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Cobham Festival - 5th October Pictures |
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It all felt a bit full-on on Sunday morning as we journeyed to Cobham to take part in the well-renowned Cobham Festival. Any Festival that can boast Joe Worsley on its' roster of prize-givers is certainly up there with the best. The feeling that we were gate-crashing a bit of a rum do was heightened by the fact that Brighton had been on the wrong side of results against several of these teams recently, so there was uncertainty in the air - as well as lots of rain. However, Brighton had a number of new faces - Dario, Bob, Luke & Alex - and the air was thick with possibilities - and rain. Game 1 : Brighton v Richmond Richmond looked strong straight from the off and set off down the right with conviction, forcing Brighton back on their heels. Smartly they got quick ball out to their backs and attacked down the left, outflanking our boys for a simple try. A confident conversion made it 7-0. A good restart kick by Alex saw Tiny Cox catch Richmond in possession deep in their own half, but the advantage was slowly lost during an exchange of kicks. From a resulting line out Richmond cut through the centre and set up a ruck, from which they attacked down the left again for another easy try. The conversion made it 14-0. Richmond attacked again from the restart and looked for more success down Brighton's right again, and only a great tackle by Callum stopped another first half try. However, the second half brought no let-up : in this particular game Richmond looked fitter, stronger and quicker than Brighton. They were playing with real momentum and their next attack went straight for the heart of Brighton's defence - right down the middle. Brighton could not resist and it was 19-0 .. .. make that 21-0. Still Brighton could not break out of their own half and Richmond attacked once more, this time down the right. Despite determined Brighton tackling, Richmond crossed once more and the conversion rounded off a heavy and morale-sapping defeat for our boys. Brighton 0 Richmond 28 Game 2 : Brighton v Reeds A look at previous results against Reeds will tell you (I think) that not only have we never beaten Reeds, but that we have always lost, and never even come close to making a game of it (a bit harsh maybe but you know what I mean). Reeds are exponents of clinical and flowing rugby, and we have usually ended up chasing shadows. But - remarkably and against all predictions - not on this day. Brighton kicked off and basically spent the rest of the half fighting off a wave of Reeds attacks. At first Reeds were kept at bay with forceful tackling : Brighton matched them and it did not matter that they were camped out in their own half - Reeds could not find a way through. The watching Brighton fans sensed a difference - Brighton were playing with conviction now, and looking strong. Suddenly, Dario grabbed hold of the ball and ran freely up the centre of the pitch and the Reeds defence could not bring him down. It was stirring stuff. Reeds regained possession however, and slowly but surely began to inch up the pitch, managing to stretch Brighton sufficiently to cross in the right corner. The conversion made it 7-0. There was consolation in the fact that Brighton had made Reeds work very hard for their first try. However, that score had instilled life into Reeds and now they came at Brighton harder than ever, almost going over again in the right corner, but being stopped short. Half-time came - and a much-needed breather. However, the second half was almost the first half in reverse, as Brighton found the will to thrown everything they had at Reeds. Fierce battling by Lewes Roberts and Alex Johnston set up Joss for a trademark (yes trademark) run, surging along with Reeds players hanging off him. He found Tiny Cox who nearly crossed in the left corner, only to be pushed into touch. But Brighton sensed they were onto something. From the resulting scrum and ruck, Lewes dropped over the line with the ball, momentarily grounding it before the line and then grounding it for good over the line. The referee gave the try but then changed his mind, perhaps thinking (wrongly, the footage indicates) that Lewes had made a second bodily movement. He had not, but the fact was that Brighton remained behind. Reeds kicked deep into the Brighton half but Callum collected and returned the kick, enabling Brighton to return to the attack. Once again Joss spearheaded a Brighton drive and, after Dario had been driven back, Jude scooped up the loose ball and fed Tiny Cox, who made good ground down the left. A Reeds indiscretion resulted in a Brighton scrum deep into the Reeds half. Jude grabbed the ball as it emerged and cruised over the line for a crucial try. Alex popped the kick over and suddenly we were level at 7-7. Brighton huffed and puffed until the final whistle and certainly had the better of the final exchanges, but a draw was a fantastic result against a good team who had lorded it over us for a good few years. A great performance and a real turning point, not just on the day but for this developing Brighton team too. Brighton 7 Reeds 7 Game 3 : Brighton v Sutton & Epsom (Plate Final) Despite their heroics against Reeds, Brighton had finished bottom of their group of three. It was a measure of how well they had played against Reeds that Richmond had actually lost to Reeds in their group game. But now there was suddenly the chance of some Silverware, in the Plate Final against Sutton and Epsom. Sutton & Epsom made the early running but could not dent Brighton's defence. We were looking a different team to the one that let Richmond run through us in the first game. Joss then gained possession and ran at Sutton & Epsom defence, almost making it to the line. But Sutton & Epsom somehow got the ball back and kicked upfield. It was nip and tuck. Brighton were sniffing an upset and a breakaway from Dario looking promising, but Sutton & Epsom regained possession