CRUSADERS II 54-0 MEDICS II

A faster start is probably not possible than that which we got. 5 nil up within a minute set the tone against a Medics Team, which is always an unknown.

This Medics side was full of youth (as expected) but lacking in both experience and (sadly) a front row, which resulted in uncontested scrums from the Kick-off.

With no scrums to fatigue the forwards, both Ruck and Maul were hotly contested throughout the game, some involving all 16 forwards, but mainly just appearing everywhere. The contest, such as it was, was pretty much over by half-time, the try bonus having been secured, and the second half continued in much the same vein.
Sadly 8 of Crusader’s 10 tries were scored in the corners following either great blind-side plays or wide sweeping backs moves, as such we left 16 points on the kicking tee, or else we would have matched fellow league rivals Southwold for the points tally of the day, although they did leak a score.

Medics played well in patches and were actually unlucky not to score, fantastic ‘backs-to-the-wall’ defence in the last quarter of the game saw Crusaders hold onto the zero against score.

A Hat-trick of tries from Phil O’Brien playing at 8, and joint Man of the Match Performances from (old boys) Mark Hosmer and Mark Keysell at 10 & 15 saw the ‘new’ league start with a 54 to Zero Win.

This might not ever get said again in a match report, especially from our second team captain, so here goes….Special mention to our referee for the day, Simon Heggie, making his senior debut; his knowledge of both the laws and materiality was impeccable, his decision making clear, fair and consistent and his game management brilliant, undoubtedly if we gain promotion we’ll see him again in EC2; but really our 1s should see him before we do in London 3EC.

Thanks to those who watched the game; please continue to support our home games this season as we push (yet again) for promotion.