The Judd School took an early lead and resisted fierce second-half pressure by Cardinal Newman Catholic School and 6thForm College to take the rescheduled London & South-East B Division second-round tie by a single score.
This game had originally been scheduled for before half term but was postponed while some of the fine print of the competition regulations was resolved. Several days of heavy rain had finally abated and the playing surface was in reasonable shape, thanks no doubt to the effective natural drainage from Newman’s famously sloping pitch with its views over the Channel. There can’t be many Rugby grounds in England in sight of the sea and the wind farms on the horizon were clearly in view in the afternoon sunshine. Judd had been enjoying an unbeaten season thus far, and the home side was riding high in their division of the AoC Sport League. A finely balanced game looked to be in prospect.
With Newman penalised following Judd’s clearance of the kick-off, an early opportunity for good field position came to the Kent side. Winning a line-out on the left, a driving maul took play up to the 22 before the ball was moved through the hands to the right where the defence conceded a scrum. From the first phase possession, the ball was moved through the hands to the left, creating an overlap for wing Charlie Cordiner who stepped past defenders before cutting infield to score under the posts. Full back Angus Hall added the conversion.
Although Judd captain Toby Brown made a good catch at the restart the subsequent box clearance was taken by the wind and Newman gained good field position though they were forced into touch. However, Judd were unable to secure their throw in and Newman loose head Charlie Bennett carried strongly. Judd were enforced to concede a penalty and full back Ed Hartley produced an excellent long-range kick from the tee to get his side on the scoreboard.
Following the restart Judd won an attacking scrum and Newman were penalised, giving the visitors another attacking lineout. Again the ball was moved through the hands on the left and there was a hint of an overlap before Newman were again penalised, giving Judd the chance to deploy their driving maul once again. Inexorable progress was made towards the line and loose head John Disbrey got the required downward pressure. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful.
The Judd set piece continued the look solid when Newman were penalised at a scrum following the restart but the throw to the ensuing lineout was not straight, giving Newman to deploy their tall lineout jumpers, Mattias Woollard being a reliable source of possession throughout. After an attempted Judd clearance kick had been charged down, the home side pressed into the 22 and forced successive penalties, two leading to effective driving mauls. A tap from the third penalty led to close rage pressure on the line and No 8 Ethan White drove over, Hartley adding the conversion.
A long clearance kick to touch by Hartley seemed to have relieved the immediate pressure following the restart, but the Judd maul from the ensuing lineout trundled a good 20 metres and the defence conceded a penalty. That was kicked to the left corner and again the ensuing maul saw Disbrey carrying and claiming his second try. The touchline conversion attempt into the breeze was unsuccessful. The momentum continued to be with Judd following the restart with Hall executing a 50:22 to the right corner and the potential for another, potentially decisive score before the interval looked possible, but Judd were penalised at an attacking scrum and half time arrived without further addition to the score.
Half-time: Cardinal Newman 10-17 Judd
The Kent school continued to enjoy good field position after the restart, running the ball up to the 22 following an interception. A kick to the corner ran just past the goal line and although the subsequent goal line drop-out into the wind was a short one, Newman were able to clear their lines when a Judd kick from hand went directly into touch. The respite was brief as Newman failed to win their lineout ball and good handling on the left saw Judd take play back into the Newman half. When the defence were forced to concede a penalty another chance to set up a maul in the left corner beckoned, but Hall’s kick to the corner was blown by the gusting wind off the sea and taken dead. Hartley got good distance on the 22 drop-out but Newman were penalised when that was run back. A long advantage was played, the excellent team of three officials having been taking every opportunity to allow play to continue throughout, but Judd were finally given the chance to take the three points and hall was on target from the tee.
The physicality of the game was taking its toll, with both teams having gone extensively to their benches. Newman looked to apply pressure, making use of the headwind and sending a free kick high into the Judd 22, but it was safely taken and marked by Hall. After Judd had threatened again through their back line, centre Fin Stables taking a good line in midfield, Newman began to build pressure through their forward pack. A kick to the right corner established good field position and when Judd were penalised a driving maul was set up from the ensuing lineout and play was taken up to the line, but a penalty was awarded to Judd.
The respite was short lived as Judd were unable to secure their ball at the ensuing lineout, Newman being awarded a free kick from which a tap was taken and with the ball recycled by the forwards, play soon came back to the right corner, with the home supporters providing vocal support. When a maul was set up, a score seemed likely but that was stopped and Judd did well to secure their ball at the set scrum and another brief clearance was made, with Newman taking the clearance kick into touch and it seemed that a critical passage of play had passed. Although Judd’s problems at the lineout continued, a handling error by Newman gave Judd possession from the scrum and a well weighted kick to the Newman 22 by fly half Harry Bouverie forced the Sussex side to concede a penalty, which was kicked to the right corner. However, the throw to the lineout was judged to be not straight.
Judd looked to find what would have been a decisive score, with a well-directed kick to the left corner by Hall and Newman were forced to take a goal line drop-out. That was run back by Judd and although a handling error have Newman the chance to recover possession from the scrum, that was lost, and Judd again pressed deep into the 22 on the right. Although were penalised the kick from hand failed to find touch and a pass from Bouverie found Cordiner in space on the left. A cross-kick to the right maintained the pressure, but an infringement gave possession back to Newman who ran out of defence.
A shift in momentum saw Judd penalised in midfield another 10m added for dissent gave Newman the required field position, Hartley finding touch in the right corner. With possession secured from the lineout a maul was driven up to the line and after a long advantage had been played Judd were shown yellow. The lineout and maul tactic was repeated and this time a score was secured, Bennett getting the downward pressure to the delight of the home supporters. With time running out, the conversion attempt was taken quickly but was unsuccessful.
With the gap down to five points, Newman as the home side needed a converted try. The restart was run out to halfway, but a handling error gave Judd the chance to regain possession and run out the clock, but the Newman forward pack applied pressure and forced a penalty. When that was kicked to touch on the left there was a chance of a dramatic finish, but possession was lost at the set piece and Judd kicked the loose ball into touch to end the game.
This was a real Cup tie, played with tremendous spirit by both sides. Judd just about deserved the win, with their backs generating a number of scoring opportunities, and they showed great resilience to hand on at the end when under considerable pressure. There will be some tired and battered bodies looking to recover before they take on Cup holders Trinity at the Vizards pitches in the next round.
Full-time: Cardinal Newman 15-20 Judd
By Peter Crawshaw
Teams:
Cardinal Newman Catholic School: Charlie Bennett, James Hodson, Joe Elyas, Mattias Woollard, Alfie Ambrose, Fin Toghill, Dan Jarman, Ethan White, Cana Bamin, Toby Gale, Louie Stillman, Alasdair Darling, Oliver Simpson, Fin Turner-McQueen, Ed Hartley
Replacements: Isaac Buck, Conor Van Lille, Charlie Evans, Monty Pession-Wilton, Cameron Reed
The Judd School: John Disbrey, Dominic Stangroome, Seb Hillsdon, Toby Brown (Captain), Jonny Fitzmaurice, Henry Thompson, Harry Lewis, Frank Kitchen, Seb Nottage, Harry Bouverie, Charlie Cordiner, Fin Stables, Eddie Trebess, Isaac Canham, Angus Hall
Replacements: Jack Wilson, Henry Hartley, Dante McNichol, Henry Pallett, Jake Turner
