2nd XV - Lions
Matches
Sat 18 Oct 2014  ·  Sussex 'Canterbury Jack' Intermediate League
Horsham Rugby Club
2nd XV - Lions
39
10
Sussex Police
Police tamed by the Lions!

Police tamed by the Lions!

Richard Ordidge20 Oct 2014 - 06:32
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What a difference a week makes

The Lions return to their winning ways with a 39 – 10 win over Sussex Police. Despite the foul weather in the first half this match was played very much in the Horsham style of running attacking rugby. From the start Sussex Police came at the Lions whilst attacking with power and pace but were not able to break the home defence. Sussex Police adopted a tactic of kicking over the defence into space but this gave the Lions back three the opportunity to counter attack from depth.

The Lions first try came from a counter attack with Sam Lunn who took the ball up to Sussex Police‘s 22 until he was stopped. The Lions recycled the ball moving it wide and after a series of pick and go, the Lions scrum half Joey Walker crossed the line for the first try of the day. Josh Walker adding the extra point with a well taken conversion. The Lions continued to attack but were unable to cross the line, however thanks to ill-discipline by Sussex Police in the breakdown, the Green and Whites won a penalty that was well taken by Josh Chalk giving a 10-0 lead in the first half.

The second half saw a change in the weather and with the Lions attacking downhill enabled Horsham to open up and use their kicking game to devastating effect scoring a further five tries in the half.

Horsham applied pressure from the kick off, counter attacking from a well taken restart that took play into Sussex Police’s 22 and with some well worked out play putting Jordan Smith over for the Lions second try of the match. The Lions third try came from yet another break from their own half, following a blistering break by Jerry Downey that was ended by a powerful tackle that that drove him into touch. A well defended line out won the ball back for the Lions and a series of pick and go by the Lions forwards enabled Josh Chalk (now playing at scrum half) to cross the line, and converting his try.

Although Sussex Police by this stage were tiring their scrum worked to devastating effect pushing Horsham off the ball a number of times giving them a good ball but poor handling allowed the Lions to counter attack and keep Sussex Police away from their line. The Lions fourth try came from a turnover ball after a devastating scrum by Sussex Police just inside Horsham’s half. The ball was loose at the breakdown and the ensuring hack on and football skill by Lee Taylor enabled him to outpace Sussex Police’s full back to win the foot race and touch the ball down, with Josh Chalk converting to give the Lions a 34 – 0 lead.

With Sussex Police’s scrum dominance, this was taking its toll on the Lions forwards and brought them back into the game. From the restart the Lions knocked the ball on giving Sussex Police a scrum in the Horsham 22, Sussex Police drove the Lions back. However the Lions defence held well causing Sussex Police to knock on and they once again drove Horsham off the ball. An infringement at the breakdown gave Sussex Police a penalty that was quickly taken, and a lapse in the Lions defence gave space to cross the line for their first try of the match.

Sussex Police’s second try followed the same pattern of play, and having scored two tries in quick succession the visitors were gaining confidence, however after a quiet word or two from their manager, the Lions regained their attacking spirit and scored their fifth try from the restart with a blistering attack down the right wing which put Doug Wright over Sussex Police’s line for the last score of the match.

Match details

Match date

Sat 18 Oct 2014

Kickoff

15:00

Competition

Sussex 'Canterbury Jack' Intermediate League
Team overview
Further reading

Team Sponsors

Club Sponsor - Thakeham
Club Sponsor - Benchmark Capital
Team sponsor - Red River Solutions
Club Sponsor - Gardner & Scardifield
Club Sponsor - Christ's Hospital