and their speedy winger set off up the right destined for the line - only to be overhauled by Alex (Johnston). Brighton continued to press but in all honesty the Sutton & Epsom defence was equal to the task and the final five minutes were played out largely in the middle of the park with both sides desperate for an opening. None came, but it was another proud performance from our lads. Brighton 0 Sutton & Epsom 0 Postscript After the game we all gathered for that bit where we find out that we've lost on try countback or somesuch scurrilous method of denying us the glory once again. But no, this time it went our way : both sides had conceded five tries but Brighton had scored one and were consequently the winners of the Cobham Saucer .. .. From the perspective of an onlooker, the really encouraging thing about these games was that the lads seemed to be getting used to the roles they have been given - much of the close passing was fluid and instinctive. There was also real passion in the way they fought back to get something out of the day. Perhaps we were caught cold in the first game - were Richmond really that good ? Probably, but whatever the reason, Brighton have some silverware at the first time of asking - a real treat for the boys and a reward for all the hard work so far. |
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Brighton v Horsham - 12th October Pictures Brighton turned up at Horsham in confident mood having finished on a high at Cobham the previous week. However, we all knew that Horsham were a decent outfit because they had given us a hard game at Waterhall a couple of years back. Game 1 Brighton had all the early pressure with Jake making some incisive runs up the left channel. Then Alex made a dart up the touchline, only to be forced into touch agonisingly short. However, Brighton could not make the pressure tell, and Horsham came back at them, pushing them back into their own half. Horsham were given the throw at a line-out that should really have gone to Brighton, and from that line-out, Horsham broke down the left, fed he ball along the backs and touched down in the right corner. The remainder of the game was a reasonably humdrum affair with the two sides battling for dominance in the middle of the park. Brighton were full of fight but could not engineer any breaks - the Horsham tackles were flying in and nobody could find space. It came as no surprise when Horsham repeated the move from their first try and ran through down the right for their second try. The game ended with Brighton scrabbling on their own line, desperately trying to kick the ball away. A slow start for our boys then - we all hoped for better fortune in the next game. Brighton 0 Horsham 10 Game 2 Both sides made changes for the second game, and with Brighton keen to make up for the fist game, and Horsham looking a slightly smaller unit, the portents were good for our lads. Sure enough, when the game started, strong breaks by Cameron down the left, and Matthew and Lewes through the centre, gave Brighton encouragement. Finally, a Horsham infringement that I believe goes by the name of 'coming in from the side' was committed, and from the ensuing tap penalty, Ollie fed Callum for a very nice try indeed thankyou. From the restart Oscar made a fine darting run, feeding Matthew who ran as far again until Brighton were deep into Horsham territory. Loose handling gave the ball away however : for the rest of the half Horsham tried and failed to break out of their own half. Ollie put in a great kick down the line but half-time came before Brighton could capitalise. The second half saw Brighton really force home their advantage. Dario made great strides up the centre, and when the ball came loose, Alex picked it up and slipped craftily down the left wing to evade the Horsham defence and make it 10-0. Moments later, confusion reigned as Dario broke through on the left and ran unchallenged through to score - the Horsham defence seemed not to fancy the idea of getting in the way of Dario at full pelt ! Dario grounded the ball over the dead-ball line but coach Roberts was clearly in a generous mood - more points for our boys ! Just time for Dario to make further progress, charging up the centre to create an opportunity for Cameron, which he took with great aplomb by crossing in the left corner. It rounded off a convincing victory for Brighton. restoring a bit of the lost pride from the first game. Brighton 20 Horsham 0 Game 3 The third game saw more reshuffling as both sides tried to make sure that everybody got some decent game-time. Brighton kicked off and picked up where they'd left off in Game 2, refusing to let Horsham out of their half. From a scrum deep in the Horsham half, Jude fed Alex for a route-one try, Alex bulldozing his way over the line, leaving several casualties in his wake. When play restarted, Lewes went on a marathon run up the left, with Horsham desperately hanging onto his legs but unable to stop the forward momentum. Alex picked up the ball and sheer determination enabled him to ground the ball over the line for another try. The second half saw more Brighton reshuffling, and Horsham began to creep back into the game, registering a try in the comer after some indifferent Brighton tackling. This seemed to wake the guys up a bit, and normal service was resumed as Brighton camped out in the Horsham half once more. However, they were unable to add to the try tally. A belligerent Horsham forward was sent off towards the end for thumping Alex, having already wacked Jude in the first half. Overall a satisfying day as far as the scorelines were concerned, but Coach Roberts and his cohorts will have been taking notes and plotting improvements nevertheless .. .. Brighton 10 Horsham 5 |
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Sutton & Epsom Festival - 2nd November Pictures |
