On an unusually warm and pleasant spring day AEI arrived at Heathens expecting a run out against their second team despite grave predictions from several older members of the team about the oppositions predisposition in changing the fixture. Alas the doom merchants were correct and another AEI selection of those not on gardening duty ran out against the might of Northampton Heathens first team. To compound the gathering gloom a particularly vocal referee caused consternation in the dressing room and proved to be a rigorous defender of the rules.
Initial exchanges suggested a rout was to be expected as the normally tight AEI front five were shoved all over the park in the first scrums. Good ball was received by the Heathens backs on numerous occasions which after some stout defending by the AEI backs was eventually kicked by the Heathens outside half. The pressure told as the Heathens winger unusually outpaced Salter to score. Nevertheless, the AEI forwards gradually imposed some sort of pressure on their Heathens counterparts and procured occasional ball which was ran by the backs. Elliott crashed through but unfortunately had the ball knocked from his grasp, The heathens backs were quickly up and almost intercepted a pass, but overall the first half was a tough, bruising affair with the AEI team performing heroics in defence.
By half time Heathens had scored three tries, the AEI were bruised battered but not unbowed, and after sympathetic encouragement from the captain and a motivational oratory from the vice captain, restarted the game with increased vim and vigour and conceded a try. Sargent was substituted just after half time and the old war-horse and erstwhile Heathens protagonist “Stack” Stephens took to the field and onto the wing with Murphy moving to the backrow. Stephens instantly receiving the ball in a defensive situation and taking to his heels ran in a reckless display of bravado making all of five meters. Yet the reorganisation lent some shape to the AEI team and proved to instil a confidence in their play. The heathens sensing the change ran at the AEI with increased ferocity, but the AEI responded with a magnificent display of tackling led by Sly at fly-half. Stephens encapsulated the burgeoning steel by chasing the Heathens scrum-half who having escaped the clutches of the AEI defence sprinted down the wing to score under the post only to be disposed by the chasing Stephens and indeed knocking on under the posts to boot.
The Heathens were visibly shaken and the AEI confidence soared, Yeung fielded a ball in his 22 a took off upfield only to myopically pass the ball to Sly (unusually in support). The forwards won some lineout ball, Storer flicked out a pass, Sly passed to Elliott, he slipped a tackle and made ground before passing to Pinks who, in his inimitable style attempted to round the fullback but unusually failed and was hauled down within 5 meters. From the ensuing scrum the Heathens responded by launching upfield with only Pinks saving the day. Again came back the AEI and Pinks was unlucky when held up within a metre of the line he passed to a Heathens player. Heathens changed the game plan, holding players back, playing the ball from offside positions and most unnecessarily stamping on a prostrate Sly however the referee proved to be more than a match for these tactics and responded with a series of penalties. The forwards roared into action and after several penalty charges by Neil were awarded a scrum 5 meters from the line. Considering the mauling that the front five had in the first half, they creditably held solid for Storer to scoop the ball up and take to the blind side to find the supporting Sly who, brushing aside his opposite number, scored.
The remainder of the game was played at a declining pace and ferocity as both sets of players tired in the humid conditions and no more scores were registered. A post match analysis concluded that it was a gritty committed display from the AEI. The evidence was compared in the changing rooms being the number of bumps, bruises, strains and sprains. The Heathens also came out of the game with a similar number of injuries and may have won the game but a team performance of courage and determination in adversity, laid claim to a moral victory for the AEI.
[Report courtesy of the verbose Mr T Sly]