CREDITON RUGBY CLUB
WHEN Brixham Seconds withdrew from our home fixture with them, because they couldn’t be bothered, it seemed that the season might fizzle out with a whimper.
Fortunately, along came the invitation from Saltash to play down there and the Seconds accepted without hesitation.
The game, on April 23, proved extremely one sided as the scoreline suggests as we ran in no fewer than 14 tries.
Fair play to Saltash, they kept going to the last, but the gulf between the two sides was huge.
It is disappointing to say the least when a Club makes a commitment to play a Merit Table game back in August but don’t fulfil that obligation when the day comes around because they have lost interest.
Ah! Yes I hear you say but we pulled out of a First XV game at Lydney but the situation was very different.
We would not have been able to field a front row with suitable experience, in fact we could not get an entire front row to travel bearing in mind 15 of the 18 players from the previous week were not available. To simply say you have lost interest is a poor excuse especially from a Club of Brixham’s standing.
For the record, Chris Hooper bagged yet another three tries, Sam Rowe touched down twice, and there was one apiece from Joe Dodge, Tom O’Donnell, Joe Rees, Bobby Saunders, Callum Yeandle, Wayne Reed, Ben Rodd, Josh Atkinson and Matt Arnold. Owen Cooper landed three conversions as did Ryan Styles.
Devon Under 16 Shield Final - at Brixham RFC - on April 24
Teignmouth 18 - Crediton 28
This, the second tier of the Devon Under 16’s Fisherman’s League, brought two evenly matched sides together to produce an excellent game of rugby.
Both sides started nervously and the fear of making mistakes actually produced more than they would have.
This however, is a final, the culmination of eight years of hard work from the players and coaches and to reach this final was probably far from their minds before the Covid lockdowns.
Early Crediton pressure was well defended by Teignmouth and it was Teignmouth who opened the scoring on 15 minutes when they won quick ball from a ruck and spread the ball wide, we had crept offside and the referee played an advantage and they scored in the corner, the conversion was missed.
Immediately from the restart, Teignmouth were unable to clear their lines and we turned over possession and after several pick and go’s, it was flanker Harvey Murfitt who dived over.
Tom Cooper landed a good conversion and we were ahead for the first time. Teignmouth looked strong in the scrum and lineouts were evenly contested and, having played up the slope in the first half, we reached the break 7-5 ahead.
Just when we thought the hard work was done and ensuring that we adhered to the half game rule, a number of replacements were given their chance from the bench.
Within minutes we were behind again. A handling error in midfield gave possession to Teign’s and we were penalised on the “22” for a high tackle.
They took the three points for an 8-7 lead.
That had the desired effect and for the first time we began to put some passes together and a superb break by James Howard took play 10 metres from the opposition line and a perfect offload to No8 Ben Harris who crashed over under the posts.
Howard converted and we were 14-8 ahead. We were beginning to make use of the quick ball coming from the scrum and a break by Harris took play to the Teign’s “22” where the well timed pass found centre Otto Wilkinson-Brice who went past several defenders with a weaving run to score the third try, Howard converted for 21-8.
Teignmouth were not done though and they too had some strong runners. They forced play upfield and found space on the left and scored, the conversion missed and it was 21-13.
We were somewhat rattled as the nerves crept in and at times we panicked but we did manage to recover some composure.
Another scrum with a pick up from Harris took play deep into Teign’s territory and another timely pass this time to winger Charlie Gribble who went over in the corner, a difficult conversion was made to look ridiculously easy by Howard for 28-13.
Teignmouth did have the final word with another try five minutes from time to complete the scoring.
Ben Harris was named Player of The Match by Devon RFU Chairman Geoff Simpson but Ben will be the first to admit this was a genuine team effort.
Every member of the match day squad played their part to the full and, together with the coaching staff of Michael Grigg (who did shed a tear at the end!), Craig Philip, Chris Kibbey and Shaun Wallis, thoroughly deserved this moment.
Despite missing an entire season as we all did during the lockdown, this group of players have come on to an extent that they are almost unrecognisable from three years ago.
They are a remarkable group of young men and they will surely be excellent additions to the Colts next season.
Devon Colts Shield Final at Kingsbridge
Brixham Colts 12 - Crediton Colts 31
Kingsbridge hosted the Ashburton Motor Company Devon Colts Finals day and what a superb day it turned out to be.
The Colts were competing in the Shield Final against a Brixham side that, only five weeks ago had beaten us 38-7 on their own patch and so would no doubt have considered themselves as favourites to lift the Trophy.
However, we were almost at full strength for this game and what a performance we put in.
The weather provided a perfect setting for running rugby and the players arrived full of energy and were certainly “up for it” as they say.
We dominated the early stages and it was against the run of play that Brixham opened the scoring with a well worked try, the conversion gave them a seven point advantage.
However, our forwards began to gain the upperhand and from a line out, we set up a driving maul which ended in a try for skipper Will Connor, Kofi Firth added the extras to level the scores.
The possession gained by the forwards provided opportunities and space for the backs whose speed was proving a real thorn in the side for Brixham.
Some outstanding back play, centre Tariq Sayers grabbed two tries both converted by Kofi Firth for a 21-7 interval lead.
Sayers is on an impressive run having now scored in six of the last games that he has played in.
The second half began with a strong fightback from Brixham but they failed to add to their tally thanks to some strong defensive work. Jack Ballet added a fourth try for us although Brixham did respond with an unconverted try.
In the closing stages, another excellent handling move ended with fullback Freddie Borthen touching down out wide to complete the scoring.
For some players this is a tremendous reward for their endeavours over their years in age grade rugby and will move into the seniors next season.
It is well deserved for them especially as they all missed out on the first year of Colts rugby. There is also a wonderful crop of first year Colts who can take the side forward with the very good Under 16s, the future of the game at Crediton is without doubt very promising. The Colts players and coaches have deserved this success after many years of hard work.
Well done everyone, you have all done yourselves and the Club proud.
If you think rugby has finished for the season then think again!
On Saturday the Under 17’s have a fixture against Sidmouth and on Sunday, well we are not done with finals quite yet either. The Under 14s and Under 15’s have finals against Ivybridge and Torquay respectively.
Paul Harris
• See more pictures in the current issue of the Crediton Courier, on sale today!