Devizes XV 68, Dorchester XV 5

9:51am Monday 18th August 2008

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Rugby: For this pre-season friendly fixture Dorchester originally intended bringing two fifteens to the Chivers Ground.

In the event they were only able to raise one team.

Devizes was therefore able to use a large squad of players and ring the changes in a game divided into four quarters.

Fresh legs brought on each quarter were obviously a factor in the Saddlebacks resounding victory 68points to 5.

New rules, designed to reduce stoppages were being applied by local referee, Bill Gould. With a remarkably small number of set pieces the game appeared to be more free flowing demanding greater mobility and better handling skills. As the Devizes squad contained a significant number of talented younger players together with several older heads they adapted much better to these new demands than a rather mediocre Dorchester XV.

Devizes attacked from the kick off creating several phases of play before winger, George Wadman, picked up a long pass and went over in the corner unopposed. Fly half, Ollie Perryman, converted to post a 7-0 lead . Intent on running every ball, full back, Craig Hurcombe, broke out of defence and offloaded to supporting centre, Richard McCrum who gave skipper and brother Mike McCrum a scoring pass and a further 5 points, 12-0.

A long high kick by Perryman got Devizes moving forward again but Dorchester recovered possession and hit back with a fluent passing move that outflanked the Devizes defence to score in the corner and pull back 5 points, 12-5. Perryman completed the scoring in the first quarter when he finished off a blind side move to widen the gap, 17-5.

Early in the second quarter Mike McCrum latched on to a loose ball and took play forward. From subsequent broken play scrum half, Tom Collins, picked up the ball and handed off four defenders before touching down. Perryman was unlucky to hit the post from a well taken conversion. 22-5 Running out of defence flanker, Mike McCrum, received the final pass from an expansive threequarter movement to score wide out and boost the lead, 27-5.

Quite apart from the elusive running of Luke Rapson, Ollie Perryman, and Rob Collis, in the threequarters, the back row of Tom Reed, Jim Ryan and Mike McCrum unsettled the Dorchester defence with their strong surging runs. Devizes went further ahead after winning a scrum near the Dorchester line . This was followed by perhaps, the most spectacular try when Luke Rapson received the ball in midfield and proceeded with great acceleration to beat three defenders on the outside to score a try which Andy Webb converted to stretch the lead 46-5.

Soon after the start of the final quarter Rapson chipped ahead, followed up and booted the ball into the in goal area to score his second try. Although the conversion was missed the Saddlebacks had reached their half century, 51-5.Rapson chased another kick ahead to record his third try and a 58-5 lead. Hurcombe then picked up a ball that shot out of a Devizes scrum to add another try before prop, Ash Rogalski, completed the scoring giving Devizes a convincing 68 points to 5 victory.

There were many encouraging features of Devizes performance which must have pleased the new coach, Ian Davies and the wholehearted commitment of the squad, engendered by skipper, Mike McCrum bodes well for the future. The skill and experience of scrum half, Tom Collins, returned from Chippenham, will be a great asset to the Saddlebacks.

Next week, Devizes take part in the Pewsey !0 a side competition.