view that the maul hadn’t been formed, which resulted in them fatally backing off. It was a score which divided opinion but the referee, having decided otherwise, was satisfied with the legality of it all.

Despite this, Ignatians got into some great positions, but their constant failure to turn the screw from attacking mauls in the opposition 22, was a recurring theme throughout the game and invariably it came back to haunt them in a game of small margins.

On the positive side, and in a game in which they probably needed to keep the ball in play as long as possible, they were certainly well-structured and fluid, and they alsio showed some subtle touches with No 8 Sam Rushmer and Euan Renny, recast in the unfamiliar role of inside centre, running a neat loop move.

Head coach Gary Phillips livened things up at half-time by introducing fresh legs in the front row in the form of Rondel Bernard, and changing his half-back combination, with Paul Duke moving over from scrum-half to fly-half, and Tom MacDougall switching from fullback to scrum-half, among the changes i.

Consequently, the Lavender Hill Garage MOM, Paul Duke, levelled matters by landing a penalty after Tabard strayed offside, only for disaster to strike again after a crucial missed tackle ushered in the home side’s second try

Despite losing Euan Renny to the sin-bin for an illegal clear out, Ignatians upped the ante and closed to within four points, after Duke nailed his second penalty ten minutes from time following an excellent strike, and although the visitors had further chances, they failed to trouble the scoreboard. Not that their work rate and endeavour was ever in question.

Despite the defeat, Ignatians painted a positive picture of themselves. There were a number of individual good performances, with two players, Euan Renny and Frazer Briers, both called upon to perform hybrid roles in the back division and the pack, among the standouts.

Head coach Gary Phillips said: “In all fairness, we should have won the game. The players can rightly feel proud and frustrated at the same time. However, Tabard are fifth in the league and this shows how far we have come as a team.”

The result keeps Ignatians rooted to eighth place in the Counties Two Herts Middlesex table, with Wasps next up at Donkey Lane on February 15.
The EIRFC squad: Tom MacDougall, Alfie Fordham*, Euan Renny (cpt)*, Ryan Loo*, Adam Moorley, Carl Asare-Anderson*, Paul Duke*, Matt Pollard, Sam Hatchett, Tom Rushmer, Liam Horn*, Henry Sibley *, Frank Antwi*, Frazer Briers*, Sam Rushmer, Rondel Bernard, Ben Villamor*, Declan Linnane*.
*= home grown talent,
Try: Frank Antwi.
Penalties: Paul Duke (2).
Lavender Hill Garage MOM: Paul Duke.