Sat 2 Dec 2023
Wallingford welcomed runaway league leaders Beaconsfield to the Hithercroft on a very chilly December afternoon.
In selection, Wallingford were without several regulars in the pack, namely Carl Tappin, Jack Thurston, James Porter and Max Suttner, but such is the strength in depth this season they were still able to field a strong pack, with Oscar I’Anson, Josh Morris and Tom Bradfield coming back into the side, whilst in the backs, the return of Murray Bellis and Chris Greig-Jenkins completed a very strong back line.
Things started ominously for the hosts, as Beaconsfield scored in the opening 2 minutes. After a Wallingford overthrow on their twenty-two, Beaconsfield went through the phases before their influential fly half stepped back through a gap as the Wallingford defence were exposed on the inside shoulder. Conversion made.
Given that Beaconsfield haven’t conceded a point in three games, going behind early could have demoralised some teams, but Wallingford remained calm and began to work their way into the game. And after 10 minutes, Wallingford managed to breakdown the visitor’s miserly defence. After a clever Bellis kick earned Wallingford an attacking 5m scrum, from there, a well-timed backs move created half a gap for Tom Cerullo to power through and finish well under pressure to the left of the posts. Conversion missed.
Beaconsfield came back and earned a couple of tackle/carry height penalties, one of which they converted to extend their lead to 10-5. And they soon added to their lead with a soft try that Wallingford will be frustrated with. From a ruck on the right 40m out, a missed tackle in midfield on their 12 saw him take play up to the Wallingford 5m line, and the league leaders showed their ruthless edge as they quickly moved the ball left for a try in the corner for a converted score.
As the half neared an end, a key decision that could have had a massive impact on the game took place. After Nathan Chapman made a trademark snipe into the Beaconsfield twenty-two, he was brought down 3m short of the line by a double high tackle, which the referee penalised but did not award a penalty try or even produce a yellow card, much to the astonishment of the players. And to add to the frustration, Wallingford failed to capitalise on the penalty as the score remained 17-5 at half time.
The second half started in a near identical fashion to the first, but this time it was Wallingford who were to strike early. After winning a scrum off kick off, after several phases the ball was moved right to Sam Botting who broke up to the Beaconsfield 5m line, before Chapman picked and powered his way over for a score on the right which Campbell converted well.
The hosts continued to pressure the visitors and soon drew the scores level. After some sustained pressure in the visitors’ twenty-two, an attacking 5m scrum gave Jacob Knight the platform to kick wide to Greig-Jenkins who stepped inside and finished well for an unconverted score.
With the scores level after 55 minutes it was all to play for. But as in the first half, Beaconsfield forced a penalty shortly after conceding and their fly half stepped up again to slot the three points.
Wallingford came back, and were again unlucky not to earn a penalty try. With the ball bouncing loose, Bellis hacked forward and just as it looked like he has going to gather the ball 2m out to score, he was tripped, but the decision was only to award a try line drop out.
From this point, poor decision-making and ruthless Beaconsfield finishing took the game away from Wallingford.
With 15 minutes left, a high ball was fumbled straight into the hands of a Beaconsfield player who showed good pace to race in from halfway for a crucial score.
Wallingford still had opportunity to come back, but losing their only recognised scrum half in Jack Payne to injury, and the line-out not functioning as well as it can, meant that Wallingford struggled to sustain any meaningful pressure on the visitors.
Instead, Beaconsfield stayed calm, and after their 10 kicked another penalty, they scored one last try in the dying minutes to put some gloss on their victory, as the game ended 35-17 to Beaconsfield.
This was a hard-fought game of rugby played in freezing conditions and in good spirits by both teams. Beaconsfield were a very well drilled team with an aggressive and mobile pack, and a backline that managed the game well in crucial moments.
Wallingford will be equally pleased and frustrated with the game – they pushed the standout team in the league all the way, but will be frustrated with the nature of some of the tries they conceded. That said, given that they were missing some bulk and experience in the pack, the forwards had an excellent showing, with the likes of Josh Morris, Oscar I’Anson and Tom Bradfield having strong games coming into the side, and when the backs moved the ball they looked dangerous every time.
Man of the Match went to Nathan Chapman, who was excellent in attack and defence and a real nuisance at the breakdown.
