U23’s Fall Short against Redruth

On a night when many of those associated with the Royal Navy were toasting the ‘immortal memory’ of Horatio Nelson, the Navy Rugby U23’s struggled slightly to summon the spirt of Trafalgar day, on this, the 221st anniversary of the battle itself...

...but they won’t have left Cornwall too downhearted by what they saw and experienced during this really useful hit out against a Redruth 2nd team that comprised of a dangerous mix of youth and experience. The score of 35-12 to the hosts didn’t quite tell the whole story.

5 Minutes before kick off the heavens opened as the ‘Storm Austen’ advance party did it’s best to make conditions as hard as possible for both sides (thank goodness for the covered seating). And so it proved for the first 15 minutes of the match which saw the Navy predominantly camped in the Redruth half only to spill the ball on multiple occasions – except when they did manage to breach the oppositions tryline only to be held up.

The deadlock was finally broken by the home side on 19 minutes. A mazy run from behind his own sticks by Navy fullback, Owen Jordan, led to a penalty for a high tackle by Navy from the resulting scrum. A kick to the corner led to a catch and drive try for Redruth openside George Beckinsale which was converted by No10 Luke Johnston. 7-0 to the hosts but very much against the run of play.

More pressure on the home side led to a warning from the referee for persistent infringements and, rather predictably, on 26 minutes the Redruth tryline was breached by Navy hooker and captain Lloyd Evans from an almost identical catch and drive that had seen the hosts go ahead at the opposite end. The conversation was missed by rangy scrum half Ewan Bailey but the Navy finally had some points on the board for all of their effort and pressure.

That was it as far as 1st half highlights go except perhaps for the almost inevitable yellow card for Redruth Centre, Robbie Paul, who failed to heed the official’s earlier warnings about the number of penalties being committed by the home side.

Both sides trudged off the sodden pitch for some warmth and half-time oranges with the hosts leading 7-5.

Oh to have been a fly on the wall in the home dressing room. Whatever was said by their coaching unit had an immediate effect with a second try from 5m out for the hosts. This time hooker Ollie Darby going over from the back of a dominant Redruth driving maul. Johnson was again accurate from the tee. 3 minutes into the second half and the scoreboard read 14-5 to the home side.

On 55 minutes it was the U23’s turn to Urk the Ref, this time with a high tackle that saw Navy No4, Taylor Moss, take a 10-minute break in the dugout. It was to prove the catalyst for a decisive period for the Redruth outfit who managed 2 scores while Navy were one man short. First a, by now regulation, catch and drive finished by replacement Ollie Simmons and then a fumble on the U23’s own line that saw Robbie Paul (fresh from his own sabbatical) slide over for the 5 pointer. Both tries were converted and by the time the Navy were restored to their full contingent they found themselves in an almost unassailable 28-5 deficit.

The Navy did manage another try when distinctive captain Evans went over for his second from short range, but any hopes of a comeback were snuffed out minutes later through a combination of a second yellow for Navy (Substitute David Seales) and another score for Redruth when their No11 came off his wing on a devastating angle to go over for the hosts 5th try. The Conversation by Redruth Man of the Match Robbie Paul ensured the game ended 35-12 to Redruth.

The award of Away Man of the Match, and associated crate of beer, meant that the visitors whistles will have been whetted in the changing rooms during what was, one assumes, a positive debrief by coach Declan Johnson. There will be much higher stakes to play for as the season matures and you can’t help but sense that, on that viewing, the U23’s will be all the better for their experience at a wet and windy Rec, in front of a partisan crown, and against a solid unit. All in all, despite the scoreline, a decent start to Navy Rugby U23’s season.

Navy U23s: A Johnson, L Evans (C), O Howes; T Moss, G Provost; R Tozer, B Jones, A Greenland (VC); E Bailey, J Bosher, R Bennett, J Thorpe, J Rowland, L Leeman, O Jordan.

Replacements: B Chaston, B Smith, K Mackenzie, D Seales, J Leggett, C Crawford.

Words by Neil Howe

Images by Harry Trump