Welwyn 4th XV 31 v Vauxhall Motors RFC 2nd XV 14

The recent Merit table three Champions were keen not to show that they had got complacent and made a very promising start against the visitors from Luton's Vauxhall Motors RFC. They tapped up a quick try from John White after some text book mauling near the line. The pack continued to be dominant throughout, the lineout with what must be one the tallest lifting combinations of Justin Burgess in the first half and the even taller Big Al in the second along with Zombie were able to launch the safe hands of Richard Rapley into the stratosphere, and meant that regular ball came back for a full array of attacking set moves in the backs, great preparation for the cup run in a couple of weeks.

Scrummaging was a formality, the front row dominance showed with consistent ball coming back off our own put ins, and John White stealing time and time again. Allowing Zombie to peel off the scrums and punish with huge forays into their territory. As usual, Neil Hughes was everywhere, and both he and stand in open side Ben Solenz made sure that we kept the ball alive with their own evading runs and retained the ball at the break downs.

Stand in scrummy, and skipper for the day, Gibbo got the second try after yet another text book move, this time from the backrow with Zombie charging round the side drawing the first tackle, and Gibbo with his customary blinkers on, missed out the draw the next tackle, pass to the open winger phase, to crashed through the remaining defensive line. It was touch-and-go for a second but the extra bulk from the previous nights 'power-curry' did the job and he landed over the line.

Long phases of penetrating runs followed, with the back row jinking through the lack lustre defence and even supporter's favourite Richard Fyson (thank you Lenny on the side lines for all your 'kind' words of support) making full use of the pitches natural gradient to hammer into the opposition at will, ably rucked out by clattering clear out work from the likes of Burgess, Smith, English and Stokes.

Not to be out shone by the rampaging forwards Wiggy cut through the heart of Vauxhall's defence and got the third following some great link up play in the centres, which they did all game long. The back line was a great outlet for all the hard work the pack was putting in, Ben Haines showing an arsenal of attacking options. Steve Bell was constantly evading tackles in the middle and laying off the ball, whilst assuring that our line was not breached in defence. The support play from the wingers Leon and Bradley was excellent and kept us attacking all over the field with Milky coming through from deep too, also providing a brick wall against the occasional phases of Vauxhall's attack.

Later, out of position skipper Gibbo was instrumental in the next try. Breaking the habit of a lifetime he took a slow penalty on the opposition twenty-two, dummying to the back line then switching play back to the forwards with a quick pass to Rapley. Who charged the first five metres and was held short of the line, but due to his Stretch Armstrong abilities he managed to ground the ball on the line from what seemed an impossible distance, much to the bemusement of the initially smug looking tackler who obviously thought he'd done enough, but was unaware of the elasticity of Rapley.

Finally, the second half replacement front row refreshed with English and Stokes showed they were equally able to show a master class in mauling, and it was not long until another score came off a rolling maul. Again, it was White steering the awesome Welwyn pack through the twenty-two and claimed his second try, capping off a very sweet victory.

Only two tries were converted from young Bradley's boot, Ben Haines tried hard but we were scoring just too far from the posts for his range, but were all on target. However, he revelled in the uncharacteristic fly half position despite having to pick most of his passes up from his shins from Gibbo's efforts at scrum half. A well deputised result for the absent skipper Tiffy, who was recovering from a tough night out on the tiles!