And The Craic was Mighty
By PCPete999
March 28 2011
St Paddys Day Party match report.Ok, so the Guinness induced haze has finally lifted, although the voice has not quite yet returned, so I thought I'd better get on with the match report.
I apologise now for any slightly incorrect assessments of what happened on the field, these are of course always likely at the Paddy's Day party game with the amount of alcohol consumed.
What a day, I mean seriously, what a craicing day. It didn't start well in all honesty though, with the train I was getting to Reading cancelled and the next one delayed. The bullet was bitten though, and a cab taken to the 3G's in order to meet the crew that I was spending the day with.
How best to describe that crew? Well there was a Wasp (he wanted to see some decent rugby this weekend), a confused Leinster/Munster/Chiefs (well anyone really) supporting Irishman, 3 Scots (one in a kilt - nice legs by the way blackotter), a mad kilt-wearing Frenchman, 6 true Devonian fellas and 1 Devonian lass. The banter and Guinness flowed and by the time we arrived at the MadStad about half an hour before kick off, everyone was looking forward to what would hopefully be an entertaining game of rugby.
So we took our seats in the West stand, me with a London Irish flag, and the Chiefs fans with their inflatable tommahawks, and we're underway.
Could it have been a better start for us? No, not really. The play goes left, then back to the right, little grubber through from Dan and Delon is over in the corner. The green flags are waving and the Chiefs fans seem a little stunned, but Tom can't convert and it's 5-0 with under a minute on the clock.
What ever has been said to the players in the two weeks they've had without a game, it seems to have worked, as it is a fair while since I've seen us play with the intensity and accuracy that is being displayed in the opening quarter of the game. The offloading game is back, and we are getting over the gainline. Dan is looking threatening at 10, and controlling things well, and confidence seems to be spreading through the side and the fans.
With just over 5 minutes on the clock, it's a big clearing kick from the Chiefs, and Delon marks it in our own 22. If the Chiefs were expecting him to settle and then plant a kick back into their territory they couldn't have been more wrong. Quickly tapping the ball with his right boot, Delon then set off at pace back into Chiefs territory with the ball. To the left again and carried on by both Maps and Elvis, before coming right and it's Kendo on the wing and bearing down on the line. Can he get there? No, just short, it's recycled quickly though, and Steff's over. Yeeessssssssss! Come on you Irish!!! Tom converts and its 12-0 already. It's going to be a good day.
It's one way traffic still, but Chiefs get a penalty which Steenson slots over to get them on the board, but the lead is soon restored to 12 points when Homer slots one of his own, and it's a green wave which is threatening to sweep over the visitors. I'm not sure how we didn't add to the score for about the next 15 minutes, as we continued to play some great attacking rugby, and the Chiefs I'm with are getting restless as their team can't quite get a grip on the game. Half an hour in, and Tom slots another one over to make it 18-3 and it looks as if we are cruising here.
How quickly things can change. With about 5 minutes to go until half time a huge kick from Delon goes dead and play comes all the way back to the Irish 22 for a scrum where he kicked it from. Now our scrum had been going well up until that point, but not on this occasion and the ball is out and Nakelavuqi is powering to the line with ball in hand. He's somehow stoped short, but the oldest, and possible widest man on the pitch, Chris Budgen is over for a try. Steenson somewhat surprisingly misses his kick, but it's 18-8 at the break, and Chiefs have a lifeline to cling to.
Now, I know I had a Guinness at half time, but I'm wondering what the team had, as whatever it was, don't give it to them again, as the ten minutes after half time were the ridiculous to counter some of the sublime from earlier. I know that breakdown interpretations can differ, but the players surely know the laws of the game there. Stop infringing fellas, you do know that they have one of the most consistent kickers in the league right? And now he's proving it, with 3 quick penalties, and from being 15 points ahead 5 minutes before the break, with now 50 minutes on the clock, it's 18-17, and the Chiefs I'm with are getting noisier by the minute.
Anyway, Corbs and David Paice are on now for Faan and Bucko, and we seem to be settling again. Almost an hour on the clock, and it's Topsy on a mazy run and the ball comes left down towards the corner where I am sitting. It's a penalty for a Chiefs infringment and that's a simple one for Tom to kick surely? No? Ok, let's go to the corner then. Another penalty for a Chiefs player in at the side and we take the scrum. This is good, come on, the fat boys are rumbling forwards, surely that's over? Sir raises his arm and it's the third try. It's Paice getting the congratulations so I'm guessing it was he who touched it down, but I'm not to bothered who it was, we've started playing again now and hopefully can put this game away in the final quarter. Tom converts, and minutes later hits a monster penalty from 5 yards inside his own half. The fact that it didn't drop just over the bar, but landed about 5 rows back in the North Stand means that he had a good 10-15 yards more if needed and will be a potent weapon if teams want to infringe against us during the run in.
28-17 it is then, and about 15 minutes to go to try to get the bonus point try.
It had to come given the pressure that we were putting on the Chiefs and it did. A fantastic kick from Delon stopping just before the Chiefs line, and their covering player is carried over by a tidal wave of green shirts. Scrum 5 for us, and we keep recycling well. Not sure how many phases in the end, but it was a few, and Steffon rumbles over for his second try of the game to clinch the bonus point. Tom can't convert, but he does add to more penalties to put a lid on a comprehensive win.
39-17. I'd have settled for that before the game for sure. The Chiefs I'm with are disappointed, but maintaining their humour, so we head outside to carry on the party. As more Guinness is consumed, our little group breaks up and some head back the 3G's whilst others play rugby on the concrete outside the ground. Eventually we all reconvene in the Guineas, where there is music and the craic is mighty. I have vague recollections of us phoning an Irish friend in Amsterdam and singing cockels and mussels down the phone at him (sorry Gibbo)!
It's been a great day of rugby, on and off the field, with the team giving us something to shout about, and the wonderful Chiefs fans helping to make it a great Paddys Day party atmosphere. Thank you Toby and the boys for your performance, and thank you the Chiefs fans for your company, it was a blast, let's make sure we do it all again next year.
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Was great to see you pal, and no probs with you linking it to the Chiefs site mate, hope that all of the Tribe enjoyed the day if not the result. I don't think Gibbo would have expected anything less than a drunken phone call, and if he wasn't prepared for it he's clearly not been paying attention.
Thanks again for a great day mate, am looking forward to the home and away games against you next season now.
