Sat 30 Sep 2023, 15:00
Report by Mark Hoskins
Abbey made an emphatic return to winning ways in Counties 2 Tribute Berks/Bucks & Oxon South with stunning 13-try demolition of Newbury Stags at Rosehill. The victory was based on outstanding scrummaging, with the home eight virtually monopolising possession irrespective of which team had the put-in. This gave the entire team the opportunity to express themselves with some spectacular running, and by the end Abbey were scoring almost at will.
Full back Charlie Shackleford led the Abbey side out on the occasion of his 60th league appearance. Meanwhile, the visitors had to start the game with skipper George Stevens on the replacements’ bench following a bout of sickness before the kick-off. Abbey were soon into their stride, with the almost everyone handling in the opening phase of play before the ball was knocked forward. Abbey were penalised at the opening scrum, but second row Chris Shaw stole the ensuing lineout, and driving runs by props Gereie Sutherland and Mat Woodrow, together with a fine burst from second row Matt Eldridge took play into the Newbury 22. However, possession was lost, and after the visitors counterattacked they were awarded a penalty 40 metres from the Abbey posts. Centre George Shakespeare sent his kick just wide with what was to prove his side’s only opportunity of point scoring in the entire match. A brilliant Abbey attack saw No.8 Ed Wisener take play into the Newbury 22, and after the same player was stopped just short of the line, Abbey were awarded a penalty. Scrum half Sol Wallis-Robinson took a quick tap, and a storming run from hooker Zac Mayo resulted in Sutherland and skipper Mike Beckly making further ground before Mayo handled again, giving a scoring pass to centre Arron Ross. He touched down in the right corner, and Shackleford’s conversion attempt drifted just wide,
Abbey put together another multi-handling move after this, with centre Reuben Norville and outside half Scott Rennie both prominent. Winger Callum House made 20 metres, and Wallis-Robinson, Mayo and Wisener all handled before Shackleford was stopped two metres from the line. Play then moved to the left side of the field, and when Newbury were penalised, Shackleford’s pinpoint touch kick took Abbey to within five metres of the line. Shaw won the lineout, and Mayo was driven over for the second try
of the afternoon, with Shackleford this time adding the extras. A further attack followed straight from the restart, with Ross being halted just short of the line after a great 30-metre break. Newbury were pushed off their own ball at the next scrum, and Wallis-Robinson and Wisener switched play to the left, where Norville’s beautifully judged pass sent House on his way to the line. Shackleford’s conversion dropped just under the bar, but Abbey now led 17-0 after 28 minutes.
The bonus point try came soon afterwards, and again it came after Newbury had been pushed off their scrum put-in. Winger George Goodenough ran 20 metres to the halfway line, and Mayo, Norville (twice), Wallis-Robinson and second row ‘Treacle’ Knights all handled before Shackleford gave House his second try in the right corner. The full back then landed a superb conversion to take the score to 24-0. There was time for a further try before half time, and it came after Wallis-Robinson took a tap penalty in his own 22. Rennie and Eldridge took play to the halfway line, House carried on the move to the Newbury 22, and eventually Wallis-Robinson released Wisener for a well-deserved score. With Shackleford unable to convert, Abbey led 29-0 at the break.
Abbey made three changes at the start of the second half: Jack Peachey replaced Eldridge, Furio Dawkins came on for Goodenough and young Josh Bodimeade replaced Rennie at outside half to make his league debut. Dawkins was soon in the action with a fine weaving run, and a handling move developed which concluded with Ross diving over under the posts for his second try. Shackleford converted, and Abbey were soon on the hunt for further scores. A lineout win by Knights started a brilliant move in which both Ross and Beckly made good ground. Abbey won a penalty, and although Shackleford over-hit his touch finder, Dawkins made 30 metres from the Newbury drop-out. Then Ross and Woodrow both handled before Peachey broke away with a brilliant charge to the line. This try was again scored under the posts and Shackleford converted with ease.
