Leo’s 13 stage Smash and Grab at Local Rivals

The first of September saw the start of the new Merit League season with Leo’s facing the short trip across the ring road to local rivals Roundhegians. With a raft of unavailability reason from the Haire’s on holiday, to players coming out in a rash at the thought of representing Leo’s 2nd’s, Captain Birdman was utilising the full phone directory and negotiating skills to try and supply a full compliment.

With the Captain himself pulled up to 1s duty, his team list was left with 3 TBC’s to fill. Thankfully CJ was able to send up Karl, Dave and Gareth to thankfully complete a 15. Despite this 3rd team generosity, the in ability of 2 to find their way to Roundhegians meant that Leo’s were in the terrific position of starting the season with uncontested scrums and only 13 players on the pitch. With much of the team talk about how to split said 13 players Leo’s stepped onto the pitch to give it a go and see what happens.

Leo’s started as if they had the numerical advantage smashing into their opponents at the restart with Joe Derry leading the charge. Will Levitt turned over the bal, and a series of honest carries and then good hands from the back line saw Dave Travis score in the corner on his 2nd Team debut. Leo’s continued to harry their more settled opponents with great defence and counter rucking lead manfully by Will Levitt and Rich Bell. However Roundhegians started to make their numerical advantage start first in territory with some good kicking for position and then in possession, resulting in 2 well taken tries with half an hour gone, giving them a 7 point lead.

The Leo’s 13 re-grouped and went back strong again turning over the restart, before hard carries by Dowling and Stephenson allowed Krezel to break from the back of the ruck and feed Rich Bell, who dubiously disallowed a try apparently being held up, possibly it was down to his new body shape for the new season. However Leo’s took the scrum and worked the blind side before feeding the ball back for Gareth to go over in the corner for an easy touch down until he tried his hardest to get held up by barging into 3 Roundhegians players, thankfully for his own safety the Ref gave the try. With the conversion successful Leo’s went into half time exhausted but level on the score board.

With Levitt Snr providing the Adam Sandler role of Waterboy, Leo’s tried to recover and talk was of an epic draw. However it appeared that 40 minutes of 13 v 15 in the hottest temperatures since March had taken its toll with Leo’s looking lethargic and tired in the opening exchanges of the 2nd half. With the side unable to retain the ball wave after wave of Hegians pressure finally told as they scored a well worked try next to the posts with the conversion added.

But then the turning point possibly came as Hegians looked to stretch the Leo’s 6 backs with a set piece move, they showed to much of the ball to Tweddle who picked the centres pocket intercepting before passing to Tom McMillan to run in and score under the posts, game all square again. Despite Hegians continuing to dominate field position and territory Leo’s were defending well and looking dangerous on the counter, with Hardyman, Levitt, Fishy, McMillan and Travis looking dangerous with ball in hand.
Roundhegians managed though to work a set piece move following another excellent touch kick to produce the move of the match to send their left winger in at the corner. With 15 minutes to go it looked like the Leo’s 13 had finally run out of gas, and the dream was over.

But with the back row constantly winning penalties and stealing ball Leo’s still had a sniff, and from one of these penalties the ball was kicked to touch. The 7 forwards of Leo’s took on their bigger pack of 8 driving the ball forward before it was released to the backs and with McMillan hitting a good line onto a cut out pass he was into space and rounded the fullback to score 10 metres from the touchline and draw Leo’s level. So there it was a chance for a hero, if only Leo’s 2nds had a reliable kicker, unfortunately for them Tweddle stepped up, no one really thought it would happen but a draw would still be respectable. The ball was struck it looked ugly and struck the upright, dream over not on your life the bounced back over the bar and the Leo’s 13 were in the lead with 5 minutes to go.

Roundhegians threw everything at Leo’s and set camp on Leo’s line, only for wave after wave to be repelled by excellent try line defence, finally the Ref’s whistle went and a great victory was secured. The 13 men were exhausted but proud and so they should be, in adversity victory had been gained, and that is all anyone could ask for.

All 13 deserve man of the match but special praise needs to go to Will Levitt who was outstanding in defence and carried hard in attack. So the season is up and running, just next time can we at least have 15!!!