What a grey day
By Loobs
November 27 2011
On a day that started out grey, overcast and damned cold, 28 men, assorted women, children, Paul Bowen and Band and One Man and His Dog decided to make their way to the Madejski in favour of the BaaBaa’s game at Twickenham.
The pre-match conversations in the Cowshed seemed to be a majority agreement that with the main instigators suspended, there was a fair chance that Irish would get through a game without a yellow card. Paul Bowen announced a ‘secret Topsy interview’ to be held there after the game.
A glance at the team as they ran out revealed that young Master Jarvis was wearing the 10 shirt instead of the advertised Dan Bowden. Jonathan Spratt started alongside Ansbro (who was to make one decent run, the best of the game. With the Old guard in the front row and the back row of Danaher at 6, Gibson at 7 and Jebb Sinclair giving the push to the scrum, it looked like a good team out. Varndell started on the wing for Wasps in place of the advertised Haughton.
Sean Davey emerged with a mighty Mo, akin to myself and indeed a belly not far off my own. I certainly wouldn’t like to be in the crush for Christmas dinner round at his gaff.
As is expected in Aviva Premiership games these days, the initial few minutes are dominated by a game of Wiff Waff as esteemed Mayor of London, Boris Johnson would call it. Young Master Jarvis looks a bit handy with his kicking, Dodge was mixing it up nicely and at one line out, a move straight from the training ground saw Topsy make some useful yards. Shame we didn’t see that again for the rest of the game.
Irish mounted a sustained attack on the Wasps line after 10 minutes, over in the South East corner where much grunting, groaning, pushing and shoving, whistle blowing later saw Wasps emerge from the sea of bodies, make their way into the Irish half, win a penalty and Robinson scored the opening points. Was it going to be one of those days?
At this stage, the much-maligned ‘Irish on a timer’ was becoming evident as the Madejski lights are clearly set for 17 minutes after kick off. I felt that in the fading light and with the dark shirts Irish might have asked the Meter Man to hold off and could possibly have stealthed a couple of tries. Alas, my hopes were dashed when a sea of light appeared.
Immediately after, we got to see Tom Homer start on another Odyssey of penalty kicks to equalise with 17 minutes on the watch.
So far, Shaun Davey seemed to be doing a Wavey Davey job, nobody is ever quite sure what infringement is being blown for but it makes for interesting commentary in the bar afterwards. The general consensus being that despite a wee boo from the East Stand (bisach, we know it was you!) Davey seemed to have a good game.
The Irish back row boys were making a nuisance of themselves and the tackle count on both sides should make interesting reading.
The first half Wiff Waff was made frustrating for the pitchside pundits in that nobody wanted to chase the kicks and it was a case of here we go again. In the second half, Jamie Gibson seemed to make this part of the game a priority and managed to get a couple of penalties but more importantly, managed to keep Wasps inside their own 22 for long periods.
Having mentioned the promising line out move, each LI lineout thereafter was a straight to the front job, take it, shove it to Dodge to do what Dodge does. When Irish did try a long throw, it was a piece of line out hell to watch as it all went to sugar… but as luck would have it Wasps fumbled the possession and Blessed Tom of Homer actually missed from about 42M out.
Shortly after, right on half time, he did make amends when Wasps were pinged for holding on and Irish were in front for the first time in the game.
Paul Hodgson kicked to touch to bring the first half to a close at 9-6.
The second half saw Alex Corbisiero run out in place of Faan. A wild guess would say to shore up the Irish scrum that had looked creaky in the first half. Midway through the half, Faan was back on, Alex went to the other side and Dermody went off. Who knows?
The first real incident of note in the second half was Wasps being pinged for a short (and just a little crooked) line out throw. Mr. Davey’s pinpoint positioning at the rear of the line out couldn’t and didn’t fail to miss it. This was a performance that was too good not to be repeated by Wasps and repeat it they did and repeatedly ping it did Mr. Davey.
Irish gained nowt from this but then followed a period of the now so familiar left to right crabbing.
I have a note that says overlap to Irish ruined by forward pass. From the ensuing collapsed scrum, Wasps eequalise with a penalty from Mr. Robinson.
Halfway through the second half saw Wasps no. 8 Hart have a serious word with Mr. Davey. Mr. Davey informed Mr. Hart that Laurence was in fact a qualified referee and as Mr. Hart wasn’t he should step away from the real ref.
Neither team looked like threatening the try line all game and when Robinson couldn’t make what seemed like an easy kick limp it’s arse over the bar with 4 to go, it seemed that 21-12 was a safe score. That miss even prompted a small rumble of Irish, Irish from the West Stand (just a small rumble you understand, probably from the Staff).
True to form for London Irish weren’t going to let the visitors go home with nothing and very nearly scored a try in the south-east corner with just seconds remaining on the clock. The Irish defence had simply looked on as the white shirted line formed in front of them. Stout defending saw this attack rebuffed but a quick bit of recycling saw the Wade drop over the line to take the score to 21-17. In one of the strangest bits of play that I have seen, Wasps declined the conversion or fudged the kick.
After a word with Mr. Davey, Irish kicked to touch from the restart which would have resulted in a scrum to Wasps which technically meant the end of the game.
Mr. Hart was shooed away by the bauld Sean Davey after the whistle was blown.
The ‘secret Topsy interview’ was hugely entertaining with Caimh telling Topsy that his picture in the calendar was homo-erotic. Poor aul’ Topsy didn’t know where to look. References to Dan’s handbag in the same calendar were hilarious.
Grey day, grey game but a badly needed win.
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my oh my .........well written and entertaining match report - who would have thought it from the man in the cowshed..............
bravo
MWM
LONDON IRISH - and loving it......
LET'S GO IRISH....LET'S GO IRISH
...........
.Laighean ag éirí leat an diabhal
Great report - makes me less sad about having to miss the game.
(although no doubt my season tickets were counted).
As has been said elsewehere, 4 points winning ugly is better than 0 points losing ugly (or even 0 points losing beautifully).