Rugby is back.
After a two week heatwave induced delay to the start of the season , Crowborough travelled 90 minutes to the North Kent coast for their opener, against a side they beat twice last year.
In the mean time Gillingham have recruited strongly with several hunks of meat in the pack and three Fijians, at full back; centre and wing from the local south London Military Garrison.
By contrast, Crowborough fielded a side shorn of eight members of the squad through early season training incidents. Normally this would have given concern to the “travelling faithful” but in the event Crowborough’s young charges fronted up, and acquitted themselves admirably.
As with any seasons openers, rustiness is always evident, both with players, and officials, of which, more later.
From the early exchanges, it was clear that winning clean ball would be a challenge for the lighter pack, but they challenged for every 50:50 ball and the backs used the quick feed from the impressive Ed Croft and Jared Hermann to great effect , moving the ball with practised confidence , which soon saw ‘Boro getting the first points on the board from a long Jared Hermann penalty, following what was to be a litany of off-sides perpetrated by the home sides 0-3
However this would be the last time, until the final three minutes that ‘Boro were ahead.
As Gillingham gained more confidence up front, the undoubted class of the Fijian trio began to tell, as they relished the copious amounts of clean possession. From a scrum on the ‘Boro 22, the pressure told and ‘Boro coughed up a levelling 3 points from the tee.3-3
Back on level terms, Gillingham started to turn the screw, and from a penalty put the ball into touch on the ‘Boro 22. Winning the line out the Gills #10 pulled the ball back to the #15 who breezed through the first up tackle then drew two more defenders before off- loading to the #13 to score a Fijian inspired 7 pointer under the posts.10-3
In what was to be a feature of the match neither side was to be allowed to let too much day-light develop between the teams, and when Gills once more transgressed, this time for holding on, some 35 metres out, it was Hermann once more to emphatically drill the ball over for 3 more points.10-6
Crowborough’s injury woes increased soon after when Josh Jarvis latched onto a pass as Jonte Fraser broke down the right wing, and in a reckless attempt to halt the momentum, Jarvis was unceremoniously high tackled.
In what could only be considered a liberal interpretation of the high tackle law ,the perpetrator was allowed to remain on the field, whilst Jarvis was immediately whisked away to hospital with a worrying concussion!
Rather than be cowed by this turn of events, ‘Boro stepped up the pressure down the left flank. From a lineout 5 metres out from the Gills line, Will Creasey broke around the back of the line but was halted, and as the ‘Boro pack set up the final attack Gillingham ,with practised ease, strayed off-side once more to concede the penalty, for which the yellow card was shown. Jared Hermann added to Gills woes with a well struck penalty 10-9
In what was to become a familiar theme, once Crowborough closed the gap, Gillingham took advantage of ‘Boro’s relaxed stance, and piled on the pressure, this time with the impressive Fijian centre, lithely slipping through the middle, and eschewing support on his right, which would have secured the score under the posts, drifted wide to the left making the two points from the touchline difficult but not impossible for the kicker. 17-9
With just seconds to go before half time, ‘Boro aimed to reduce the deficit by attacking down the left wing with Jonte Fraser, Harry Marchesi and Freddie Lee in concert, and only when the #15 intervened at the last second did the final pass go forward bringing the half to an end, and maintaining the lead for the home side at 8 points.
It was no surprise that the second half started as the first had finished , with ‘Boro pressuring in the Gills 22, determined to keep the game in sight, when a loose ball popped up into the hands of the #13, who exploited a gap on the left wing, and with a turn of pace that only Jared Hermann and Jonte Fraser could match, a race to the line almost the length of the pitch only ended with an excellent tackle by Hermann two metres out allowing Fraser to clear the dropped ball into touch.
For 50 minutes, Crowborough had appeared to do everything but cross the Gills line, and this omission was ended, following a break down the right wing by Gus Weir, who had come on for the injured Josh Jarvis. As Weir brought the cover across he off loaded in the act of being tackled, and with seemingly the whole side trying to get in on the act the ball passed through several hands before Jared Hermann straightened the attack and popped the pass to the fast approaching Freddie Lee to cross over the line. Herman added the two points 17-16.
With approx 12 minutes to go, it appeared it was anyone’s game. Ominously it was Gills who were pressing the hardest, and as the Gills maul approached the ‘Boro line, the try looked a foregone conclusion, until the ball was knocked on in the process of crossing the line. With most of those onlookers from both sides expecting the scrum call, the awarding of the try was a strange one, but the decision stood and the conversion took the score to 24-16
In this topsy turvey game it was perhaps no surprise that the scoring had not finished . In perhaps the best move of the match, from a ‘Boro line out on their own 10 metre line, Felix Boyes tapped the ball down to Ed Croft. Spying a gap in the line Croft streaked through the hole up the right hand touch line. When he was halted by the Gills left wing he had the presence of mind to hold up for the support of Gus Weir who took the off load to score under the posts for another Hermann converted try 24-23
Gills put more day light between the sides with a penalty 27-23 with just moments left in this contest. From a line out on the left Rowan Bell latched onto a tap down and set off up the touchline unopposed, only for the official to halt the game for a free kick ----to ‘Boro?
With Gills becoming more desperate as time passed, another off-side decision that saw the #13 shown yellow, allowed ‘Boro to put the ball into touch 30 metres from the Gills line. A quick tap penalty and charge to the line saw the maul set up just metres from the Gills line ,and as the defence were drawn in Croft popped the ball up to Freddie Lee to get his second and put ‘Boro in the lead for the first time since the second minute of the game, the kick was pulled.27-28
This was the time get possession and to play the remaining time deep in the opposition half. Cruelly with just seconds to go, Gillingham had a line out 22 metres out and winning the ball, put on the drive, which although initially held up, spun to the left and crashed over for the score which went unconverted as the final whistle went.32-28
Although ‘Boro got a losing bonus point, and fell just short of a try bonus point, they will rightly feel aggrieved that they did not come away with all five points. However this performance, and the inevitable competition for places will give them confidence in what must be one of the most competitive leagues in the region.