The Lambs went down to a narrow loss in their third game of the season, losing to a late Crawshay’s try 12-19 at Ealing Trailfinders RFC.
The Lambs started brightly and scored a fantastic try in the opening five minutes, the attack starting in their own 22 and barely a break down in site as they moved up to the Crawshay’s 22. It was there that the impressive Dom Bourne (Mount Kelly) got on the end of the final offload to take The Lambs ahead 7-0 (conversion by Callum Hall (King’s Ely)).
The rest of the half provided a tense, but open, see-saw game, the Crawshay’s having a lot of possession but The Lambs defence soaking it up for the majority. A number of impressive breaks by The Lambs came with no reward and with five minutes to go it looked like the half might finish 7-0. However, Crawshay’s powerful forwards game eventually gave them a platform off set piece and they bundled over to take the score to 7-7 at the half.
The second half saw the Lambs start to open up, and having again created a number of opportunities but not finished them, finally another break from vice-captain Callum Hall (King’s Ely) was rewarded, as he sliced open the defence and fed Jack North (Felsted) who put Jack Hussey (Berkhamsted) in for a score.
The Lambs were 12-7 ahead. More opportunities came and went on both sides and eventually Crawshay’s has another opportunity to use their power-game. A penalty put them in the corner where they went over from a catch and drive. 12-12 with fifteen minutes to go.
The Lambs had opportunities to get back ahead, but with four minutes to go the Crawshay’s managed to sneak over in the corner after a turnover in The Lambs 22. Dom Bourne made a late break and looked to bring the game back, but the referee called play back for a forward pass from the offload. The game ended at 12-19 to Crawshay’s – a fantastic spectacle as always, and probably one where the result got away from The Lambs.
Speaking after the game The Lambs Director of Rugby, Alex Laybourne, said:
“There was some fantastic rugby out there again today, and our first try is up there with one of the best I have seen in a while. We lacked a little bit of accuracy, but I was pleased with how many opportunities we made and also how many problems the players solved on the pitch. We can’t forget the team comes together on the day and they are really growing as a wider group over the last three fixtures. We are looking forward to our next challenge against Boys Club of Wales.”
Full Time: Lambs 12-19 Crawshay’s Welsh XV
Lambs XV:
15 Dominic Bourne (Mount Kelly, apps 1)
14 Thomas Howell (Bishop’s Stortford College, 1)
13 Charlie McHale (Felsted, 2)
12 Christopher Chaddock (Bishop Wordsworth’s, 2)
11 Harry Gray (Reed’s, 1)
10 Callum Hall (King’s Ely, 2, vice-captain)
9 Guy Butterworth (Sir John Lawes, 2)
1 Zahran Obozuwa (Berkhamsted, 2)
2 Francis Perks (Hereford Cathedral School, 2)
3 Christopher Romano (Bablake, 2)
4 Jack Wood (Berkhamsted, 1)
5 Sulayman Aurangzeb (Tettenhall College, 2)
6 Henry Langford (Uppingham, 2)
7 Jack North (Felsted, 1)
8 Benjamin Smith-Bannister (Pangbourne College, 3, captain)
Replacements: 16 Jack Hussey (Berkhamsted, 3), 17 Finn Lyttle (Emanuel, 2), 18 George Dady (Wisbech GS, 3), 19 Ben Hampden-Smith (Oundle, 3), 20 Presley Farrance (Sutton Valence, 2), 21 Louis Goodall (Reed’s, 2), 22 William Gowler (Wisbech Grammar, 3)
Lambs 2019/20 Schedule:
Sunday 19th January – Lambs RFC 42-22 Irish Exiles, Ealing Trailfinders RFC
Sunday 26th January – Lambs RFC 7-52 Bristol Bears Academy, QEH School, Failand
Saturday 8th February – Lambs RFC 12-19 Crawshay’s Welsh XV, Ealing Trailfinders RFC
Sunday 17th February – Lambs RFC v Boys Club of Wales, Merthyr RFC
Sunday 23rd February – Lambs RFC v Coventry Academy, Butts Park Arena
Monday 2nd March – Lambs RFC v Nottingham Rugby (Lady Bay)
Saturday 28th March to Friday 10th April (approx.) – Lambs RFC tour of South Africa
