WEYBRDIGE VANDALS 72 - WOKING 8

In a second warm up match before the new league season kicks off on Saturday 22nd September, Vandals scored twelve tries, converting six of them, against a Woking side that was outplayed for the most part, but showed great spirit and attempted to play a running game whenever in possession, and their endeavour was rewarded with a try late in the game. Once Vandals had opened the scoring they found gaps consistently in the visitors’ defence and with good support work, ran in tries at regular intervals. They changed much of their first half line up to allow several U21 players to show their talent, and they duly followed their peers’ footsteps with fleet of foot, adding six tries to the half time score of 31-3. Vandals will know they will face sterner opposition in the league, and although the victory was hugely satisfying. They will have to address certain aspects of their game. They might well have totaled nearer the hundred mark if their handling has been sharper, and several overlaps were ignored. The other worrying factor was the penalty count against them. Some of the decisions against them were questionable, but they must learn to adapt to the referee on the day.

Vandals were soon in the ascendancy, and a lovely break by experienced flanker John Cottam should have led to the first score, but the overlap was ignored. A second break, this time by centre Harry Reid was followed by a thrust from lock Duke Downes, and then a defence splitting run by flanker Joshua Carter. He was talked short of the line, but Vandals moved the ball from the ruck out to Luke Phair, and the winger, making amends for an earlier error, scampered over for the try. A superb break by James Wellden then set up a try for Reid which the fly half coverted. Woking rallied and went close from a lineout drive, but Vandals defence held firm. Hooker Toby Rawlings got his team back on track with a powerful surge, supported by skipper Adam Bullett whose blistering break paved the way for winger George Bulster to storm away for Vandals third try. Bullet was in the action seconds later and his offload to scrum half Dave Loubser saw the No 9 give a try scoring pass to Carter. A simple conversion took Vandals score to 24 points and they increased this lead to 31 points with a second Reid try, after Woking had slotted over a penalty.

Vandals continued in attacking vein in the second half, and if anything the pace of the game increased with youngsters’ Tom Bolger, Fraser Mills, Ollie Day, Karl Hoade and Liam Bailey all making their mark with penetrating runs, but it was the pack which paved the way for the second half on slaught with lock forward Anthoney Tyrell powering over for Vandals seventy score, and then touching down from a five metre scrum. Scrum half Fraser Mills stormed away for a fine opportunist try which he converted, another superb break by Ollie Day led to a fine try by Hoade and with full back Bailey and fly half Tom Bulger running rampant. It was surprise that Woking leaked a twelfth try, scored by the elusive Ollie Day. To their credit Woking never stopped fighting and continued to attack when given the opportunity and their try was well merited.

Written By - John Farrow