Wellington College were held to a slender margin at half time by Tonbridge School but took control of the game with two tries in as many minutes and were winners by a 36-17 score.

This block fixture has in early December for many years provided the climax of both schools’ seasons, and it was good to see that tradition return in 2019 after a three-year period when it was moved to early September. Although one has to go back to 2009 to find the last occasion when the Kent school were winners at 1st XV level, matches have generally been decided by a single score.

Although Tonbridge had been enjoying a successful season with only two losses, both by a single score, Wellington will have started as favourites on paper, having played a slightly stronger fixture list and having had only two narrow losses themselves, against Clifton and Millfield, as well as that amazing draw with Sedbergh.

Wellington kicked off with the Bigside slope in their favour and a bitterly cold wind blowing from the South-West at their backs. Both sides struggled to put together multiple phases in the opening minutes, conceding several penalties. The strongest attacking move came from a strong run in midfield by Wellington centre Mason Archer who broke through tackles to reach the Tonbridge 22, but he was injured in the tackle and a lengthy stoppage followed.

Play assumed with a Wellington scrum on the Tonbridge 22, from which possession was won and driven into the left corner before being switched into midfield, where No 8 Henry Starmer-Smith stepped through to score under the posts, full back Finn Tawse adding the conversion. Tonbridge responded immediately following the restart, forcing a penalty which was kicked to touch on the left. Possession was won at the line-out with centre Charlie Thompson carrying strongly and taken on into the 22. With the defence committed, quick hands saw play switched to the right and an overlap created for Thompson who crashed over in the corner. Full-back Jack Jones’ touchline conversion attempt missed narrowly.

Although Tonbridge managed a safe exit from the restart, they quickly found themselves back in their own half when a long kick to the left corner by Tawse was well chased and Tonbridge’s clearance partially charged down. An infringement then gave Wellington the put-in at a scrum on the 22, but Tonbridge were able to win possession and kick clear. The respite was short-lived as wing Soli Arbuthnot-Walker ran back the kick, stepping his way past defenders before being tackled. Although Wellington were penalised at the breakdown, Jones’ kick from hands failed to find touch.

Wellington continued to maintain good field position, Tawse again finding a good touch on the right when Tonbridge were penalised, and replacement flanker Thierry White carried strongly into midfield. Although the good defence saw Tonbridge win a turnover, the pressure was only briefly relieved, as a handling error gave possession back to Wellington at a scrum and the first phase ball was run by Tawse on the right to the 22, where the ball came to White who ran in to score close to the posts. Fly half Rory Taylor took over the kicking duties to add the extras.

Half-time: Wellington College 14-5 Tonbridge School

The slope advantage on the Bigside pitch is usually considered to be worth at least one score, so there was still everything to play for as the second half began, but the home side came storming out on the blocks, running the restart back with excellent handling on the right. The defence managed to get back to prevent an immediate score, but possession was retained and driven close to the line in midfield before being switched to the left where Tawse ran in to score in the corner.

The momentum was now with Wellington, with a Tonbridge knock-on conceding possession at a scrum and Taylor ran to the 22 on the left before play was taken on by the forwards, hooker Will Ayton making some hard yards. The ball was moved through the hands to Tawse on the right and although he was stopped short of the line, possession was recycled again through the forwards in midfield and after sustained pressure prop Alex Frost forced his way over under the posts, Taylor adding the conversion.

The home side were threatening to run away with the game, good handling from the restart putting flanker Oliver Teague into space on the left and he burst through to the 22 before being tackled. Possession was maintained and Tawse combined with centre Joe Lewis on the right, but the defence held firm and eventually won a scrum from which they were able to clear.

The visitors now showed that they also had talented runners, using the first phase possession to put wing Ben Moore into space on the short side and he ran out to halfway before putting in a well-judged kick but was taken out illegally, prompting a severe warning from the referee. The resulting penalty was kicked to the right corner and with the line-out won, a maul was set up but taken down illegally by the defence and the process repeated.  This time the ball was switched to the backs and although a handling error gave Wellington a scrum, they were unable to clear and possession was regained by Tonbridge at a 5m scrum, from which the ball was moved to fly-half Sam Baldwin on the short side and he dived over in the corner. Although the touchline conversion attempt was unsuccessful, Tonbridge were still competitive.

The Tonbridge revival continued at the restart with good handling and a break by scrum-half Rhys Parfitt, but Wellington soon scored again with a superb run by Tawse on the right and he offloaded to scrum-half Samm Daniel who scored in the corner. Taylor’s touchline conversion attempt was unsuccessful. The visitors were not finished, however, recovering possession at the restart with Parfitt breaking to the 22. Although the defence stopped further progress, the ball came back to Jones who put in a beautifully weighted kick to the right that was collected by Moore who toured down in the corner. Jones was on target with the touchline conversion attempt.

Although a long clearance kick following the restart gave Tonbridge safe field position and after a few further plays they were awarded a penalty, possession was lost at the ensuing line-out and Arbuthnot Walker again showed his pace on the left. The ball was moved through the hands to the right where Tawse again found space on the touchline before passing infield to wing Ben Frampton who scored in the corner as time ran out.

Full-time: Wellington College 36-17 Tonbridge School

By Peter Crawshaw

Teams:

Wellington College: Zak Kernon., Will Ayton (Captain), Alex Frost, Connor O’Byrne (Vice-captain), Barnaby White, Oliver Teague, Jonti Marais, Henry Starmer-Smith, Samm Daniel, Rory Taylor, Soli Arbuthnot Whittaker, Joe Lewis, Mason Archer, Ben Frampton, Finn Tawse

Replacements: Johannes Dreischmeier, Thierry White, Oz Henry, James Lloyd

Tonbridge School: Ben Simms, Jacques Bowkley, Jack Walder, Xandi Drysdale (Captain), Oliver Glen, Caspar Bagnall-Walmsley, Charlie Pugh, Theo Bannister, Rhys Parfitt, Sam Baldwin, Joe Baldwin, Freddie Jobber, Charlie Thompson, Ben Moore, Jack Jones

Replacements: Toby Lee-Amies