Tunbridge Wells

Match report author Paul Hickson is Partner at Seniors' sponsor Menzies, to whom we are as ever hugely endebted.

This was a great game of rugby with some awesome individual performances on both sides but with the Cobham pack being the deciding factor.

It did need to be that good though because sitting in a warm club house watching Scotland knock ten bells out of Wales seemed more attractive at 2.30 than facing a biting cold wind on the playing fields of Tunbridge Wells RFC. 

The starting line up for Cobham looked a little back to front to start with, literally in the case of Alex Cook playing hooker when he normally took his place in the back row and it was not clear whether team selection had also been impacted by the late arrival of Lee and Ben who had travelled separately from the bus. (They got their chance late into the second half)

Phil, the Tunbridge Wells match reporter told us that TW had achieved 6 wins out of their last 9 games and their confidence was improved and so it appeared from the kick off. Although the wind chill factor was high the majority of passes were going to hand for both back lines but to no scoring effect. 

It took 20 minutes before we had the first score, against the run of play it has to be said, with the TW scrum half exploiting a gap in the Cobham line out and darting through to score an opportunistic try. There was a small panic to find the score board numbers but eventually we had the score recorded. 5-0.

This score upset Cobham and their demeanour wasn't helped by what appeared to be a  high penalty count in favour of TW by a referee wearing what looked like  'Skinners' socks. Captain Jack wasn't best pleased by some of these decisions on the pitch, nor Tom and Dave off the pitch for that matter but TW were unable to take any points advantage of the penalties and missed the opportunity to go further ahead with the kicks going wide.

With half an hour gone we started to see the domination of the Cobham pack in the scrums, also coming through in the line outs. Cobham were missing the towering Billy in the second row but Ollie Sadler was taking his chances in front of his proud Mum and from one of his takes the pack drove forward towards the TW line. With just yards to go the TW scrum half was sin binned for pulling down. The ref discounted a penalty try so Cobham opted to finish off what they had started. Alex Cook was growing in confidence in his line out throwing and in what looked to be a groundhog day passage of play Cobham's pack pushed over for a Paddy Seymour try. 5-5

With 10 minutes of the first half left and TW down to 14 Cobham looked to  exploit the advantage and as if to maintain harmony in the front row Andy Alexander took advantage of one of Captain Jacks drives to score.  Cobham may have to go back into the archives to find a previous occasion when their first two tries have been scored by Props! 10-5. Colin Johnson looked happy. Half time.

With TW back to full strength as the second half started could Cobham benefit from the advantage of the slope? It didn't appear so to start with with TW showing why they have moved up the table this year. A drop goal attempt ( you don't see many of those these days) wasn't successful but a penalty was to make it 10-8 only to be cancelled out by a Disco penalty 13-8.

The referee had redeemed himself with some fair decisions for Cobham by now but it was the TW back line that was running the ball requiring Alex Cook to make a try saving tackle to prevent the scores being levelled.

The tackling was ferocious with players going down all over the pitch and it was at this point that Dan was floored with an injury that was shortly to take him off. What followed could only best be described as 'trading places'  with Kevin Fisher  coming in from the cold to scrum half (Thought it was a bit harsh when it was suggested on the touchline that at least that would give him a chance to get his hands on the ball !).  Henry Mounsey replaced him at outside centre and Josh came into the back row, but I was never quite sure why Tristan kept turning up on the wing.

Far from upsetting the Cobham line up everyone fitted into their new roles well and from another successful line out the pack were on a roll, driving towards the TW line. You would have put money on Cobham scoring a third forward try but somehow the TW pack held them off. Within minutes however it was the Cobham back line providing their contribution to proceedings by putting  Adam Hanline into the corner for a excellent try which Disco just failed to convert. 18-8.

Although you always expect Captain Jack to have a good game this was one of his best and it was appropriate that from a thrilling passage of play from both sides he was able to score the final try of the afternoon to give Cobham a 23-8 win. TW were  better than that score line revealed but Cobham thoroughly deserved this victory having clawed their way back into the game , dominated upfront and found some space out wide.  An excellent win to set Cobham up for a big match against Gravesend next week.

As for the Wales Scotland game, back in the warm clubhouse, well we can only hope Colin got to see the highlights