Ventnor RFC comprehensively beat Southampton RFC by 25 points in a pre-season friendly at Watcombe Bottom on Saturday (27th September).
A squad of 23 turned out for this pre-season friendly on a magnificent-looking pitch with new head coach Jason Evans joining Fergus Kenny and Clive Cardwell-Hill and some new faces on the pitch. With 4 20-minute quarters planned, the aim was to give everyone plenty of game time and trial players in new positions. Scrums were uncontested by mutual agreement, so the forwards – Ben Savill, skipper Jewy Jones, A Pratt Jnr, Andy Addison, Dean Magnurson, Lewy Morton and Harvey Wheeler for Ventnor – could save their energy and concentrate on lineouts and setting up good ball in loose play.
With scrum-half Louis Malkin whipping out ball to the evergreen fly-half Todd Riches, they were able to put the backs line up of Guy Entwistle, Sam Lines, George Finan, Ed Blake and Chris ‘Tangled’ Cardwell-Hill into space. The three-quarters were looking sharp from the outset with quick hands, straight running and confident patterns. A sweeping move out on the right resulted in a try for Ed Blake and put Ventnor 5 points ahead.
Despite the static platform of uncontested scrums, Ventnor’s back row of Magnurson, Wheeler and Morton made their presence felt with a number of powerful runs and quick 2nd and 3rd phase ball, giving the three-quarters time and space to exploit the gaps in defence. A long kick and chase from Riches resulted in a second try for Blake (10 -0).
With the forwards tackling well, the Ventnor defence proved very solid, Cardwell-Hill mopping up the few break-outs from Southampton. The hot sunny conditions meant frequent water calls and substitutions, with George Collet coming in to prop, Gareth Gough and Fred Fairman to the three-quarter line, Cory Turner to the wing, James Blake and Jason Coltham (making a mighty debut) covering the 2nd row, while Mike ‘Flanman’ Flanagan (spelt Magnurson), keeping coach Fergus Kenny busy juggling the substitutions.
Harvey Wheeler was unlucky to be held up over the try line after a passage of classic play by the forwards, but shortly after more quick ball gave George Finan plenty of space to score in the corner (15 -0).
This was soon followed by the 1st of 2 tries for Sam Lines, whose pace and footwork were much in evidence for the whole game. Picking up the ball in broken play, Lines touched down after 4 outrageous sidesteps (20-0).
Sam’s 2nd try was more of a stroll through a tired Southampton defence which allowed him too much space and his speed took him under the posts (25-0).
The final Ventnor try came from a penalty under the posts with captain Jones ignoring a 4-to-2 overlap outside and choosing to scrum. The decision was vindicated when Harvey Wheeler picked up from the base and clattered over for a well-deserved try (30-0).
A consolation try for Southampton came after a mix-up between winger and full-back as to who was making the tackle resulting in a fairly soft try (30-5).
Unfortunately, the game was brought to an early conclusion following a serious injury to one of the visitors. He was unlucky to be at the bottom of a pile of defenders trying to tackle George Finan in full flying Honey Monster mode, resulting in Ventnor’s’ expert medical assistance in the form of Emily Faithful and Zoe Jones being kept busy until the ambulance arrived. It later transpired that a broken hip was sustained by the Southampton player.
In scoring 6 tries to 1, Ventnor will be pleased with the result and that the effort of pre-season training, coupled with many of the things practised, were put to good use on the pitch. The backs looked sharp in the speed and accuracy of their passing and the forwards secured good ball from scrum and lineout, and the whole team carried the ball forward well and tackled strongly in defence.
Full time: Ventnor 30-5 Southampton
A J Wells Man of the Match: Harvey Wheeler
Red Funnel Moment of the Match: Jason Coltham on his debut
Ventnor will look to build on the performance at training this week before the start of league action on Saturday when they welcome Havant RFC 3rd XV to Watcombe Bottom
Preceding the 1st XV game on Saturday will be The John Adams Memorial Match, featuring a Ventnor Select XV who will take on a Combined Sandown & Shanklin RFC and Isle of Wight RFC XV. All proceeds will go to the Earl Mountbatten Hospice.
Report compiled with kind assistance of Clive Cardwell-Hill
