Chippy 3 - 15 Wheatley

Saturday the 10th of January saw Wheatley return to continue their 2014-2015 season after a long Christmas break. Plagued by injury and blokes deciding to go travelling the Wheatley first fifteen welcomed some different personnel, old and new. Saturday morning looked as though it was going to be tough conditions for rugby. As Wheatley warmed up the wind howled through Chipping Norton as it does through Moose’s ears.

A schoolboy error from the Chippy skipper gave Wheatley the wind advantage in the first half, clearly he was anticipating the wind level staying the same throughout the 80 minutes. Wheatley started well with obtaining possession in the Chippy half. Skipper Oli Pooch Hobdell took and early charge boshing two Chippy defenders allowing Luke to get over the line for his first try for 2015. The conversion however was unsuccessful. Wheatley 5-0 up. Chipping Norton bounced back and made some promising attacks however Wheatley defended well. There was very little getting through the Wheatley back line as it consisted of two of the starting back row from previous games (Sean and Callum) and the Jersey Giant. This 10,12 & 13 combination saw some big hits coming in on the Chipping Norton hopefuls.

Post-match intelligence informed us that the Chippy backline had been practicing on a new move over the xmas period. Yet their ten’s pass was a laboured as expected for a stand-off who is older than Shandy and Banton. This resulted in Jersey Boy intercepting with an 80m dash ahead of him to the line. Jersey boy was impressive with skill, agility and power but gas over 80 metres we could say is a development area. With about 30 metres to go Chippy were on his tale but all looked well as Andy “the whippet” Tippet was in support to the right. However Jersey boy had a brief case of the Zoolander effect and was only able to look left not seeing tippet screaming for the ball to score the try. This resulted in a delayed failed pass and a chance butchered. The first half saw one more key chance go a begging. Skipper Pooch takes a quick penalty 10 metres from the Chippy line only with two defenders in front. I for one certainly thought he was a shoe in to bosh through to score based on his earlier run, however the skipper had lack of faith at this time a decided to trust his passing ability. A grave mistake in hindsight as it was judged a forward pass and I believe it was Luke who was denied his 2nd try. The 1st half ended 5-0 but could have been more.

Conditions in the 2nd half changed to suit the visitors with the wind dropping slightly. Unlucky Chippy. However they still managed to kick the ball over the dead ball line 4 times throughout the half. Wheatley looked to put together some phases but it was far from their best play this season. Chipping Norton began to put pressure on in the Wheatley half putting the defence to the test. For the 2nd time the Chippy Ten thought he would try their new move. Which had the same result as Jersey Boy intercepted and broke for the try line. This time there was no mistake and he found the Whippet to his right who was not going to be caught. Wheatley 10 chippy 0. Chipping Norton continued to apply pressure in particular at scrum time. Polly having gone off early in the first half through injury found the apprentice prop Pooch in the front row who by the 2nd half dealt with task well and the front 3 held the scrums. I can’t remember much else from the game apart from the passage of play which can only be described as “Brotherly Love”. Wheatley broke the line on the right wing after some good hands in the line. The ball then finds itself transferred to next wing where Joe scores in the corner, a great team try. This saw good hands from unlikely forwards (Banton) but impressively a great deal of Brotherly love as little brother Oli Hobdell choose to pass to Joe Hobdell rather than run it into the corner himself. I very much doubt the Chippy winger would have stopped Pooch. Wheatley commanded the game at three tries to none. Chipping Norton got a penalty and that was about it 15-3.

A good win despite being short of players.