Westoe roar to opening-day win
THIS was slaughter in the sunshine as an invigorated Westoe bared their teeth in the Rugby Lions' den.
It was a far better start to their National 2 North campaign than the new coaching regime could realistically have hoped for, albeit against opponents weakened by the pre-season departure of a gaggle of players.
Though sterner tests lie ahead, there was sufficient mettle in defence and slickness in attack to encourage optimism that there will be an improvement on their mid-table place in last year's debut campaign in English rugby's upper echelons.
Backs coach Mark Bedworth, in the No10 jersey, marshalled and galvanized his side with his kicking, both set piece and from the hand, being of the highest class, converting seven of the eight tries – including one he scored himself – and his sole penalty opportunity was slotted sweetly between the posts.
Six others made their league debut in a new-look Westoe squad, and their combined contribution to this stirring victory on a day that belonged to mid-summer was another reason why director of rugby Andy Howells afterwards declared himself "over the moon".
He paid tribute to the skills of Bedworth and forwards coach Andy Buist, aided by captain Gareth Nesbit, in "bedding in" the recruits, and bringing what he regards as a better structure to the team.
Howells said: "Such was the contribution made by everyone that it would be very difficult to choose a man of the match, but we must keep our feet on the ground.
"There are still a lot of things we must work on to prepare ourselves for what is going to be a very tough season. For example, I'd say our defence functioned well for just 60 of the 80 minutes, and that must improve."
The hosts took a first minute lead when fly-half Alex Stevenson kicked the first of his three penalties, and he converted their only try on the cusp of half -time – in which all their points were scored – when winger Andy McGrory touched down in the right corner.
But inbetween, the Shieldsmen had asserted their superiority with three tries; centre David Haswell burst over after hooker Haydn Richards had won a scrum against the head on the 22, a tap-and-go penalty by scrum-half Chris Judson set the backs away in sure-handed fashion which ended with Bedworth going over, and a Richards burst set up debutant flanker Greg Boelens to cleverly round two defenders to score.
But it was after the interval that they really took the game by the scruff of the neck.
Within a minute there was a strong drive from a line-out, Boelens breaking free to dash into the Lions' 22, his precise off-load setting up the try for Joe Maw and so earn his side a bonus point.
In the 58th minute came the try of the game when winger Tommy Banks, another new boy on the block, pouched a clearance on the right touchline inside his half and sprinted diagonally down field, swerving past and outpacing defenders, to touch down beside the left flag.
Then replacement full-back Charlie Rayner sped 40 metres down the left flank before passing to fleet-footed centre James Clark who finished the job, and five minutes later Bedworth grabbed the ball from a line-out and made ground and this time it was Rayner who was the beneficiary of a try-making pass.
To their credit, Rugby had battled throughout with their backs blending well, and although piercing the Westoe defence just once had periodically put it under intense pressure, they were twice robbed of points by last-gasp tackles.
So it was cruelly ironic that as they looked likely to force a consolation try in the last play of the game, Banks intercepted just feet from his own goal-line and ran two-thirds the length of the field, and on being tackled, scrambling the ball to Clark who kicked ahead and then collected for try number eight.
* The Development side drew 36-36 in a fast and action-packed Candy League game at Northern, who drew level with a try just two minutes from the final whistle.
Both sides touched down six times, Westoe's scorers being winger Ryan Beattie (2), full-back Richard Burrows, centre Craig James, prop Rob Lamb and scrum-half Nick Rutter. Chris Laycock kicked three conversions.
Team manager Ian Etchells said: "There was much that was praiseworthy and encouraging in our performance, but we paid the penalty of allowing concentration to slip after we had scored."
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Weather for Jarrow
Thursday 09 February 2012
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