Rhino charges through Oxford

Rampant
By OxfordMark & DJWasp
November 6 2002

The Wasps 2nd XV ran out 45-31 victors at Iffley Road last night against Oxford University. The team was a real mix and match effort, with many of the U21s supported by Denzil playing the full 80, run-outs for fringe players such as Ali McK, Harvey, Daffy and Will Wig.

Cameos for Trev (at prop), Sammo (try, drop-kicked conversion and then substitution -- injured?) and Woodie (at fly half when Daffy dropped back to FB).

Jonny Ufton played almost an hour, but the real star was Rhino, who ran in at least a couple of tries, and had a number of OURFC players quaking every time he got the ball.

Along with Rhino's efforts, other tries came from Denzil, Wigram, Ali Mc and Sammo. Jonny Ufton landed three conversions, Daffy 2 and Sammo one, with JU starting procedings with an early penalty.

It wasn't all one way traffic, and at times the Wasps defence was a mess. One of Oxford's wingers, Will Rubie caught the eye, chipping over adam Slade and outpacing the defence for one of the students' four tries. Shaun didn't look too happy as he paced the line (hang on,....does he ever?) and Gats was in attendance too - though looking rather more relaxed.

At times it looked like exhibition stuff, but with no pressure for league points, was extremely refreshing to watch.

There was a largish crowd at Iffley Road, and the sky was bathed in the glow of fireworks throughout a very entertaining evening's rugby.

Further commentary from: DJ_Wasp

Rhino did indeed score two tries. A bit unfair expecting students to match him for pace AND strength.

Our Wasps man-of-the-match was actually Harvey Biljon at SH, who was still showing real commitment at the end of the game.

Dafydd managed an excellent restart in the first half, where he kicked the ball on the deck, and it bobbled through the surprised Oxford players, and out into touch on the opposition twenty-two.

We were very impressed that OURFC had somehow organised fireworks to go off in the distance every time a try was scored. Not sure that would work under the approach to Wycombe Air Park.

Mrs J missed the first half, so got in for free, whereupon she was accosted by one of Trev's minis, who was selling programmes. Mrs J generously gave her a fiver, and apparantley it took some effort from an OURFC official to wrest the note from her.

Many thanks to Robbo for lending me his phone so I could relocate Mrs J (losing her at games is becoming a bit of a habit of mine)

Oh, and one of the touch judges was called Brian Bumpass (Bum-pass? Bump-ass? Either way, it's not good).

15 Jon Ufton; 14 Adam Slade, 13 Will Wigram, 12 Mark Denny, 11 John (Rhino) Rudd; 10 Dafydd Lewis, 9 Harvey Biljon; 1 Ali Mckenzie, 2 Ben Gotting (Capt.), 3 Darren Molloy, 4 Steve Green, 5 George Skivington, 6. Mike (Ox) McCarthy, 7 John Barratt, 8 John Hart.

Bench: 16 Martyn Wood, 17 Paul Sampson, 18 Mark Ireland, 19 Trevor Leota, 20 Andy Fuller, 21 Ben Harvey, 22 Tom Pierce.

[Lifted from the message board, with thanks to the authors] -- for an alternative take see...

Related link: Rhino rampages -- on the offish website.