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Off we trotted to Sutton & Epsom to gatecrash the toffs' garden party once more. This is always a nicely organised festival and the small pitch sizes made for an intimate day's rugby. Brighton had a stripped-down squad as they were only permitted to take 19 players. The first game was against Reeds, whom Brighton had matched at Cobham .. .. Game 1 : Brighton v Reeds Brighton kicked off and Reeds held possession for the first couple of minutes, setting up rucks and trying to drive forward. Suddenly a Reeds back was through - only to be brought crashing down by Alex. Brighton regained possession and launched a series of drives which took them well into Reeds territory. However, the ball was lost and, although Reeds fed the ball pretty slowly along their back line, Brighton's right was wide open and it only took one nippy winger to breeze up the line for a Reeds try. The conversion was missed, however, giving Brighton a chance if they could score. Reeds finished the half with a sustained period of pressure - a try looked a certainty but Ollie held the ball up with Reeds over the line. Half time brought some relief for Brighton. The second half was a different story, however - Brighton came out fighting, with Tiny Cox superb in the rucks, and Dario highly effective in his battering ram role. But try as they might, Brighton could not carve out any clear-cut opportunities. When Reeds' final attack broke down, the referee called the last play and Brighton had to go for broke, only to be forced into touch near half-way. No points then, and in truth the game had been settled by one Brighton error in defence - the curse of the drowsy rugby team striking again. Brighton 0 Reeds 5 Game 2 : Brighton v Old Whitgiftians Old Whitgiftians looked ever so slightly Sunday morning as well, and Brighton sensed an opportunity to impose themselves, and took it. Immediately, Dario went on a storming run, brushing players off as they fell at his heels. He offloaded to Alex just before the line, and Alex did the rest. The conversion by Alex was good. 7-0. In fairness, prior to the score, the OWs (as I now like to call them) gave Brighton some scares, Tiny Cox again coming to the rescue with a last gasp tackle. But the writing was on the wall - Brighton were bigger and uglier, and were winning the majority of ball. Half-time came at 7-0, but it did not look like the scoring was over. Brighton drove forward straight from the off in the second half, and after a Jude surge from a ruck, the ball made it's way to Alex and he crossed with purpose for try number two. He duly converted and it was 14-0. Shortly after, a lovely move down the right saw eight or nine Brighton players involved, taking play right up to the OWs line. From the resulting ruck, the ball was spun out to Louis Wright who crossed in the right corner. 21-0 with the conversion. The OWs launched one last push, eager to get something out of the game : to their credit, they were still trying to take the game to Brighton. However, The Ripper Roberts got hold of the ball and set Cameron off on the left. Cameron went on a slippery run and eluded several tackles before going to ground - but Dario picked up the ball and over the line he went. With the conversion, 28-0. OWs had been plucky but Brighton had been too big and too strong. Bring on Sutton & Epsom !! Brighton 28 Old Whitgiftians 0 Game 3 : Brighton v Sutton & Epsom Sutton & Epsom were obviously the hosts and, by the looks of the coaching staff, hell-bent on excellence and ruthlessness. They were clearly going to make it hard for Brighton and we were going to need to dig deep. But cometh the hour, cometh the Brighton boys .. .. Sutton & Epsom did indeed make all the early running, passing fluently and bringing their wingers into play. However, something weird was happening - our boys were getting the rub of the green, as knock-ons and slip-ups brought promising Sutton & Epsom moves to a close. But then, the spectre of the open right flank struck once again as, from a ruck on the right, one pass saw a Sutton & Epsom back cruise though to score in the left corner, with the Brighton defence nowhere near tight enough. However, once again, the conversion was missed and Brighton had a window of opportunity. Half-time came and went, and in the second-half Brighton came out fighting, knowing that one converted try would put them in the driving seat. True enough, Brighton drove forward and Dario made progress towards the Sutton & Epsom line. Ollie picked the ball up and seemed to have crossed, but the ball squirted backwards. However, Jude was on hand to ground the ball and level the scores. The crowd fell silent as Alex squared up for the all-important kick - and cleanly pinged it over. 7-5. Brighton concentrated on defence for the rest of the game, and it was Sutton & Epsom who were now frantically searching for an opening. Brighton were steadfast and when Sutton & Epsom transgressed in attack, Jude found touch with two penalties. However, with the last attack of the game, Sutton & Epsom swept the ball out to their left, and the corner was gaping - only for the Sutton & Epsom winger to knock-on. Seconds later the whistle went and Brighton had one of their best wins ever. Brighton 7 Sutton & Epsom 5 Game 4 : Brighton v Cobham 'B' Brighton had a feeling that the game against Cobham 'B' might offer an opportunity to relax after the stresses and strains of the previous game. However, Brighton began this game slowly, due as much to the determination of the Cobham Bs as anything else. Brighton could not break though, although another storming Dario run nearly did the trick ; the ball made its way to Bob, who was about to fall over the line when he was penalised for handing off. Cobham Bs kicked to safety and the tension mounted. Half-time approached and possession was being swapped between the teams willy-nilly. However, Brighton secured the ball half way up the field on the left : Luke fed Tiny Cox and he roared over in the corner. 7-0 with the conversion. Brighton could breathe a little easier at half-time. Immediately Brighton played with greater freedom as the second half got under way. Straight from the kick-off, Tiny Cox fed Rob, who in turn released Lewes for a rampaging run into enemy territory. From the resulting ruck, Jude dodged through unchallenged on the blind side to score. 