Hartpury put in heroic display in horrendous conditions
by Luke Jarmyn & James Logan, at Kingsey Road
GOOD rugby sides know how to battle to victory even when the elements are against them, and Hartpury RFC showed their metal in doing just that against Chinnor in atrocious conditions on Saturday.
The university-based side fought back from two yellow cards and a narrow-half time deficit to score two quick tries early in the second-half which proved decisive on their way to a fourth win in a row while cementing their play-off place credentials.
Hartpury fly-half Harry Bazalgatte may have not been the one crossing the whitewash but he was key to the turnaround, scoring 14 points from the tee and picking up the man of the match award.
The weather played a starring role as Hartpury, sitting fourth in the Champ, took on fifth place Chinnor in extremely challenging conditions in Oxfordshire.
With the heavens opening over the home-side’s rural Kingsey Road ground just before kick-off, it was a mud-bath almost immediately as home-side fly-half Nathan Chamberlain got the match underway.
The Oxfordshire side, buoyed by their fifth-place league standing, utilised the conditions effectively to capitalise on some Hartpury ill-discipline before hooker Alun Walker dotted down as a driving maul bundled over the whitewash.
Several clever Bazalgette kicks gained territory and some excellent phase play by the reds led to the Dorset man chipping wide for winger Keir Clark to run over the whitewash on the right.
Four minutes later, it was the turn of Hartpury’s forwards as hooker Will Crane fresh off his stint at Gloucester, tucking the ball under his arm and diving over the line from a dominant lineout set-piece move.
The kicking battle would be very important, but as Hartpury fullback Isaac Marsh sent up a high ball, he was unable to stop his run and took out his opposite number, Joe Brock, in the air to earn a yellow card on the 31st minute.
Five minutes later, the ever-brown reds would be down to 13 men as scrum-half Rhys Price was deemed to have intentionally stopped play on the breakaway and was sent to the sin-bin.
The black and white hooped shirted home-side took advantage of Hartpury’s numerical deficit, getting the territory advantage before Walker powered over from a narrow driving maul after a right-sided line-out from eight metres out.
Mark Cornwell’s side, now playing with 14 men restarted ferociously after the interval, and with the wind in support the mud-caked reds scored almost immediately as No.8 Tom Worts crashed the ball over the try-line in front of the clubhouse.
Hartpury earned their bonus-point try on the 47th minute when Clark intercepted and ran 60 metres to score.
No.8 Scott Hall muscled over the tryline to keep Chinnor in the game, but the West Country side hit back four minutes later, a Bazalgette 50/22 kick led to second-rower Peter Paramore dived over the whitewash two phases after a line-out on the 56th minute.
A raft of changes and a very clever kicking game helped close the game out superbly for Hartpury and two well-struck penalty kicks from long range by Bazalgette secured all five league points on the road against the spirited hosts.
Stats:
|
Chinnor RFC |
|
Hartpury RFC |
|
10 |
Penalties conceded |
8 |
|
10 |
Line-outs won |
11 |
|
4 |
Line-outs lost |
2 |
|
5 |
Scrums won |
5 |
|
1 |
Scrums lost |
1 |
|
0 |
Yellow cards |
2 |
|
0 |
Red cards |
0 |
Chinnor RFC: Joe Brock, Grant Hughes (Nick Smith 10’), Sam Hanks, James Bourton (Morgan Passman 68’), Freddie Owsley, Nathan Chamberlain, Calum Pascoe (Luke Carter 24’); Ramaz Rukhadze (Lawson Porter 71’), Alun Walker (Luke Thompson 66’), Robin Hardwick (Kai Owen 70’), Jamie Cambell, Conor Brockschmidt (Harry Taylor 72’), Harry Dugmore ©, Will Cave (Isaiah Wharton 71’), Scott Hall
Tries: Alun Walker 5, 37, Scott Hall 51
Conversions: Nathan Chamberlain 6, 38, 52
Hartpury RFC: Isaac Marsh, Keir Clark, Robbie Smith, Ollie Allsopp (Max Knight 64’), Ollie Holiday (Brad Denty 74’), Harry Bazalgette, Rhys Price (Sam Allford 72’), Harrison Bellamy (Archie McArthur 62’), Will Crane (cc) (George Knowles 65’), Alex Gibson (George Perry 76’), Peter Paramore, Jack Davies (Freddie Stevens 70’), Cameron Cobbett, Harry Short (Ellis Hart 72’), Tom Worts
Tries: Keir Clark 18, 47, Will Crane 22, Tom Worts 42, Peter Paramore 56
Conversions: Harry Bazalgette 23, 43, 48, 57
Penalties: Harry Bazalgette 67, 78
Referee: Harry Walbaum (RFU)
Attendance: 1,560
Half-time: 14-12 (to Chinnor RFC)
Star players: Harry Bazalgette & Jack Davies (Hartpury RFC)
Reaction:
Delight as Hartpury show their heroic qualities
by Luke Jarmyn & James Logan, at Kingsey Road
Hartpury Head Coach, Mark Cornwell, was delighted with his side's second-half efforts as Pury came from behind to win 21-39 in Oxfordshire.
Cornwell was asked about the challenging conditions they faced, in which he believed his side did well to take control of the game.
He said: “The pitch helps them much more with the way that they play, and when the heavens open just before half-time, you know it’s going to be a difficult afternoon.
“I thought we managed the territory really well, and in the end, I think our pack just about got on top. The lineout worked well, and it made it very difficult for them.
“But yes, the conditions played a massive part in that result this afternoon.”
Cornwell also spoke on Harry Bazalgette’s influential kicking game and praised the fly-half on his leadership within the squad.
He said: “When we went in at half time, we spoke about the wind and the conditions, and we knew that the kicking game would be an important part of the game this afternoon.
“We said we needed to control the middle third, and he (Bazalgette) was a huge benefit in that midfield, and we knew we needed to get them to play from deep.”
Hartpury fly-half Harry Bazalgatte may have not been the one crossing the whitewash but he was key to the turnaround, scoring 14 points from the tee.
Post-match, he said: “Selfishly, I love it! All week, we knew that the conditions would be like this and suspected the pitch wouldn’t hold up.
“I’m buzzing because it gives me more responsibility, my kicking game has got to be on point, but it’s my job and its what’s expected and ultimately it has won the contest.
“Although it's difficult, you know it’s a bit of pressure and that’s what I enjoy.”
On the wider team, he said: “It was gritty at times but we came out here with an idea of what to do, and fortunately we were able to put that game onto Chinnor.
“It was a full 15-man performance. The forwards were outstanding, particularly against the wind and up the slope in the first-half which was tough.”
The fly-half also spoke about Keir Clark's impressive performance as the winger bagged himself a brace.
He added: “It probably just started to get away from them when we could put our game plan on them, and for Keir, he was superb.
“A loose pass and Keir was on it, and after only being back for two games, it was a great read, and even if it was in slow motion, he got a go to run.”
