Richmond’s 150th year ended with a workmanlike victory and full bragging rights over neighbours Barnes, ensuring that the team stay in top slot in their league, as they enter a well deserved rest period of three weeks. For the third week in a row, Richmond had to react to an early opposition lead, in this instance turning a 0-8 score line into a 20-8 victory. This is powerful testimony to a side, who have had to battle through seventeen consecutive weekends of tough league rugby to earn their Christmas break.
Fixture clashes with London Scottish meant that this game was scheduled for a Friday evening kick off. An 8pm kick off in mid December was bound to bring inclement weather conditions and the game kicked off with a strong wind, light sleet and piercing cold. Richmond made five changes to the previous week, Ali Lyon making his first appearance of the season in the front row and nineteen year old Adam Sowter starting on the bench for his first team debut.
Richmond started slowly, probably adjusting to the idea of a tough game of rugby after a full day at work. Barnes, curiously attired in red, dominated the early play territorially and Richmond struggled to get out of their half. After ten minutes, a Barnes move down the blindside provided their best scoring chance but the critical pass was dropped under pressure. A Richmond scrum, ten metres out, seemed to provide the opportunity to clear the danger but the pass between the half backs went astray and Barnes No 8 Ed Sayce gratefully seized the opportunity to touch down for the first score.
Five minutes later, Richmond got very close to their own opening score. Tom Platt, always dangerous coming up in attack, bullocked over in the corner and referee Keith Lewis had a long pow wow with his touch judge before deciding not to allow the try. Richmond were now much livelier and Barney Pascall cut through the middle of the Barnes defence, just failing to find support as he was tackled short of the line. However Richmond’s momentum was continuously spoiled by their tendency to give away penalties at the critical moment.
Frustrated by their inability to finish, Richmond tried to run from deeper positions on a freezing night. They paid the penalty after thirty-three minutes, when James Brooks was hauled down under his posts and his side were penalised at the tackle. Warren Gower gratefully claimed the three points to take his side into a 0-8 lead. Whatever the difficulties of the evening, this Richmond side are full of resilience and, within three minutes, they dragged themselves back into the game. Gaining a penalty from the kick off, Richmond established position in the opposition 22 and at last retained possession without falling foul of the referee. After several well worked phases, No 8 Harry Edwards swivelled cleverly in the tackle and managed to reach out to get his seventh try of the season, Platt’s conversion taking the half time score to 7-8.
Whatever was said at half time, Richmond came out in the second half with new energy and for the next fifteen minutes played excellent rugby at a good tempo and without the previous mistakes. After only four minutes, a Richmond penalty was used to achieve good position in the Barnes 22 and when the line out was won, the ball was worked down the backline before Tom Gregory stepped inside his man for a good team try, converted by Platt.
For the first time, Barnes looked out of their comfort zone and their ‘lazy’ runners, retreating back in defence, obstructed Richmond once too often, James Hersey receiving a yellow card. This was the best opportunity for the home side to extend their lead and search for the valuable four try bonus point. It was not to be and the game was punctuated by more and more stoppages. With the temperature dropping to an extreme level for a game of rugby, handling mistakes were inevitable and a number of promising breaks could not be completed when slip passes were knocked on. Man of the Match Will Browne battled effectively and Pascall, back after injury, looked full of running. However Barnes deserve credit for retaining shape in defence and forcing many of the home side’s errors.
Full back Platt added two penalties to ensure victory and Adam Sowter replaced Chris Davies for the last twenty minutes, showing plenty of promise in his first game. Understandably, Richmond could not find their customary snap over the last quarter of the game but Barnes never looked like penetrating the determined home defence. The game finished tamely, Richmond settling for a four point win and both sides anticipating a good night in the bar and three weeks of rest after the most gruelling of seasons. Action is resumed on January 7.
Richmond Director of Rugby Steve Hill commented; ‘Barnes played a very good spoiling game and restricted our go forward in the first half. I was really pleased with the first fifteen minutes of the second half when we got into our stride and played the best rugby of the match. It was frustrating not to gain a four try bonus point but a win against our tough local opponents was very satisfying. To go into the Xmas break six points in the lead at the top of the table is not a bad place to be’
Tries: Edwards, Gregory
Conversions: Platt (2)
Penalties: Platt (2)
Team: T.Platt, W.Browne, T.Gregory, B.Pascall, G.Sullivan, J.Brooks, P.Nash, A.Lyon, D.Burr (J.Phipps), T.Walford, W.Warden, C.Davies (A.Sowter), T.George, H.Edwards, J.Thompson.