14-0 with Alex's kick. Then, from the next kick-off, Lewes caught the ball and forged forward again, making it to half-way and off-loading to Alex. Alex cut through the Cobham Bs line and fed Louis who beat two players himself and touched down in the corner. Arguably the try of the day. Alex obliged with the kick and it was 21-0. Brighton kept flooding forward but a couple of knock-ons disrupted their attacks - and robbed Jacob of a try. However, just before the end, another Lewes gallop (he was clearly on fire on this day) forced a ruck five yards out, and Jude fed Oscar for try number four. Alex showed us another from his repertoire as he bounced one off the crossbar and over. And that was it. Brighton 28 Cobham B 0 Following on from this game, we watched Reeds thump Old Whitgiftians 35-0, and all present believed that thy had done enough to beat us into third place - Sutton & Epsom having already secured top spot in the group. Not so, however : when Ben returned from the organiser's tent, Brighton had edged out Reeds by a mere two points - and were in the semi-final ! Incidentally, Ben is excellent in his role of game-show host in these situations - his inscrutable face not betraying emotion nor any inkling of the outcome. Almost my favourite part of the day .. .. Game 5 : Brighton v Cobham 'A' (Semi-Final) It's tempting to be disappointed by the fact that Brighton lost this game 21-0, but they did so to a better side who were more adept at taking their chances when they arrived. Having said that, the outcome could have been different. In open play Brighton matched their opponents, and in the second half had lots of territory, without being able to turn it into tries. By that time, they were 14-0 down and in these short games that is very difficult to turn that sort of deficit round in just a few short minutes. The tries were all the result of special pieces of play. Two tries were scored by a genuinely quick-footed winger, the second in the dying moments after Brighton had pressed forward. The other try came about via a pitch-length kick which put Brighton under immense pressure beneath their posts (even though there were none .. .. you know what I mean). Even with that one there was a suspicion of a knock on by Cobham (sour grapes .. .. moi ?). But generally the Cobham kicking was superior to Brighton's, and it enabled them to completely negate any territorial advantages that Brighton had worked so hard to create. However, there were plenty of positives : Luke had a great day in the line-outs, although Brighton do seem to rely overly on him to secure line-out ball. Come on jumpers ! Brighton 0 Cobham A 21 Overall a highly enjoyable day and one which I feel will fill Coach Roberts' heart with unbridled joy and optimism. The semi-final was tough but Brighton gave their all and were beaten by a highly competent outfit. Overall, the experience should certainly hold the lads in good stead for their next game, Worthing & Chichester a week on Sunday (16h November). |
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Brighton v Chichester & Worthing - 16th November Pictures So here we were at what was billed as the 'Best Rugby Club in Sussex' - a claim I'm sure every club would make about itself ! We were up against two sides who have made life very difficult for us in the past. We certainly have some memories of some painful defeats at the hands of Worthing, and of being second-best in most of the games against Chichester. This would be a good test of where we were. Game 1 ; Brighton v Worthing 'A' After five minutes of this game, we seemingly had our answer. We were decidedly second best ! Once again the boys had got out of the wrong side of the bed and managed to produce their wonkiest half of the season so far. Straight from the kick-off Brighton surrendered possession to the tallest lad on the pitch (all together now ....'how big is that fella ?') and it was 0-5 as he waltzed through our back line. Truly it was Gulliver amongst the Lillputians. It did not bode well. It looked like Brighton would respond straight away as they pushed Worthing back. But whereas Brighton's defence looked distinctly porous (look it up kids), Worthing were solid at the back. Brighton dropped the ball in attack, Worthing progressed up the field, and the tall blond one cut through to score in the corner. Brighton had failed to defend the right flank again. 0-10. Once again Brighton mounted an attack straight afterwards, and Cameron nearly made it over in the left corner, only to be bundled into touch. Worthing had been allowed to stroll through twice, but were not allowing Brighton the same privilege. However, worse was come. From another Brighton attack, Worthing kicked upfield. Callum gathered the ball and laid it back - but there were no colleagues there to help him out : the tall geezer was on it in a flash (legally, it seems) and it was 0-15 at half-time. Brighton had had their share of possession and territory, but had not been able to resist Worthing. They had been punished for their mistakes. Fresh from what must have been a considerable roasting at half-time, Brighton came out knowing that they had never recovered from three tries down in any game - ever! And for the first few minutes of the second half there was no sign of a recovery, as Worthing pushed forward. However, then, Rob drove forward, then Ollie and then Jake. We were on the Worthing line. The fact that we then gave Worthing the ball was a minor detail - some harassment from Jude caused them to drop it in the 'end-zone' and Alex grounded it for a simple try. 5-15. On the restart it was clear that Brighton were now in control - but there was a hefty deficit to claw back. However, soon, Brighton earned themselves a penalty deep in Worthing territory, and from a quick tap penalty, Alex handed the ball to Dario who powered over. 10-15. Worthing were not in it now and Brighton powered forward yet again. Soon Worthing had transgressed again and Brighton had another penalty. Jude tapped it to Joss who set up a ruck ; Ollie grabbed the ball, peeled away and shot through on the blind side to score ! 