Twos Clatter Camberley

Bracknell 2s took the short trip down the A3095 to pay a friendly visit to neighbours Camberley.

Any notion of a friendly was soon dispelled by Coach Adam Williams who made it very clear the team, including some startled looking bench warming Fourths, was aiming to continue the Twos excellent run of results.

Aside from Twos regulars, the team included Rich Hoskins and even Lash was spotted warming up, presumably as part of his preparation for the Colts tour games. Captain Brambley cannot have captained a more disparate group. However, he and Williams made it clear : the Twos were there to win.

Despite bring fuelled by a limitless supply of energy drinks, but no water, the Twos were unable to get a grip on the game in the early stages.

Camberley’s forwards showed their intent with an almighty scum in the shadow of their own posts which buckled the Bracknell pack. Two of them had previously combined to illegally dump Rich Hoskins…getting him off the ground was an achievement in itself…but if you take him up you have to bring him down, whatever gravity says.

In the line out however, Jack Williams, Jason Borcherds and Brambley made sure all our ball was won.

Though Bracknell looked the livelier, Camberley scored first with a try against the run of play.

Bracknell’s continued pressure, and some bullocking runs by Andy Tehilu were bound to create scoring opportunities and before the break Bracknell had also crossed the line.

A half time dressing down was in order and that is what was delivered. Apart from the meerkat-like behaviour of the guards at the rucks, greater intensity and playing simplz rugby was demanded.
Playing up the slope in the second half, Bracknell turned the screw, with Alex Cannon always a threat, and after the first try never looked liked losing.

As the tries started to accumulate, Williams introduced more and more of the Fours with both Ollie Lovegrove and Mathew Watson being given a run out. The exceptions were Army-Louis who played the full 80, (thereby denying spare-four Hailes a second run out for the Twos this season) and scrum half Davey who started the game and played a blinder.

When Williams resorted to bringing on the photographer, Camberley must have suspected the game was nearly up. Even so, they launched a couple of more attacks that were repelled by ferocious tackling in the midfield by Glen Osbourne.

Bracknell upped their game and Bracknell stalwart Lash, in an unlikely combination with Rich Hoskins, initiated a sequence of running passing rugby which must have had the spectators drooling and which had the players cheering as yet another pass found yet another support runner.
Training ground…champagne rugby, whatever you want to call it, it was fantastic: the only thing it lacked was a score at the end.

No matter. From the ruck deep in our own half we were only 20m out from another score. Our tails were up. Camberley were out on their feet … options left and right and Rich had the ball… what could possibly go wrong?

It’s fair to say that some players enjoy the “chase” part of “kick and chase” more than other. This must have been on Rich’s mind as he launched the most audacious cross field kick that teased the Twos into thinking they would have to chase before the awful realisation dawned that the ball would end up behind them. Almost perfect for a chasing prop. Fleeting increduality was replaced by laughter and groans in equal measure as the ball soared in a perfect arc to where the back peddling Twos line had retreated, no mean feat given they were also doubled up with laughter.

Camberley were unable to exploit the near descent into farce as the game ended and the Twos were able to look back on a job well done in the second half.

Michael McNaughton was awarded the “Man of Match for “being everywhere”.

Rich was awarded an improbably un-PC penalty which I can’t mention on a family website. Suffice to say, what he had to wear were pink, frilly and had a graphic description of its contents emblazoned on the front.

A solid result for the Twos, who now look forward to their top of the table clash at home against Hertford on April 9th.

Point scorers
Trys
Alex Cannon (2)
Va’a
Andy Tahilu
Scottish Andy
Ash McNaughton
Conversions
Chris Laidler (2), (but missed a sitter).
Penaltys
Chris Laidler (1)