Wogie breaks Gensians bogey

Redingensians RFC U19s 19 v Bracknell RFC U19s 32

Colts scrum-half Matt Wogan celebrated his 18th birthday by blowing all Redingensians’ candles out in a storming start to Bracknell’s OBB campaign. Five tries and a bonus point are always welcome, but to get them against a bogey team of some 10 years’ standing is remarkable and sends a warning to the rest of Division One.
Bracknell took a slim lead into the second half after a volcanic start; tries by Tom Grazier, in the opening seconds, and centre Steffan Rees, after 28 minutes, were matched by touchdowns for Gensians’ scrum-half Ben Davison, who sauntered through a whistling gap on 16 minutes, and No 8 Aaran Hopkins, who powerfully latched on to the loose ball from a lineout that Matt Elsbury had actually stolen for Bracknell on 36 minutes.
Ross Crane converted twice for Gensians, as did Ben Blosse for Bracknell, and only a Blosse penalty for offside split the sides at 14-17.
Bracknell showed controlled defence and brisk counter attacking after the interval to weather a full-scale Gensians onslaught and were rewarded with further tries for Blosse and loose-forward Russell Jackman before the hour was up. Hopkins struck again for Gensians on 68 minutes to bring it back to 19-27.
But Crane missed his kick and with two scores needed and injury time ticking away, Bracknell set up store in Gensians’ 22 and turned the screw. In the end, the pain was just too much for a team of great repute who seldom lose at home. Their discipline cracked as one forward took time out, off the ball, to deliver a calculated haymaker to Bracknell centre Nathan Mannering’s jaw. Both Mannering and the referee had their backs turned at the time. Outrage from the touchline, hesitation from the players; and reactions as sharp as a piranha’s teeth, as Wogan, who’d kept his side going all day despite some scrappy service, scuttled in at the corner.
It was a present for the birthday boy but the win was no piece of cake. Bracknell’s DHL Academy forwards’ coach, Alan Leishman, said: “We made an explosive start and learnt some lessons from the cup defeat by Petersfield. Wogie dealt well with some rubbish ball at times and we need to work at our defensive patterns and ball retention in contact and at the breakdowns. That said, when we controlled the ball we looked the better side.”
Gensians Colts coach Jason McMahon said: “We just didn’t turn up early on and gifted them three tries at times when we were threatening to get control. Bracknell deserved their win. They were strong in all areas, well organised and confident on the ball.”
Bracknell flanker Ben Thomas took man-of-the-match for a typically pugnacious display of can-do tackling and general mayhem which also attracted some knuckle; Oli Nixon and Matt Elsbury were twin towers of strength; Dan Ryding moved from centre to lock and wrought destruction; the formidable Russell Jackman came off the bench to score in the corner on 63 minutes; James Wright and Dan Gyles did more driving than Jenson Button; while Tim Ryan, Luke Evans, Chris Griffiths and Geraint Davies seldom took a backward step.
The backs defended well and had real enterprise on the counter. The return of George Odell for a second-half cameo was ferocious and heart-warming all at once; Blosse’s boot was awesome, he almost notched a drop goal after 13 minutes from almost half way, and his opportunistic fly-hack and gallop produced a crucial second-half score; Steffen Rees earned his good luck after sprinting half the pitch, as though his dinner depended on it, to ground his own kick; Mannering was as strong as a bear, and now has a sore head to match; Cameron Boret linked really well to keep the green machine churning; and utility back David Gaynor shows promise wherever he plays.
But it was Wogan who thrived amid the chaos and should have had a try on 59 minutes when he squirmed over only to see the referee signal a double movement. Which only shows that in sport, as in life, you never get everything you want. Even if it is your birthday. David Ryan

SCORERS: Grazier (try) 0-5, 3min; Blosse (con) 0-7, 3min; Davison (try) 5-7, 16min; Crane (con) 7-7, 17min; Rees (try) 7-12, 28min; Blosse (con) 7-14, 28min; Blosse (pen) 7-17, 33min; Hopkins (try) 12-17, 36min; Crane (con) 14-17, 37min; Blosse (try) 14-22, 53min; Jackman (try) 14-27, 63min; Hopkins (try) 19-27, 68min; Wogan (try) 19-32, 73min.