Lymington I/II v Tottonians III – Match Report

Mariners Triumph In Season Curtain Raiser 

Lymington Mariners I/II 39 – 0 Tottonians III RFC

Saturday saw Lymington Mariners kick off their 3rd season as a club in style with victory over a spirited visiting Tottonians 3rd team. Continuing where they left off last season this was the Mariners 15^th win on the trot. They now haven’t lost at their home in Woodside Park since the 1^st weekend in October last year.

With a squad of 29 players the warm up game was played in quarters to allow the selectors a chance to try a variety of line-ups in the build up to a season that will see Lymington enter two sides into the Hampshire leagues. The first quarter was a frantic affair but the Mariners still managed to play some neat rugby and James ‘Buttercup’ Bell even managed a hand off before being bundled into touch yards from scoring in the corner. Then a touch of brilliance by full back Jamie Bolwell saw him both jink and bulldozer his way through the middle of the park to within a few yards of the line. From the resulting quick ruck scrum half Bruno Brods decided not to use the twelve man overlap to his right and instead just managed to squeeze through the fringes to score under the posts. Chris Scott-Bowden converted and the lead became 7. The rest of the quarter was relatively uneventful except for the loss of No.8 John West who suffered a temporary lung and heart related injury just to prove his pre-season training efforts had been without the effort part.

In the second quarter Lymington fielded a completely new pack and midway through the period No. 8 Lee Thomas picked up from the base of the scrum and headed up-field. Chased by a waving Tottonian flanker Lee managed to execute a bizarre move which saw his first attempt at a pass bounce off the defender’s arms straight back in to his own hands. From his second attempt he found his scrum-half Chris Scott-Bowden who released No.10, vice captain Joe Rodway down the blindside who turned on the after burners and ran in the try. Tottonians continued to battle hard and were dominant in many of the set pieces – particularly the line-out where the ever reliable Dom Ellis, jumping at two, was about as useful as Anne Frank’s drumkit.

In the second half the Mariners started to cut out the mistakes and ran in five more tries before the final whistle. In the third quarter outside centre Pete Rolfe grabbed a brace although the grounding of the second looked highly dubious to the watching crowd. The backs led by Tom Jenvey at fly-half started to move the ball with precision and pace whilst Craig Esterhuizen and Jamie Bolwell, taking turns at full back, returned any Tottonian clearances with interest. Again James Bell made a dart down the wing but this time the hand-off was of no help as he was hit so hard by three Tottonian defenders he nearly ended up nestling by the fire place in coach, Pete Allen’s living room.

In the final quarter Lymington took complete control of the game ensuring Tottonians were not going to register any points at fort Woodside. From a line-out inside their own 22 Lee Thomas charged down the fly-half’s attempted clearance kick for prop Callum Kellas and flanker Ben Bradley-Watson to touch down – both claiming the try (surely that should count as 10 points?). Then skipper Obi-Wan Cavell, as we’ve come to love and expect, took a scrum against the head just inside the Tottonian ten metre line. Lee Thomas having promised his second row a try would come if they did win it picked up and released winger Mikey ‘Ram Man’ Jenner who flew down the line and touched down in his own unique style to score. The final try came from a short line-out (we’d completely lost all faith in Dom Ellis by now!) when inside centre Phil Jenner took the ball at blistering pace and bounced off several defenders (not using his elbows…….. apparently) before reaching for the line. A Tom Jenvey conversion took the final score to 39-0.

Notably of the 29 players who turned out for the Mariners six won their first caps for the club – Chris Baker, Ben Mansbridge, Mitch Sullivan, Chris Williams, Aidan Lindsay-Wood and John Hyde. All had excellent games and will prove fantastic additions to the Mariner ranks.

The Lymington Rivaaz Man of the Match award this week goes to Tom Jenvey who’s vision and handling at No.10 controlled the back line and repeatedly released the open runners in to space.

Despite his failings in the line-out this week it should however be noted that Dom Ellis didn’t disappoint in open play where he reliably failed to score a try.

 

The Mariners are currently on a recruitment drive and any players, experienced or new to the game, young and fit or otherwise are all welcome to the club. As well as having two teams in the Hampshire leagues this year there is also a veterans side that will be entering the Hampshire cup. For more details visit the website – www.Lymingtonrfc.co.uk  or contact Lee Thomas on 07917 556 863 or at lee.thomas@skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk

 

Team: John Hyde, Callum Kellas, Anthony Hoyles, Owen Cavell (c), Stuart Harvey, Chris Williams, James Norris, Dom Ellis, Tim Hinman, Chris Baker, Dom Monkhouse, Ben Bradley-Watson, Mitch Sullivan, John West, Jack Dovey, Lee Thomas, Bruno Brods, Chris Scott-Bowden, Joe Rodway (v-c), Tom Jenvey, Phil Jenner, Mark Etheridge, Pete Rolfe, Ben Mansbridge, James Bell, Mike Jenner, Aidan Lindsay-Wood, Craig Esterhuizen, Jamie Bolwell.