TRAILFINDERS LEAD THE WAY

Back to pre-season hit-out business after the postponed Doncaster Knights fixture…. or “Nights” as it was spelt on one of the fixture lists shown on the live stream;  I mused while starting a pre-match ale that “Doncaster Nights” sounded just  the sort of sticky-carpeted boite de nuit that Mrs Jonny and I would frequent when were – as my mom would term it – courting.

I digress.

A somewhat altered Sarries squad is picked to face the Trailfinders at a still empty StoneX Stadium, occasioned by our errant Baa-Baas having done their bird and maybe an acknowledgement of the need to do better against Trailfinders after the lacklustre display at Vallis Way last time out. 

Notable changes are an imposing –looking front row with Baz, skipper-in-the-making Tom Woolstencroft and Vincent Koch up top, Joel coming back from his time on the naughty step, Mike Rhodes in the back row and hopefully ready to wreak havoc on his 100^th Sarries appearance, Tom Whiteley moving to fly-half with Aled Davies at scrum half and the bargain that is Janco Venter slots in for the absent Billy.  

I’m still not hugely familiar with many of the Trailfinders’ names but some in their 23 were familiar with the likes of Pat Howard, Shaun Malton and Guy Thompson included  

After , like others it seems, experiencing problems logging into the live stream on my TV I manage to get in via my laptop and with pen and paper in hand wait for something rugby-shaped to appear whilst entertaining myself by counting how many times the chap waxing lyrical about our new sponsors pronounced  “City” as “Ciddy”. Think it was four. Shouldn’t complain – we’re gradeful for their suppord.

 The pre-match chat is with Alex Lewington and Trailfinders’ Charlie Walker, late of Quins I recall but a pleasant enough young man nonetheless.

The coaches have their say in front of camera, Ben Ward diplomatically playing down the first game and highlighting the kick battle and 50-50s as areas of emphasis in the their match thinking, while a slightly weary looking Mark McCall provides an update on the Covid situation at the club (only two positive tests), emphasising that the loan players are coming back and will be better for their experience, and paying warm tribute to Mike Rhodes.  Mark’s comments on Whiteley’s move across to the 10 shirt are that Tom provided control and “something a bit different”.

The game is to be reffed by the unfamiliar Mike Hudson.

Ealing kick off, and the ball is gathered by Sarries who move forward – oh noooo, a caterpillar ruck, we’re better than that, but it’s the modern way and it does protect the ball. We win a penalty which is kicked to 8 metres.  The lineout is messed up, and a scrum to Ealing is followed by a Sarries lineout. A Davies kick ricochets to Whiteley and a deft feed allows Morris to go over for a try on 2 minutes – the conversion at a tight angle is slotted over by Whiteley for 7-0 and it’s a great start for Sarries.  

 Play resumes and the game carries on with Sarries looking good. Another penalty allows Whiteley to kick to the 22, and a better lineout but as promising Sarries rumble is ended with an Ealing penalty (missed).

Ealing push forward, but so far our defence looks to be “at it” today. Whiteley looks confident and assured, and when he’s on this form it feels like a shame he’s off to Brizzle at the end of the season, hopefully passing Ben and Max driving the other way on the M4.

Sarries drive forward, with Davies kicking well and some good work from the rapidly emerging talents that are Obatoyinbo and Stonham.  A scrappy phase of play ends with an Ealing penalty off Koch.

A penalty to Ealing (which I miss due to a “natural break”) pegs us back to 7-3, but in the 14^th minute a little daylights appears in the score as the fleet-footed Harris gathers the restart, Whiteley kicks, and the razor-sharp Morris gathers and goes over in the corner. Whiteley can’t add the extras for a tight angle so it’s 12-3 and at this stage Sarries are looking good.

Sarries continue to look good as we push forward, although a well-placed long kick from Ealing causes a moment of anxiety before Morris wins the ensuing foot race and gathers for Davies to find touch. Ealing execute their lineout well, and an Exeter-style drive gets them to 5 metres from our line. More good work from Davies.

Ealing miss a penalty from the left so it’s still 12-3.

Sarries defend hard and Ealing try to spread play with a cross field kick which puts Strachan in to score but he’s pushed into touch. Ealing are hitting their straps.

It is no surprise on 21 minutes when, after a good spell from Ealing, Smid goes over, with Willis converting to close the gap to two points at 12-10. This is a far better contest than at Vallis Way although there’s a slight feeling of apprehension creeping in as Ealing continue to prove that they are a genuinely good side.  .

A good showing from Segun as he picks the ball up from Whiteley and jets forward but Ealing get it back although the ball goes into touch. Sarries bulldoze forward. An exchange of kicks between the scrum halves pushes Sarries back for a lineout on the Ealing 40 which is messed up.

