Storm Snaffle the Silverware

Getting home at nearly midnight, after a journey prolonged by heavy rain and lorry spray, I had been planning to wait until the morning before writing about the game.  However, good sense prevailed and I realised that to delay writing might mean that every detail of the game would have been erased from the memory bank.  So, late at night, what is there to say?  

Beginning on a positive note I resolved to mention three positive points before getting to the game itself:

1) Sarries won, and silverware is a result in itself and an incentive to strive for more.

2) I had a far better cheeseburger than the shoe-leather between cotton-wool that I bought at Kingsholm three days previously.

3) I enjoyed the company of knowledgeable supporters, who understand the game, were naturally one-eyed, but not unduly complaining about the referee.  If they’d had their way, Storm would have ended the game with three players left on the pitch, the other twelve in the bin or red-carded.

And that, I’m afraid, is about as good as it gets from me tonight.

It was clear from the team-sheets that Storm arrived with the benefit of far greater resources in depth than the Worcester Cavaliers can summon.  With a judicious, but relatively small, number of players like Rhys Gill to provide some experience, the strength of the emerging players, with Itoje, Ransom, Spencer and Tompkins particularly coming to mind, Storm seemed to bring a telling edge.  

The game itself divides neatly into five parts, but parts of very uneven length.

Part One.  Cavaliers take the Storm kick to start the game, and with three excellent driving mauls find themselves threatening the Storm 22.  They are tight in formation, aggressive in action and successful in execution.  This game plan seems right for the conditions of some swirling wind, drizzle and a fast-wettening ball.  This part lasts six minutes.

Part Two.  Storm get off the bus and start playing.  Both sides now kicking, but with options from Spencer, Mordt and Ransom, this phase favours Storm.  Good position sets up threats, and when this phase ends after 20 minutes, Storm are 0-21 ahead, looking good for their lead and with plenty more to come.

Part Three. Storm go to pieces.  Many players have clearly forgotten that a key attribute of the Saracens family is Discipline. Stupid niggling actions after every intervention by the referee soon lead to a yellow card for Itoje, whose game has seemingly been replaced by a one-man mission to fight as many Storm players as possible.  I think the actual last straw was for pulling down the maul, but it could have been for anything under the general classification of what in my military days we called “Heads off, cabbages on”.  In his absence, Cavaliers score a try and penalty try, from their driving game, so we end the half at 14-21, five tries scored and nothing to say that we actually got as far as enjoying the game.

Part Four.  The game goes to pieces.  A player from each side takes a team yellow for a childish brawl that breaks out for no apparent reason, penalties are awarded like confetti at a wedding, and the referee is simply not experienced enough to control the game for a while.  Some of us think

Itoje very fortunate to avoid a second yellow, Gill is crazy to run half across the pitch to join a fracas that is simply nothing to do with him.  This phase lasts almost 30 minutes and all around me I can sense the will to live draining out of the crowd.  As I recall, the wizards’ prison at Azkaban is guarded by the Dementors, spirits who draw the living spirit out of those whom they guard.  Perhaps they were having a works outing to Sixways for this 30 minute period.  It truly was some of the direst rugby I’ve ever watched.

Part Five.  Giving up on their game plan, Cavaliers suddenly remember that they have some damp, bored backs who might like a go with the ball.  Sarries have scored again, so Cavaliers simply have to do something other than kick long, hope for a Storm error from which they can take advantage, and repeat the kick. This seems to work, Storm are largely on the back foot, although Spencer, kicking well all evening, takes a penalty to counter a good Cavaliers try.  A third yellow for Sarries is in here somewhere, but by now the game is drifting away from Cavaliers, the clock is not their friend.

Almost the final act was frankly bizarre.  Storm infringe about 30 metres from the Cavaliers’ line, and wide, giving Cavaliers angle for a deep kick, from which they might look to their driving maul for a last and winning score.  Mieres is kicking well all evening and would expect to put his lineout deep into the Storm 22.  Instead of getting on with play, a Cavalier chooses to argue with the referee – over a penalty awarded to his own side!  Penalty reversed, Spencer takes the offering, and the final score is 19-27.  Silverware is silverware.

Looking hard for something more positive from this game, I am finding a curate’s egg.  Storm’s discipline was simply dreadful for a while, and a different referee might easily have been harsher.  A huge penalty count, three yellows and a penalty try reflect that failure of a key part of the club’s ethos.  Game management was unable to adapt to the fact that Cavalier had a powerful driving maul, and used it far more effectively than the Storm players should have permitted.  Itoje’s leadership may be truly excellent for almost every minute of every game, but he saved up all the poor minutes for this game.  He is young and he will learn, but the coaches might sit down with him and point out what captaincy is about when things are going awry around the park.  Bigging him up as Super Maro may be clever, but it should not be at the expense of asking him to learn from nights like tonight.  On the positive side of the ledger, I thought Ransom came successfully through a long evening of aerial bombardment, and put in some telling counter-attacks.  Spencer seemed crisper in the pass, and distributed well even when the scrum was under pressure, as indeed it frequently seemed to be.  Some of his kicking in open play was of very high standard.  The back row looked very busy and frequently effective, with some powerful defending and useful carrying.  Two of the three tries scored in open play were to their credit.  Hayden Smith carried very impressively, on one occasion making very good ground with Cavalier players hanging off  his arms and torso.  

Having finished writing I decided to see what the ‘fish has to say about the game.  Apparently there was another game tonight, but I was not at it.  Their writer’s description of the tension rising was the part which I described as some of the worst rugby I’ve ever watched.  However, perhaps tension would have been rising for me if I’d been coach tonight.  Oh to be a proper journalist and have everyone believe everything I say.  On second thoughts, take that back: Barnes and Healey are journalists, and who believes their pontifications?

Worcester Cavaliers

15. Howard (Humphreys), 14. Stephenson, 13. Grove, 12. Fatiaki, 11. Hammond, 10. Mieres, 9. Bruzulier (Mulchrone), 1. Fainga'anuku (Bower), 2. Annett (Sowery), 3. Rees (Daniels), 4. Percival, 5. Sanderson, 6. Taylor, 7. Gilbert (Boyce), 8. Carpentier

16. Sowrey, 17. Bowyer, 18. Daniels, 19. Kerry, 20. Mulchrome, 21 Keith, 22. Humphreys, 23. Boyce

Saracens

15. Ransom, 14. Ellery, 13. Streather, 12. Tompkins, 11. Fercu, 10 Mordt, 9. Spencer, 1. Gill, 2. Saunders, 3. Alo, 4. Itoje, 5. Smith, 6. Thompson-Stringer, 7. Hankin, 8. De Jager

16. Taylor, 17. Culverhouse, 18. Featherstone, 19. Tredrea, 20. O'Neil, 21. Whiteley, 22. Wilkins, 23. Palamo 

Worcester: Tries: Penalty, Bruzulier, Stephenson; Conv: Mieres (2),

Saracens: Tries: Itoje, de Jager, Thompson-Stringer; Conv: Spencer (3); Pens Spencer (2)

Attendance: 4,141

Final Score Cavaliers 19 Storm 27