15-15 and a remarkable comeback was complete. Brighton 15 Worthing 'A' 15 Game 2 ; Brighton v Chichester One crazy game was soon followed by another. Brighton were still buzzing and drove towards the left corner where Ollie (I think) grounded the ball perilously close to the touch line. However, the Chichester lino confirmed that the try was good. 5-0. Brighton attacked again, surfing the crest of a wave. Oscar burst out of a ruck and slipped through a succession of tackles: stopped just shot of the line, he offloaded to Jake who crossed in the corner. Brighton were ecstatic. 10-0. Half time came and went and Brighton dealt with everything that came their way. And then, the we wuz robbed moment arrived. On a forward run, Dario was penalised for handing off. Yes, Brighton should have been more alert, but the ref should have stopped a Chichester player running several paces up the field, taking a tap penalty to himself and putting his winger through in the corner. Sharp practice indeed, although it is true to say that had Brighton been awake, the danger would have been averted. 10-5. Suddenly Chichester were back in it and Brighton had a fight on their hands. Almost literally, as a mid-pitch squabble ended up with the two sides having to take time-out to calm down. Finally, handshakes were exchanged and hostilities resumed. Strange things had been happening at the line-outs. Strange refereeing things. In a line-out early in the second-half, Brighton threw in but not straight, erring on the Brighton side. However, a Chichester forward had simply leapt across to claim the ball, and been allowed to continue on up the field. No harm done, however, as he was stopped in his tracks. However, now, a Chichester throw was directed straight (or not straight, as it were) to the same forward, who proceeded upfield again. This time Brighton suffered, as Chichester held their position in the Brighton half and, after some driving, pierced the Brighton defence. 10-10. Brighton had a sense of injustice about this result, especially as the second half was twice as long as the first, even allowing for the stoppage. Hmm. However, overall it was a good result, and one we probably would have taken at the start. Brighton 10 Chichester 10 Game 3 ; Brighton v Worthing 'B' Just time for a 'training game' with helpful rugby advice dispensed by the engaging Chichester linesman-tuned-ref. In truth there was more coaching than rugby, and Brighton players took the opportunity to swap positions willy-nilly. The first half was notable for .. well, nothing at all, really. The second half was notable for a superb rampaging try by Dario - Worthing 'B' could not live with his power. Even so, the Brighton forwards earned an on-pitch ticking off from Coach Fowle for no supporting him well enough. Tough love ! Brighton 5 Worthing 'B' 0 As mentioned, a real curate's egg of a day - we drew the one we should have lost, and.. drew the one we should have won. Oh well. In their first game, Brighton showed real determination not to buckle when under the cosh, and the belief was impressive. I think we can say that in the Chichester game, we were unfortunate in that Chichester were offered a way back into the game though a couple of wobbly refereeing decisions (isn't that always the way ?!). Overall, another promising display. We are still fallible at times, but we are starting to look like a strong all-round team. |
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Brighton v Crawley - 23rd November As soon as the game started, a ruck developed and Liam emerged, cruising towards the line. He was overhauled, but handed the ball to Lewes who crossed for try number one. With conversion, 7-0. There then followed a big 'push-me-pull-you' interlude in the middle of the park - essentially a big squabble over the ball. Eventually Jude emerged with it and, when he went to ground, the ball made it's way along the line until Ollie pounced on it and sheer will-power took him over the line. Alex's conversion made it 14-0. Brighton were surging forward at every opportunity and Lewes scored another one as Brighton laid siege to the Crawley line. Shortly afterwards, from a line-out near the Crawley line, the home side knocked on. Callum took a quick tap penalty and crossed for a cheeky try. Alex converted and it was 28-0. Straight from the kick-off, strong running from Ollie carved an opening down the left. Rob took over and carried the ball to within 10 yards, whereupon he released Cameron for the try of the match. A sweet move. Alex made it 35-0. Just time before half-time for Jude to score one of his 'grab it and run' scrum-half tries, which Alex converted. 42-0 at half-time. The second half began in tight fashion with another tug of war in midfield. Callum got the ball rounded three players to score. He then converted his own try. 49-0. Soon after, Brighton worked one of the delightful switch moves that they had been working on before the game, Dario crossing right down the middle, players hanging off him as usual. Callum converted, and it was 56-0. It was time for Cameron to get in on the act again when, after another barnstorming run from Dario, Rob made further good ground and handed to Cameron who went over in the corner. Sadly, Jude then fluffed the kick. Doh. 61-0. There was comedy value at the end as an incredulous (look it up fellas) Lewes was asked to play full-back for Crawley, and gleefully brought Callum down in full flight. However. he then ruined it by failing to stop Rob scoring in the corner for Brighton's tenth try. Callum popped it over and it was 68-0. Brighton 68 Crawley 0 |
