On a lovely Spring afternoon, Richmond reinforced their top slot in National One with maximum points from a testing league game against ninth placed Bishop’s Stortford. Stortford got off to the best of starts with two breakaway tries in the opening quarter, but Richmond held their nerve and, by the end of the game, had established a comprehensive seventeen point margin of victory.

With second placed Rotherham Titans squeezing a tight three try 28-27 win over Birmingham Moseley, Richmond’s overall league lead was extended to three points whilst Rams, at least temporarily, slipped back to fourth place after a fourth successive defeat. Richmond’s next challenge comes next Friday evening with a trip up to Birmingham Moseley.

Richmond fielded a side little changed from the team who came back from Leicester with a win over the Lions. Player of the month Joshua Adams was unavailable and replaced by Frank McMillan, whilst the ever reliable Myles Wakeling was picked to start his 50th league game.

Richmond seemed well set from the kick off, claiming possession from an excellent hanging kick from Lewis Dennett. However, when the ball was moved down the line in the opposition 22, a pass went loose and, in a flash, fly half Mike Cooke hoofed the ball up field. With the defence well spread, it was now a straightforward chase back and Bishops Stortford’s Tom Mills, once a Richmond player, had too much pace to be outrun. With the conversion added by Cooke, the score was 0-7 after just over one minute.

Gradually Richmond settled, and full back Greg Kitson, later adjudged man of the match, was soon in action, securely taking the first of a bombardment of high kicks. Richmond’s domination at the line out was to prove key, and, from a front of line move, Will Goffey was almost away. Richmond dominated territory and possession, but Stortford were well organised and determined in defence and forced small errors at critical moments. However, they also conceded a number of penalties for high tackles, and one provided Richmond’s best early opportunity under the posts. However, a handling error again proved frustrating, allowing Stortford to clear to twenty metres.

Richmond duly secured the line out ball, but when the ball was turned over, Cooke was again the creator with a very neat chip over the defensive line. Mills was again the first to react, seizing possession to run sixty metres and touch down under the posts. After 21 minutes, Richmond were 0-14 down after two well taken breakaway tries.

Richmond had work to do, and their cause was not helped a minute later when a cross kick to the wide left was bravely contested by McMillan who ended up flat on his back in obvious discomfort. After a long break, he was escorted off the pitch to be replaced by reserve scrum half Matt Marsh.

It would have been natural for heads to drop at this point, but Richmond have demonstrated real resilience all season and they redoubled efforts to barrage the opposition 22. Held up on the line, they were awarded a penalty for another high tackle and mounted a drive from the line out. Stortford did well to hold out and earned a scrum ten metres out.

However, the home pack now put in a hefty shove, twisting the Stortford scrum round to leave the back row exposed. Skipper Alex Schwarz first stopped the Stortford flanker and then ripped the ball, before impressively forcing his way over the line. Callum Grieve once again had a faultless day from the tee and his conversion took the score to 7-14 after half an hour.

Richmond now looked much more purposeful and twice in a row stole Stortford line outs to provide extra impetus. When Stortford conceded a penalty for offside, Richmond had a penalty in front but opted to kick to the corner. A further barrage ensued but a knock on denied the try and the visitors were relieved to boot the ball into touch. Despite 90% of the first half being played in Stortford’s half, the visitors led 7-14 and Richmond needed to turn possession into points.

Within three minutes of the second half, they had done just that. A high box kick was commandingly taken by the excellent Kitson who immediately set off on a searing run through the visitors’ defence. An ankle tap finally stemmed his progress, but the full back did well to slip out a pass as he fell. The support player was Richmond flanker Wakeling, who still had 35 metres to run. The flanker never looked like being caught and hopefully enjoyed every step as he celebrated his 50th appearance with a memorable try which levelled the scores.

Two minutes later, Richmond had their third try as Lewis Dennett showed his pace, intercepting a pass just outside his 22 to run the length of the field and touch down to put his side in the lead at 21-14. The home side now looked full of confidence, continually moving the ball though hands, and, when Stortford cut short one attack in the 22 with a deliberate knock on, winger Alex Gilham was yellow carded. Tololima Savaiinaea had been prominent throughout and now he showed the way, finishing off a bombardment of the line by the Richmond forwards.

At this point, with Richmond looking in full control, they suffered two setbacks within five minutes. First centre Savaiinaea and then lock George Nugent were yellow carded within five minutes of each other, leaving Richmond with thirteen men. Stortford immediately took advantage, driving forward from the five metre line out before moving the ball inside to the posts, where Mills completed his hat trick.

Richmond needed to get back to basics and lock down their defence. They did this with great success, the defensive line continually denying Stortford space and time. As a result the only other score during the yellow cards was a Grieve penalty, which put his side two scores ahead again.

Back to fifteen men, Richmond concluded a very satisfactory afternoon with a 74th minute try by the deserving Savaiinaea, who once again showed how to force his way over after a long period of attack by the formidable pack.

A 68-0 victory by the Richmond Women against Henley Hawks completed a very satisfactory club day.

Team: Kitson, O’Meara, Grieve, Savaiinaea, McMillan, Dennett, Schwarz, Freeman, Goffey, Spring, Monson, Nugent, Wakeling, Wills, Pim
Subs: Post, Murray, Saysell, Benson, Marsh.

Tries: Schwarz, Wakeling, Dennett, Savaiinaea (2)
Conversions: Grieve (5)
Penalty: Grieve