Hove Heroes

As second team captain, you feel you are doing a good job when your players are selected for the first team. Like a funny old Dad, I am very proud of all my boys! (I know I am opening myself up to a torrent of abuse for confiding this to you). So firstly massive congratulations for the guys selected up this week, especially Peter Morley and Robbie Poole (who must have made our club president - and Robbie’s Dad, very proud). Much deserved, after our great team performance in the cup last weekend, with coach Rodders watching on.

There is a down side however. This, coupled with injury and unavailability, meant we took a very different team to Hove for a friendly game this week, and I did wonder if our unbeaten season might be under threat. The lovely sunny morning disappeared and was replaced with light drizzle just in time for the whistle, but the first team pitch was in great shape for the running rugby that we had resolved to play. Things didn’t really go to plan - as has been the case too many times this season, early control has been hard to establish - and the huge Hove winger crashed blind off a scrum to put us five points down and wake us up.

It didn’t take us long to put this right as the wise old heads of Lee, Matt Brookeeee (He complained that I don’t put an ‘e’ on his name in the reports so here are some extra) and Marriott, got us playing in the right areas and great hands saw Stokes in the corner. Soon after saw try of the season. There are a few passages of play that I afterwards wish had been recorded and this was certainly one of them (I am hopeful we can watch this stuff in Heaven when we get there - God is a huge rugby fan!). The ball must have gone through every set of back’s hands - some of us twice, from our half to the Hove try line, some sublime offloads and pieces of skill, saw Sam finish this sumptuous feast of rugger under the sticks. Even Hoggers, who normally pours scorn on everything the backs do, was for once speechless with admiration. The floodgates opened and further tries from the excellent Mikey Redmond and Champers proved the forwards could also play a bit (Mikey, you will be in the centre soon if you make a few more steps like that!).

In the second half, the heavens opened and it was proper cold and miserable and the quality and handling dropped, however, it was great to see Tom Keely, a player who is improving with every game he plays, crash over for his first senior try for the club, and a cheeky quick tap penalty from Jake DeFriend, saw the centre trot over. Avid readers will note that Jake D is usually a back row player - Thank you mate for agreeing to try out the 12 jersey, you were awesome! Hove scored two well worked tries in the second period and the final whistle went with the scoreboard showing 17 - 37 in G’s favour.

Well played to all 16 of the team who travelled, you all played your hearts out. Hope your shoulder is OK Joshy, great running mate - couldn’t keep up with you most of the time. Thank’s also to the Hove ref (Normally their captain) who did a great job. Really hope you boys can come and play at sunny East Grinstead later in the season.

Huge week coming up with Cambridge on Wednesday - and the Noddy trophy to secure as our first silverware of the season. Both our 1’s and 2’s are at home on Saturday for one of the very few times in the season. We will be playing Seaford who have been posting some impressive scores of late.