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Brighton v Haywards Heath - 11th January Pictures A freezing morning at Waterhall meant that all age groups had to decamp to the ATP for a tightly co-ordinated series of games. The morning was clear but the wind blew in as only it can at Waterhall. Thankfully Brighton produced a performance that warmed all of our cockles. Haywards Heath have usually held the upper hand over us in recent confrontations, but this Brighton side are starting to look very threatening - we are not just 'holding our own' any more. Brighton kicked off and rebuffed a Heath runner as he attempted to return the play. Ollie ripped it off him and charged back towards the Heath line. Bobby took it on and made further ground : a ruck formed and it was Ollie again who sprung forward, nearly making it to the line. After another ruck it was Cox who powered over. Brighton had made a statement immediately. Alex converted and it was 7-0. Brighton's pressure was sustained and, after a Jude effort was disallowed as he had not quite applied downward pressure, a Brighton scrum deep into Heath territory produced a classic Jude-to-Alex-to-Dario interchange : once Dario takes the ball at speed and heads down the middle, you can usually guess the result ! Alex converted again (does he ever miss ?) and it was 14-0. Half-time came with Heath having hardly got out of their own half - Brighton had been relentless. The second half was again all Brighton, although Haywards Heath dug in to greater effect and it was harder to break through. Brighton were noticeably stronger in the line-out, and continued to press forward. A Heath infringement in a ruck brought a scrum with a Brighton put-in. Jude fed Alex who battered through three challenges to score. He then converted his own try. 21-0. Coach Roberts then surprised us all by blowing up and instigating a third half - mathematically impossible but it happened nonetheless. Straight from the off, Jude fed Alex from a scrum, Alex found Dario, and Dario took care of the rest, grounding in the left corner with Heath defenders powerless to stop him. Alex converted and it was 28-0. Heath continued to fight hard but were destined to remain scoreless as Brighton poured forward. With seconds remaining, Brighton found more joy down the left as Dario tore through, only to be held up just short. Joss grabbed the ball and could not be denied. 33-0. No time for the conversion - much to Alex's anguish !! Rarely can Waterhall have witnessed such an unexpectedly one-sided game of rugby and, although Haywards Heath fought hard, Brighton proved that they have a dynamic game now that can put sides under sustained pressure. With competition for places also keeping the players honest, the Rocks are starting to look like a force to be reckoned with. Brighton 33 Haywards Heath 0 |
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Brighton v Havant & Old Elthamians - 1st February Pictures Another morning spent in the Waterhall freezer .. .. given that we were on the verge of the most snow for 18 years, I suppose it all makes sense now ! Things did not look good early on, as news spread that not only were the pitches frozen but also there was limited room on the ATP. However, our coaches sneakily got us on by stealth with games of Sevens in the corner, and by waiting until most other age-groups had gone, we were able to enioy (if that is the right word as we shivered) full games against Havant A, Havant B and Old Elthamians. Game 1 - Brighton v Old Elthamians Before the start, Brighton lost Alex to injury, so it was all hands to the pump. Brighton began by trying to work an opening up the left. Roberts & Cox both had a good go at it, and eventually Callum worked the opening and found first gear for Brighton's first try. No conversions today. 5-0. Brighton broke away again from the restart, with new recruit Amos getting his first touch and making good ground down the right. Sol the made excellent ground as the play switched to the left. The ball found its way to Lewes, who advanced towards the line and provided Jude with a try in the corner. 10-0 at half-time. A good break from Louis and good ripping from Bobby at the start of the second half carved a hole in the Old E's defence, and Ollie took advantage, scoring down the middle. 15-0. More good work from Ollie - chasing back to retrieve and then making several yards back into the Heath half - triggered a smart move involving Louis, Callum, Dario, Alex and Sam, finishing with Sam going over in the left corner. 20-0. Then, a good break from Sam saw Oscar feed Louis on the right. Louis jinked between tackles and found himself breaking away - and none of the Old E's could catch him. 25-0. The restart kick was gathered by Ollie, who scampered back into the opposition half until dragged down by several bodies. Sam took over and looked to be running in - only to topple over as his momentum carried him forward. happily Ollie was on hand again for a simple try - the old E's having been unable to keep up. Overall, an excellent performance, with six tries coming in what was six minutes of playing time. Brighton 30 Old Elthamians 0 Game 2 - Brighton v Havant 'B' Havant 'B' looked to be of a similar standard to the Old E's, and Brighton started in similar fashion by attacking down the left. Ollie swapped passes with Lewes before Jude crossed in the corner for try number one. 5-0. Soon after, Louis and Dario made speedy progress down the right, and Lewes took advantage down the left again, surging towards the line before providing Jude with his second try. 10-0. It was not long before Brighton were on the attack again (sounds familiar eh ?) with Dario dominating the middle of the park, fighting off tackles and advancing all the time. Finally Havant were penalised for offside. Jude took a quick tap penalty and breezed through to complete his hat-trick. 