A Game that showed the True Values of Merit League Rugby

With the inevitable bite into availability that the Festive Season brings with Students returning home to eat a proper meal and the older members proving too weak willed when it comes to the Christmas Party season Leo's arrived at Hegians with a Merry Eleven with some still sporting the glazed look from the night before. With Mince Pies the warm up of the day unless you were under 25, Hegians showed great hospitality by offering Leo's 2 of their 15 to even up with 13 a side.

A festival of rugby was the outcome with tacking at times optional and the skill levels ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous but at all times the game was played in the right spirit. With the extra space available Porter showed off the hip movements from the night before releasing Will Crawforth who rolled back the years to go in under the posts to make for an easy conversion. Not satisfied with 1 Will upped the score with a second solo effort and was clearly enjoying the freedom only having 2 players in your back 3 allowed although maybe his lungs weren't always so pleased. Hegians came back into the game with a clever kicking and driving game that saw them score 4 unanswered tries giving them a 20-12 lead coming into the last play. Joe Martin picked up from a reassuringly steady uncontested scrum and broke free before finding a left hand pass no one knew he had to release Stuart under the posts.

The Half Time mostly consisted of sucking in some air and taking on some all important fluids for some but more importantly there was very much a game that Leo's could win for the taking. And the team responded starting the 2nd half like an express train. First Porter took out the opposition captain with a ball to the Crown Jewels before fly hacking on for Tom Baird to show some SPL soccer skills to score under the posts. Thankfully Hegians skipper could return to the field just an octave higher than before. Leo's continued to enjoy the 2nd half and slick hands in midfield between forwards and backs saw Tom cross for a 2nd converted try to give the visitors a 33-20 lead with 25 to go. But like all good Leo's sides of the past a good 10 minutes is usually followed by a fairly average 10 and this allowed Hegians back into the game with 2 well taken tries despite at times some excellent scrabbling defence. At 33-32 and some hangovers kicking in and overs wearing off Leo's went in search of the killer score and a carry by Tweds was off loaded to Joe Martin who showed a good turn of pace against his older opposition to score. Leo's then had the chance to put the game out of reach with 15 still to go as the Tom and Will both with a brace conspired to butcher a clear try scoring opportunity - some might say "Hat Trick Avoidance", but we will never know.

It was a lifeline Hegians took scoring a well worked team score as Leo's finally ran out of players in defence to make it 37-38 with the conversion to come, thankfully for Leo's it was missed and they held a slender lead going into the final throws of a great contest.

Unfortunately the game had to finish early as one of Hegians suffered a broken leg and all at Leo's wish him a speedy and straight forward recovery. Thanks again to Hegians for evening up the numbers and allowing for a enjoyable and competitive game.

Merry Christmas one and all and all the best for the New Year!