Storming into the Final
PNH
By Darraghgirl
January 6 2015
Judging by the congestion in the car park, the turnout for Storm’s semi final against the imaginatively named “Newcastle A” was better than expected. Sarries were fielding a strong team including Ben Ransom for his second game in 48 hours & Ernst Joubert. Newcastle A were led by former Sarrie Andy Saull. I have no idea who the referee was, despite significant attempts to find out, but for reasons which will become apparent, he may wish to remain anonymous!
It was a fine mild night at Allianz for the latest instalment of Monday Night Lights with the added bonus of sitting in the posh seats, using the posh loos and sitting down in the posh bar – and all free with a season ticket. What value!
It was a scrappy start with Newcastle inexplicably turning down a kick at goal in the first minute instead opting for a tap penalty which ended in a high tackle by Itoje (probably fortunate not to get a yellow card) and another penalty for Prince Harry (sorry I mean Rory Clegg, his twin) which sailed over the posts to give the northerners an early lead. Newcastle instantly went off side from the restart allowing Spencer to level things at 3-3.
After some aerial football, at which Sarries were far more proficient, a mis-kick from Newcastle was fielded by Spencer who found Fercu, then Streather and finally a lovely pass out to Ernie who scored in the corner. Spencer couldn’t nail the conversion but Storm were back in the lead. Newcastle won a somewhat inexplicable penalty at the scrum and again Prince Harry kicked the points to bring it back to 8-6
Sarries finally won a lineout at the 3rd attempt. Lineouts were a bit of a struggle all evening with Storm often opting for a shortened lineout and almost always aiming for Ernie or Maro. From the lineout, they set a strong rolling maul which was illegally pulled down and Scott McLeod went for 10 minutes R and R. The move was repeated and this time Barrington bundled the ball over in almost exactly the same place as Ernie before him. Spencer’s kick was closer but still no coconut.
Biyi Alo showed a lot of promise flattening everything in front of him before Ben Ransom took the ball just outside his own 22, ran the length of the field, round 2 Newcastle defenders and scored under the posts. This time Spencer couldn’t miss and suddenly there was clear water at 20-6.
A deliberate knock on by Newcastle went unpunished – in fact it was given against Spencer who didn’t even touch the ball! With a bit of assistance from the officials, Newcastle finally ventured into the Sarries’ 22. Good defence from Storm but the referee awarded Newcastle a penalty on the 5 metre line. Understandably they opted for the scrum. Another penalty to Newcastle and another scrum. A huge shove from the Storm pack seemed to have pushed the Newcastle forwards back several yards but the referee just ordered a reset. Worse was to follow when Newcastle were given a free kick for early engagement and Chris York scored for Newcastle, possibly because the Sarries’ pack were still gob-smacked by what had gone on! Prince Harry again converted to put Newcastle back within a score at 20-13.
Sarries again attacked and a huge tackle from Itoje caused Newcastle to cough up the ball. Alo again charged like an angry rhino for the line but was adjudged to have been held up. Scrum lottery time again but this time Spencer got the ball out quickly to Mordt who found Mike Ellery running round the back and this time the ball was grounded cleanly. An easy conversion put Storm back into clear water at 27-13.
But this Newcastle A team, like their seniors over the past couple of weeks, refused to roll over and die and again attacked deep into Storm 22. Their driving maul was looking increasingly dangerous and unstoppable (legally). The illegal arrest resulted in a kick to touch from which Newcastle set up another driving maul and this one went straight over the line resulting in a score in the corner right on half time for Rogers. Prince Harry blotted his copy book and missed the conversion but at 27-18, as the teams trooped off for their oranges, Newcastle were definitely back in it.
Sarries flew out of the dressing room and had another try within a couple of minutes. Again Alo set up the score eventually getting the ball to Streather who slipped the ball to Ellery for his second score of the night. Spencer still couldn’t get it right from the touch-line but now Storm had a 32-18 lead and surely would kick on from here. Newcastle had other ideas. A series of attacks into the Sarries 22 started generating penalty after penalty to the visitors. Storm managed to turn the ball over and clear once but back it came again and inevitably the referee got fed up and Hankin took one for the team when the dangerous Newcastle maul was illegally felled. If they couldn’t defend it with 15, it seemed unlikely they would succeed with 14 and sure as eggs is eggs, the next lineout maul rolled over the line courtesy of Rob Hawkins. Prince Harry had his kicking boots polished again and the conversion went over for 32-25, back within a score.
