Well what a shame Saturday was … to say I was disappointed is an understatement! What hurts more is the anguish that Brett Rule suffered at the end of the game when we should not have been in that position! Kickers are heroes one week and villains the next .. take it from me I have first hand experience of that!! The boy was distraught and unconsolable afterwards but he is strong and will be stronger for the experience!
Without doubt Henley were a good side and posed threats throughout the game. They came with a big reputation of being a strong forward pack with a dominant scrum. I think we put the scrum scenario to bed in the first couple of minutes shunting them backwards at a rate of knots! I felt their description of a “weighty” pack was unjustified, I think it was down to technique and being better than they were! Our front row were one of the best if not the best in National 1 for a number of seasons, they have taken that reputation into National 2 South. It will take a good unit to better them. Our line out functioned better but still is not firing on all cylinders and we are not clinical enough around the breakdown and are giving away far too many penalties. Outside the scrum I felt we should have kicked a bit more and when we do kick it has to be better and into space but all said and done we lost and we now have to pick up the pieces for a very tough encounter at Lydney at the weekend. They have had a very good start to the season and beat Clifton at Clifton last weekend. The supporters there are hugely passionate people and create a daunting atmosphere.
The World Cup is now taking shape and New Zealand looked unbelievably good and I can’t see anyone touching them at present. Australia recovered from their defeat to Ireland and South Africa look strong but not hugely convincing at this stage. The Scots have a tough one facing them now with a must win game against an England side that is still not firing on all cylinders despite their big win against Romania. My tip for the quarter finals is: New Zealand v Argentina, England v France, South Africa v Australia, Ireland v Wales.
The club held a Race Night on Friday night and what a good night it turned out to be. I must say I felt the evening was made by the large contingent of Mini Junior parents who attended. These sort of nights can either fall flat on their face or be enjoyable and the enthusiasm shown by the MJ mums and Dads was brilliant. Frame UK also contributed and a tidy sum was raised for club funds.
As previously mentioned Nathan Thomas goes into hospital next Tuesday for his operation to donate his kidney to his daughter Oceanna. I am sure you will all join with me in wishing Nathan, his daughter and all their family the very best of luck. I have known Nathan since he was 7 years old and he is a live wire to say the least and will come through this whole experience with flying colours. He is obviously very nervous and apprehensive but his fighting spirit will get him through. I recall his 8th birthday party at the Carn Brea Leisure Centre! It was in the days when I considered myself pretty fit and was in pre season training with Shaun Roberts, Simon Blake and Marcel Gomez. On this particular day Nathan decided he had had enough of the usual party games and wanted to take me on in a lap race on the athletics track. I agreed, and it was like someone wound his coiled spring up and off he want, but he had Duracell batteries in and just wanted to keep running and running …. needless to say 1 and a bit laps was enough for me! In all seriousness though, this is a massive thing Nathan is doing and his bravery and that of his daughter should be an example to all and hopefully will make people aware of how valuable organ donation is to make both young and old peoples lives better.
Over the coming weeks I will be inviting people to come to the club to have a discussion about the club, its immediate and longer term goals and how individuals can help in keeping a good standard of rugby at the club. Times are incredibly demanding now and the current economic situation coupled with a number of other things are having a massive effect on rugby clubs up and down the country, in fact many sports are beginning to suffer …. just look at Plymouth Argyle! I will be in touch shortly!!
This is in the very early stages of planning but it needs airing so a note about a very big fund raising initiative being discussed by 3 of our younger players. Matt Bowden, Brett Rule and Aaron Penberthy are in the early stages of planning a bike ride next summer from John O Groats to Lands End. The venture is to raise funds for a chosen charity that is still to be decided and for medical kit to kit out the clubs Physio Room. There is a massive amount of planning to go into this and it is a big venture to plan. If anyone has got valuable info on fund raising, equipment, transport etc it would be more than welcomed.
National 2 South is now beginning to tae a bit of shape but it is still very early days. Richmond look to be a good team and are most peoples favourites to go up. Worthing are still in the top 3 and Henley are there as well …. had things had gone our way and the couple of kicks that were missed went over, we could be battling in that top quarter but, as I said, it is very early days and a very long way to go yet!
On the injury front, Lewis Vinnicombe is now fit and available, Aaron Penberthy will miss another 2/3 weeks, Matt Bowden probably another 4 weeks, Danny Clackworthy has a pulled calf sustained in training last week and at this time have little idea go how long that will keep him out, Darren Semmens, who withdrew before the game on Saturday with a knock, will, hopefully be ok for this weekend.
On a different note, Matt Shepherd who joined us from St Austell a few weeks ago, has requested his release from his contract owing to work commitments and difficulties with travelling. I have granted that release to allow Matt to return to St Austell with the hope that once he is able to sort things he will come back and give it another crack. I firmly believe that if players have difficulties in situations like this or have other GENUINE reasons for leaving clubs then they should be allowed to do so. If a player cannot commit 100% to what you want or are about then there really is no reason to make it difficult for that player and insist he stays. Yes a contract is a contract but its the same as a job, if you don’t like it or you are having difficulties you give your notice in and you move on. In Matt’s case his reasons are genuine and understandable, he is young and wants to play rugby regularly, he is struggling with the travel and the necessary commitment … we wish him the very best of luck!
Two of our explayers came face to face on Saturday when PJ Gidlow’s Doncaster played Mark Bright’s London Scottish. In another ding dong battle Doncaster came out on top with PJ getting the “star man” accolade in the weeks Rugby Paper.
That is it this week …. will see some of you at Lydney on Saturday ..
Cheers for now.
David Penberthy
Director of Rugby