15-0. Half-time. A couple of new faces for Havant seemed to alter the balance of play slightly, and for the first time on the day, Brighton came under pressure. For the rest of the match, however, the play was slightly scrappy, as both sides cancelled each other out. There were no further attacks by either side - but Brighton had done enough to win. Brighton 15 Havant 'B' 0 Game 3 - Brighton v Havant 'A' This final game started off in similar fashion to the previous clash with Havant 'B' - a bit of a scrap in midfield. However, Dario created the spark again with a surge down the centre left. Brighton gained a penalty and Dario battered through again, this time offloading to Lewes. Lewes essayed a dramatic dummy and completely fooled the Havant defence, who could only trail in his wake as he touched down. 5-0. Brighton were exerting constant pressure on Havant now and the visitors were having to defend heroically to keep Brighton out. Amos made a fantastic break down the left and was only overhauled at the last minute. Something had to give, and there was a familiar ring to the Brighton try - an outrageous Roberts dummy releasing Dario, who used his strength to force his way over. 10-0. Half-time came and Brighton rung the changes, as all of the squad got the opportunity for some game-time. After a tussle in the middle of the field, one Havant player took responsibility and drove forcefully through the Brighton defence - missing tackles on this occasion - to make it 10-5. Brighton had conceded for the first time on the day. Brighton did not look in any trouble but found themselves passing it along their own line late in the game, and, as bad luck would have it, a pass went astray, the ball was kicked back over the Brighton line, and a Havant player won the race to touch the ball down. It ended that way - 10-10 - and, although Brighton had dominated for the most part, no-one could deny Havant some success at the end of a testing day, having made the 90-mile round trip on what looked to be an unpromising day for rugby. In the end, rugby was the winner ! Brighton 10 Havant 'A' 10 For most of the day, Brighton played dominant rugby, utilising their strengths, winning scrums, tackling ferociously and never giving an inch. The immediate future looks rosy, with a growing squad and morale increasing all the time. Most of the guys are getting regular school rugby too which must help in their continuing development. We acn look forward to the tour and the Spring Festivals with a great deal of optimism. |
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Brighton U12s Tour to Ireland - 14th - 15th February Day 1 - Brighton v Greystones FC The first match of Brighton's tour got underway with Brighton having most of the ball, but struggling to make headway against strong Greystones tackling. After a couple of minutes Greystones spun the ball out to the right and there was an overlap, resulting in a fine individual try by the Greystones winger. 5-0. Greystones attacked once again from the restart and Brighton were beginning to buckle under the pressure. However, they gained possession and the ball was fed out to Oscar on the right. Brighton were now camped in the Greystones half and won a scrum on the left. Jude made a solo run and fed Alex, who offloaded to Lewes, who made it to the line - just the small question of grounding the ball now. Joss had a go but couldn't hit the turf. He handed the ball to Jacob who bulldozed his way down through Greystones defenders to score the try. Brighton were back in it at 5-5. Greystones came back at Brighton straight away however - this was the kind of match it was. Great tackling on the Brighton right stopped Greystones marginally short. Having pushed Greystones back a few yards, Lewes got hold of the ball and launched an epic assault down the left. Bobby took over and made more ground, followed by Jude. Brighton were moving at speed now - Alex took it on and the ball was passed along the line via Jake, Rob & finally Oscar for a fantastic try ! Brighton now led 10-5. It was not long before Brighton were pushing forward again. Jude made a break down the left : Joss took it on, and then Lewes. From the ruck, Alex passed to Jake, back to Alex, and on to Oscar again for the score, with Greystones completely stretched once more. 15-5 ! The play was fierce now as Brighton struggled to keep what they had and the home side tried their utmost to get back into the game. Something had to give, and Brighton showed their slight vulnerability to sheer pace when a scrum on the right produced another overlapping try on the left. 15-10. Back came Brighton, and from a ruck up on the left, Tiny Cox broke free with the ball and fed Jude, whose easy task it was to cross the line for the try. 20-10, and now a bit of daylight between the two teams. However, Greystones continued to pile on the pressure, and looked for all the world to have scored, before a miraculous last-ditch Tiny Cox tackle saved the day. But it could not last, and when play restarted, a huge Greystones forward dropped over the line to make it 20-15. And for the remainder of the first part of this game, that's how it stayed. There were a further ten minutes of rugby after that, and to the casual onlooker it seemed that, with Greystones running in a further two tries, they were the eventual winners by 25-20. However, what we did not realise was that Coach Roberts had agreed with the opposition that the match proper was over before the two scores occurred, thereby making Brighton the winners by 20-15. Hurrah ! This was a fiercely contested game and Brighton adapted well to handing-off and revelled in the aggressive brand of rugby that it allowed them to play. It was a joy to see Oscar touching down twice for marvellous overlapping tries, and although Brighton possibly tired towards the end of the game, this was a 40 minute match that went down to the wire and was a great game to watch for the neutral - although no neutrals were present. Match 1 Part 1 : Greystones 15 Brighton 20 Match 1 Part 2 : Greystones 10 Brighton 0 Day 2 - Barn Hall Tournament We arrived at Barn Hall and were immediately sucked into a triangular tournament with the hosts and another local team, Clane. In fact, Brighton ended up playing three games, as Barn Hall had an 'A' side and a 'B' side. Match 1 - Brighton v Barn Hall 