Sarries looked to have a try-scoring chance when an excellent break from Ransom found Fercu clear. The ball seemed to bounce off his knees, he collected it and headed for the try-line, only for the touch-judge to signal a knock-on, by this time to howls of derision. Worse followed. Storm finally stole a Newcastle line-out only to be pinged for a rather harsh not releasing the ball. Both sides frustration boiled over and there were a few handbags while the referee impotently blew his whistle. He gave Newcastle the benefit and they set up another rolling maul which could only have one result. This time Itoje got in the way, the referee awarded a penalty try and Itoje joined Hankin in the bin while Prince Harry levelled the scores.
So from apparently having the match won, Storm had it all to do. Fortunately Hankin’s little sit-down was over and at least they were restored to 14. Spencer was adjudged to have knocked on at the line out and clearly couldn’t believe his ears then even more incredulously, from the resulting scrum, the ball emerged from the 2nd row on the Newcastle side, was poked back in and Newcastle got the penalty! Needless to say, the faithful made it clear they didn’t agree! A Newcastle drop-goal from Godman followed shortly putting the Northerners back in the lead at 32-35. Maybe they thought there was less time on the clock than there actually was because it seemed a rather negative action with 12 minutes still to go.
Whatever, something seemed to galvanise Storm and they went up another gear. Meanwhile most of the Newcastle players were rolling around with convenient cramp. Newcastle knocked-on deep in their own 22. From the scrum, joined by Max Wilkins (on for Palamo) to make up the numbers, Ellery seemed to have scored his hat-trick but the referee disagreed and awarded another 5m scrum to Sarries. With Wilkin’s support, the forwards won the ball, set up a pick and drive and Spencer this time scored under the posts. For some reason kicking duties passed to Mordt who slotted a simple conversion to give Storm a narrow 39-35 lead. The welcome return of Itoje lifted spirits further and Sarries continued to batter the men from the North. A kickable penalty went in the corner and this time the rolling maul seemed to stall – until Ransom threw his redoubtable weight into the mix and the referee went under the posts for the 2nd penalty try of the night. True to form, as Mordt converted, Irving left the pitch for an early bath. The referee was at least inconsistently consistent!
Storm now led 46-35. Surely there couldn’t be long to go (it’s so hard with no stadium clock to see). Newcastle continued to press but their hearts were no longer in it. The match ended with another pitch-long dash by Ransom in pursuit of his own high kick. Does he never get tired!
So Storm will meet Worcester Cavaliers next Monday at Sixways (apparently Worcester get the honour having beaten Bath Utd this evening and having scored more tries in the league games, 31 as against Storm’s 30 although Storm finished with 29 points to Worcester’s 28. Oh well, rules is rules). Good luck in the final lads, time the club won a bit more silverware!
Saracens Storm:
Ransom, Ellery, Streather, Palamo, Fercu, Mordt, Spencer, Barrington, Saunders, Alo, Itoje, de Jager, Thompson-Stringer, Hankin, Joubert
Replacements:-
Taylor, Culverhouse, Feathertone, Tredrea, O’Neill, Whitley, Wilkins, Perkins
Newcastle A:
Connon, Weightman, Penny, Clegg, Temm, Godman, Davies, Rogers, Hawkins, Irving, McLeod, Witty, Morris, Saull, York
Replacements:
Dunn, Brocklebank, Snowden, B Tuilagi, Taylor, Christie
Scorers
Saracens: Tries – Joubert, Barrington, Ransom, Ellery (2), Spencer, Penalty try. Conv: Spencer (2), Mordt (2); Pen: Spencer
Newcastle: Tries – York, Rogers, Hawkins, Penalty try; Conv: Clegg (4) Pen: Clegg (2) Drop Goal: Godman
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2015:01:13:19:21:34 by Darraghgirl.
PNH
Not sure whether that's good for the game or not, but better for us!