Farnham handed heavy by hammering Hurricanes
The Sandown & Shanklin 2nd XV made the
The visitors kicked off and after only having a ten-minute warm-up, and were immediately under pressure when they received the kick-off. Having been under pressure and barely touching the ball in the opening exchanges, soon had a line out of their own to stamp their mark on match. After clearing the ball well upfield, the hosts had a line out just outside their 22, but were under serious pressure all day from Mitchell Farrant and Damian Seder both jumping well in the Hurricanes line. With a turnover secured by the aforementioned duo at the set piece, the ball was fed to Dan Sayers. Sayers found a gap in the defensive line and sprinted clear, this was then followed up by rounding the opposing fullback and touching down for the first score of the game. The extras added by the 2nd XV kicking specialist Mitch Farrant, for an early counter punch lead, 0 – 7.
This was exactly what was needed from the away side, and sparked them into
Two further tries were scored, the first in the shape of Greg Dean who peeled off the back of the scrum to stretch over the line and score. The second, was a second for Sayers, this time from short range with a powerful crash ball to surge over the line. Both conversions were good by Farrant, presenting a 0 – 26 lead. Farnham however, didn’t give up and enjoyed their own spells of sustained pressure, but the resilient Hurricanes held them out, with strong tackling from Winter, Seder, and Tyas keeping the hosts at bay.
Unfortunately for the home team, three more tries were scored by the Hurricanes, as their quicker and more alert backs found space almost at will. The first from winger Sam Buckingham, showing strength and speed to hand off two opponents and slide over for another try, but the conversion from out wide falling just short, 0 – 31. Next was a Charles Little score that summed up the excellent handling and ability from the Sandown side on the day. With Dove running with the ball down the wing, he drew the defender and passed to Buckingham outside him. Buckingham then found his full back C. Little and he surged through the line and rounded the final defenders to dot down under the posts. Farrant converted, 0 – 38. The final score of the half after another customary strong run from Seder. After the flanker broke the line and the opposing defence was left scrambling, the ball came back to the middle of the field, to Flux. Flux then offloads to Dove, who then sprints clear of the last tacklers to score under the posts. Farrant converts to bring the first to a close, 0 – 45.
The restart was Farnham’s and was taken well again by Davis, the hooker jumping highest to gather possession and then break the line. The ball was then popped to Winter who again carried hard. A phase later the ball was passed wide and made it’s way to Newton Jr who dummied the opposing centre and ran in from 50 yards to score. The conversion just slid wide, 0 – 50.
The pick of the tries came moments later, from the youngest member of the team Mitchell Farrant. Following a deep kick into the Hurries half, Fullback C Little collected possession and ran back at the Farnham defensive line. Little skipped past opposing forwards with
Farnham did hit back with a score of their own. After reverting to keeping hold of the ball and bringing on their bench, they managed a sustained period of possession and pressure in the Hurricanes 22, off the back of a driving maul, they were soon just a metre off the Sandown try line. A handful of phases later and the hard working Hurries defence could not stop the Farnham drive and dotted down for their only score of the game, 5 – 64.
The final try came from Josh Wetherick, off an attacking scrum, secured well by Danny Thomas at the base of the scrum, he popped to scrum-half, Little who ran at the opposition fly-half. This allowed Wetherick to run a clever angle at the 12 and 13, and after handing off the outside centre and hurdling the tackle of the fullback he managed to score. Conversion added and with 10 conversions out of 13, Farrant proved deadly from the tee. All in all, a cracking victory for the Mighty Sandown & Shanklin 2nd XV, 5 – 71.
Next weekend (Saturday 30th March) is a week off from league action. There is a Sandown & Shanklin RFC Inter Club game, following the 1st XV being awarded the home walkover in their fixture against Alresford RFC.
The Club is also hosting Vectis RFC U14’s as they welcome Havant RFC U14’s to the Fairway, kick off at 1.00pm, followed by the Hurricanes Probables vs Possibles at 3.00pm.
This is then followed by a BBQ for all
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