'B' Brighton started off in positive fashion and straight away attacked down the left. Immediately, from a scrum on the left, the ball was brought out to the right where Joss powered over for try number one. 5-0. Brighton made a pig's ear of the restart and were inexplicably camped out in their own half for a few moments. A series of fumbles by both sides followed, but good work by Rob, Alex and Lewes saw Brighton mount an attack down the right. From a scrum, Jude used the hand-off effectively and dropped over the line for the second try. 10-0. Barn Hall kicked the restart kick straight out. Brighton mounted an attack straight away, and Jude broke free, determined to make it all the way to the line. He was pulled up short, but offloaded to Luis, who provided Lewes with the third try. 15-0. It was a bit of a procession by this stage. Barn Hall then offered resistance for the first time in the game, and made a succession of raids into Brighton territory, only to be stopped in their tracks - one crunching tackle by Alex in particular making an impression. Half-time came, and Barn Hall had done well to keep it down to three tries. Brighton looked strong. Barn Hall restarted and Joss and big Alex made surging runs through their lines. An infringement brought a scrum, which Brighton won. Jude dummied a pass and saw a gap in the Barn Hall back line, and ran half the pitch for a great individual try. 20-0. Brighton were soon on the attack again, with Joss running powerfully down the right. From a melee near the right touchline, the ball was spun out by Matthew Henderson, along the back line, where Sol fed Alex Johnson for another try. Barn Hall were not making it easy, but Brighton were wearing them down and breaking through their defences by stretching them out. 25-0. And so it ended. Match 1 : Barn Hall 'B' 0 Brighton 25 Match 2 - Brighton v Barn Hall 'A' Brighton started off in positive fashion and straight away were on the attack. It came to nothing in the end. However, it was apparent that the Barn Hall seniors were a tougher proposition than their junior counterparts. They were soon on the attack up the left hand side - thankfully it was snuffed out. Brighton then poured forward, and from a great switch by Jake, Jude grabbed the ball and strong-armed his way over. 5-0. Straight away Brighton grabbed possession back and Lewes Roberts was soon powering down the right, handing off like a good 'un. He was brought crashing down - twice, in fact - but Alex Johnson took up the fight and beat five or six tackles to score in the left corner. What a try ! Brighton were showing a real physical presence now. 10-0. However (!), Barn Hall 'A' were made of stern stuff, and had a couple of runners who Brighton had difficulty catching. After one scare in the right corner, where the ball was bundled out of Barn Hall hands at the last minute, the inevitable happened and one speedy winger crossed in the corner with Brighton trailing in his wake. 10-5 Brighton were stung into action and Jude drove through Barn Hall by sheer willpower, touching down at full stretch with one hand. 15-5, and some breathing space for Brighton. Half time arrived and the play was getting heated - the ref had to give both teams a talking to in order to calm tempers. Brighton kept plugging away and were working hard to find an opening down the right. However, the ball went loose and the self-same speedy winger punished Brighton with a breakaway try. 15-10. There now followed a period of sustained Barn Hall pressure where it really did look as though they would level the scores. Jake was in the thick of it, throwing himself in there where it hurts and getting up again for more, giving everything in the cause. Finally, Alex picked up the ball and ran the full length of the field, being brought crashing down only feet from the line. The ball was fed along to the left, where Lewes Roberts' never say die spirit saw him over the line for the try that clinched it. 20-10. There was some huffing and puffing at the end, with Brighton in the ascendancy, trying to increase the lead, but the final whistle came with both teams spent and having given their all. A great game of rugby and the right result as far as Brighton were concerned. Match 2 : Barn Hall 'A' 10 Brighton 20 Match 3 - Clane Clane looked very sharp straight from the off and had a couple of very sharp players who broke through Brighton's ranks at speed and created opportunities. Brighton looked leaden-footed and, although changes had been made to the Brighton team, with everybody who had not featured heavily getting a chance, we still looked like a rather tired set of tourists ! Three tries to nil pretty much reflects the way the game went, and in fairness Brighton did not get near the Clane line for any sustained period. However, there was an end of term feel to the game, and nobody was going to lose too much sleep over the defeat, anti-climactic as it was. The boys had been a credit to themselves and the club, and had performed very well over the two days. Match 2 : Clane 15 Brighton 0 East Sussex Festival : CHAMPIONS !! Coach
Roberts : I just
want to say a massive thank you to everybody who contributed towards yesterday's
success. Ben and I and all of the coaching team were thrilled with the
concentration and commitment of ALL the players who turned up. From all of us on the coaching
side. Sussex Final : Brighton 14 Horsham 14 Coach Roberts : it is with huge pride that I address you all as COUNTY CHAMPIONS 2009. It has been an incredible season, one full of tremendous achievements and none more so than remaining unbeaten in the whole of Sussex and achieving County Champion status. This has been only possible due to the work put in by the whole of the squad and although not everyone got on to play last Sunday, it is as a whole squad that we are acknowledged as county champions. So CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE!!! Myself and the rest of the coaching team are thrilled with the progress we've made. From all of us on the coaching side. |