Sarries win another lineout, better this time but Whiteley kicks high and short and the ball bobbles into touch. From the lineout, Ealing  push forward and the maul is turned by Sarries but the momentum is with Trailfinders and after good pressure Howard goes over for 12-15 at 30 minutes, although Willis misses the conversion.

The last 10 minutes of the half see Ealing looking strong as Sarries try to get something before the interval and I do wonder if Sarries are starting to tire after very little rugby in the past few months although in fairness Ealing have probably had even less game time.  

The only action of note in this phase of the game is a penalty won by Ealing after getting the nudge on their scrum, but the kick fades to the right.

Half-time - another beer is poured,  a cheese and green chilli toastie (highly recommended) is wolfed down, and we wait for the highlights and Trailfinders ads to finish – Mrs Jonny and I can’t decide between our exotic and wild sides.

Whitely restart the second half and looking a bit fresher after the slices of orange - and possibly a word or two from the coaches, Sarries make a positive start as Harris gathers and Venter probes.

 It’s a penalty to Sarries. Whiteley  chooses to go for a very straightforward kick to the posts to level things up but he misses to leave the score at 12-15…. no panic, plenty of time.

The missed penalty is more than atoned for not many seconds later when Sarries surge forward, Morris feeds Segun, and rugby’s quickest chemistry graduate flies over for the moment of the match to make it 17-15. From a tighter angle than his missed effort just before, Whiteley adds the extras for 19-12 on 43 minutes, and at this juncture Sarries are back in the groove.

Following the restart and a Sarries lineout and scrum, Sarries win a penalty which Whiteley kicks long but a maul on the left side breaks down for a scrum to Ealing following a fumble from Davies under pressure.  After a short break in play for injury and a reset, Ealing exit and then Hammond slaloms through a frozen Sarries defence that will certainly be shown the video of these moments on repeat, and strolls over making it 19-20, with the extras duly added for 19-22 at 51 minutes.

A flurry of substitutions for Sarries has happened off camera, but Ealing are starting to look the fresher of the sides, and win a succession of penalties.

 Despite some flashes of good work from Sarries, the task becomes harder on 63 minutes when following several scrums resets Ealing win yet another penalty and after a smart tap and go and a couple of phases of pressure, Howard gets over,  with a successful short -range conversion making it 19-29 - Sarries are looking tired and in trouble.   

Ealing continue to look the more fresh and composed side, and on 68 minutes yet another  penalty wins a lineout 8 metres out and the Trailfinders push forward, work their way inside and push for the line, getting to the 5 metre line…and it’s another penalty to Ealing. Willis goes for the posts from short range and it’s 19-32 at 68 minutes. There really doesn’t look to be a way back for Sarries.

Our lads do what they can and try to up the pace a bit. Segun has a go, but gets tied up. Yet  another messed up lineout at 40 metres from the Ealing line…….the set-pieces will doubtless be another point of discussions with the coaches,  along with the defence  vis a vis Hammond’s try.

Another penalty for Ealing from a high tackle, and the lads in Gosforth’s old colours yet again work the lineout well but in, at this stage of the game, a rare good piece of work from Sarries it’s won back but the respite is brief and with less than 10 minutes to go Ealing win still another penalty and kick to 5 metres out.  Another good set-up for the visitors, another drive forward, and inevitably another try, from Malton..

Sarries at last summon up the pride and fighting spirit that’s in the club’s DNA  and try to at least have the last word, with Segun in particular working hard.

At 78 minutes, a penalty to Sarries is kicked to the 5 metre line, and one last big push gets Pifeteli over,  with Whiteley adding the extras for 26-39.

The game finishes with Ealing gleefully kicking into touch, and like many I’m left pondering the ramifications of this game.

Alex Lewington was philosophical, Mark McCall bitterly disappointed.

There are any number of excuses to be offered – ring-rust, the absence of our internationals, other senior players like Jackson Wray, Manu Vunipola, Alex Lewington all out, the psychological hangover from last year, the new reality of our hopefully temporary status as a Championship club, adapting to an unfamiliar opponent playing a different but highly effective game, you name them…..

The above is not in any way meant to be disrespectful to  Ealing who are a very good and superbly coached side, deservedly winning both games and I can only offer sincere congratulations to them.

The one thing I  understand from the last two games is – and I’m sure Mark McCall and his team know this – that promotion will not be Sarries’ as of right: they  are going to have to adapt, and fast, to the new reality and to the teams they face being as fired up, as Ealing have been, to try and knock Sarries over, they’ll have to work bloody hard without any sense of entitlement and a return to the Premiership will have to be earned.  

We will I believe return to the top level even stronger for the experience, but that cannot and must not be taken for granted.

Time for another beer…