Abbey scored again directly from the restart. Mayo, Shackleford, Knights and Wallis-Robinson all handled before Bodimeade, who was playing with great confidence, sent Peachey on his way to the line for his second try in two minutes. Shackleford’s conversion brought up the half century for Abbey. Ollie Charlton replaced Sutherland, with James Becalick coming on for Shaw, and Peachey impressed soon afterwards with another 20-metre burst. Great work
from Norville and Ross set up Bodimeade for a clever run, and this resulted in an Abbey penalty. Shackleford kicked for the corner, and Knights not only won the lineout but charged over himself for the ninth try of the afternoon. Shackleford landed a beautifully judged conversion from wide on the left and the score was 57-0.
Charlton made a great burst as play resumed, and another run from Peachey took Abbey into the Newbury half. They lost the ball, but not for the first time they won the ensuing scrum against the head, and Wisener set up Wallis-Robinson for another try close to the posts. Shackleford again converted. After this, Abbey attacked from absolutely everywhere, with backs and forwards enjoying themselves in a series of dazzling moves. Rennie returned in place of Norville, and with just over ten minutes remaining House sprinted up the left touchline and Dawkins pounced on a loose ball to score. Shackleford’s conversion made it 71-0, and after this Eldridge returned to the action, taking over from Mayo at hooker.
Once more Abbey scored again directly from the restart, with Shackleford making 40 metres, before Peachey, Beckly, Wisener and Ross put together a move which concluded with Charlton giving Becalick a scoring pass. Shackleford missed the conversion this time, and Ross came off after this, with Shaw returning. Further splendid handling followed in the final stages of the game, and the match ended with Bodimeade and Beckly releasing Knights, who sprinted up left touchline like a winger to cross for a spectacular score. Shackleford graciously offered the final conversion to Bodimeade who very appropriately concluded the entertainment with an excellent kick.
This was a remarkable performance by an Abbey squad which is clearly enjoying its rugby under the coaching of Travis Sutherland and Reuben Norville. There was non-stop entertainment for the supporters, particularly in the second half when Abbey really threw caution to the winds. Wisener was perhaps the pick of the forwards with his storming runs, with Peachey and Knights not far behind him, while Bodimeade was full of confidence in his second half cameo. Abbey’s scrummaging was awesome, and in truth every single member of the side contributed to a stunning victory. Full credit should be given to Newbury’s players, whose heads never dropped despite the heavy score-line, while a word of praise should also go to referee Andrew Davis. He controlled the game with a genial authority and clearly enjoyed his afternoon. Abbey are top of the league after four games, two points ahead of unbeaten Henley,
who have played a game less. The two sides meet at Dry Leas in a fortnight in what is now an eagerly anticipated encounter.
The final score of 83-0 makes this Abbey’s second highest score and winning margin in a league game. The league record is 107- 0 against Windsor on April 26th 1997. On November 12th 2012 Abbey beat Hungerford 111-13 in the Berkshire Plate.
Abbey: C Shackleford, C House, A Ross (C Shaw 71), R Norville (S Rennie 65), G Goodenough (F Dawkins 40), S Rennie (J Bodimeade 40), S Wallis-Robinson, G Sutherland (O Charlton50), Z Mayo (M Eldridge 69), M Woodrow, M Eldridge (J Peachey 40), J Knights, C Shaw (J Becalick 52), M Beckly (captain), E Wisener
Newbury Stags: J Fisher, T Vaughan (F Southwold 40), N Delavere (M Pocock 52), G Shakespeare, R Swann, A McCormack (N Owen 52), M Cox, W Butler, L Carnell, G Stewart, S Bramhall, S Burgess, S Stoakley (G Stevens, captain, 40), C Hart, E Dyer
Abbey:
Tries: House (2), Ross (2), Peachey (2) Knights (2), Mayo, Wisener, Wallis-Robinson, Dawkins, Becalick
Con: Shackleford (8), Bodimeade
Referee: A Davis (Berkshire)
Please enter your page detail here. This can be HTML or text. To edit click the first menu icon on the small HTML menu that appears when you click on this text. Please use the elements on the right if you wish to construct a richer page content with headers, images and layout grids.
