Sat 6 Jan 2024, 14:00
Reading Abbey 63 Tadley 14
Mark Hoskins
Abbey emerged triumphant from their top-of-the-table meeting with Tadley at a sunny Rosehill, scoring nine converted tries in an emphatic victory. Flanker James Mallon was in outstanding form, claiming a hat trick of tries, while centre Reuben Norville scored a memorable individual try as well as landing all nine conversions. Abbey now lead Counties 2 Tribute Berks/Bucks & Oxon South with 47 points, with Tadley in second place with 40.
Conditions were perfect for rugby despite the recent rain. Tadley, who fielded former Abbey star Gavin Dampies at scrum half, looked a threat in the early exchanges, with centre Jonny Till making a dangerous break before he was stopped by his opposite number Callum House. However, Abbey took the lead in the third minute with a superbly constructed try. A move which twice involved hooker Zac Mayo took play into the visitors’ 22, and after prop Gereie Sutherland made further ground, outside half Scott Rennie and winger Alex Ashford handled before full back Max Boucher sprinted clear to touch down under the posts. Norville converted with ease.
Tadley’s response was instant. Despite Abbey more than holding their own when the visitors had the put in at the first scrum, the Tadley threequarters worked the ball close to the home line. Good tackling from House and Mayo initially kept the line intact, but eventually outside half Scott Raymond twisted out of a tackle to touch down to the right of the posts. Full back Mark Davies converted to level the score.
Tadley continued to look dangerous over the next few minutes, although it soon became clear that Abbey had established scrum superiority despite the presence of some big men in the visitors’ pack. There was a blow for Abbey when Boucher departed with an injury, with Arron Ross replacing him, though the veteran was to go on to have an excellent game. Norville halted the next Tadley attack with a fine tackle on centre Chris Thomas-Peter, and the first quarter ended with honours still even.
Second row ‘Treacle’ Knights won good lineout ball for Abbey, and a powerful drive took the home side into the visitors’ 22. Good handling by skipper Mike Beckly and second row Chris Shaw set
scrum half Sol Wallis-Robinson up for a typical sniping run. Then Beckly stole a Tadley lineout, and flanker Matt Eldridge powered into the visitors’ 22. Ross switched play to the left, Knights drove forwards, and Norville and Ashford both handled before Mallon broke clear to score on the right. Norville’s conversion made it 14-7 after half an hour.
The try seemed to galvanise Abbey, and Wallis-Robinson soon launched a move involving Rennie, Ross and Knights. Ashford cut inside from the wing, and after Beckly was stopped just short of the line, Mallon powered over the line directly under the posts. Norville converted, and Abbey attacked again straight from the restart. Eldridge, as he was to do so reliably all afternoon, caught the restart kick and Mayo ran 10 metres before Norville and Ross made further ground. Abbey conceded a penalty, but they were soon on the attack again with Mallon and Ashford both involved. Ashford was replaced by Max Wills soon after this, and just before half time Abbey claimed their bonus point try. Norville received the ball from a scrum 30 metres out, and he ran a superb line, backing himself to outpace the defence. This he did brilliantly, cutting inside in thrilling fashion to touch down under the posts for a tremendous try. His successful conversion gave Abbey a 28-7 half time lead, though Tadley had done more than enough to suggest that the contest was by no means over.
Abbey started the second half in sparkling fashion, with Eldridge, Wills and winger Furio Dawkins all running well. Beckly took play to the Tadley 22, but he was injured in a tackle and left the field in considerable pain with Ed Wisener replacing him. Abbey were awarded a penalty, and after Norville kicked into the 22 Knights won the lineout. A brilliant 10-metre forward drive ensued, and Mayo timed his break from the back of the maul to perfection before crashing over the line. Norville added an excellent conversion from near the right touchline.
From this moment on, Abbey took complete control of the match. A jinking run from Ross made 20 metres, and after Wisener stole a Tadley lineout throw Mallon made a powerful break. Dawkins sped 30 metres up the right touchline, and Abbey eventually won a scrum ten metres from the visitors’ line. Wisener and Wallis-Robinson broke up the blindside and Abbey had another scrum, this time from five metres. Mallon broke this time and was stopped just short of the line, but Norville, House and Wisener moved play
to the left, giving Ross room to sprint through for Abbey’s sixth try of the game. Norville converted to make the score 42-7.
After this Abbey conceded a series of penalties, and eventually Wisener took one for the team and was shown a yellow card. Minutes later Wills joined him in the sin bin after a deliberate knock on, and Tadley rallied, with big No.8 Dan Fowler barging over for a try which Davies converted. However, Abbey put the game to bed by scoring two tries while still down to 13 men. Firstly, a long kick by Norville and a 10-metre burst from Mallon took play close to the line, and when the ball was recycled, hardworking prop Adam Postlethwaite plunger over on the right. Then a fantastic 60-metre break from Knights saw the second row hauled down about a metre from glory. Wallis-Robinson was up in support and Knights offloaded to perfection to send the scrum half over the line. Norville landed both conversions to make the score 56-14.
With Wisener and Wills both returning to the field, Abbey were now in rampant form. They twice shoved a tiring Tadley pack off their own scrum put-in, and they scored their final try when House, Rennie and Dawkins took play into the Tadley 22. Wisener got close to the line, and the supporting Mallon crossed for a richly-deserved hat trick. Norville made it a perfect nine out of nine with his successful conversion, taking his personal tally for the afternoon to 23, and despite a brief Tadley rally in the closing stages Abbey had completed the most satisfying of victories. Incidentally, during the course of 80 entertaining minutes, neither side attempted to kick for goal from a penalty.
Tadley were more than competitive in the first half of this match, and the margin of Abbey’s half time lead slightly flattered the home side. However, having scored just before the break and then crossing the line again soon afterwards, Abbey were always in control for the rest of the game. They ran the big Tadley forwards ragged and played some wonderful expansive rugby against the only team to defeat them this season. Mallon was the pick of an excellent pack, while Postlethwaite and Sutherland achieved what is these days the relatively rare feat for props of both playing the entire 80 minutes. Norville directed proceedings superbly, and not for the first time this season nurtured Dawkins and Wills, who are both looking to be players of rich promise. Abbey will hope to consolidate their position at the top of the league when they visit Newbury next weekend.
For the record, this was Abbey’s highest score against Tadley, eclipsing the 44 scored in the 44-3 league win on December 8th 2001.
Abbey: M Boucher (A Ross 15), F Dawkins, C House, R Norville, A Ashford (M Wills 37), S Rennie, S Wallis-Robinson, A Postlethwaite, Z Mayo, G Sutherland, C Shaw, J Knights, J Mallon, M Eldridge, M Beckly (captain, E Wisener 44). Not used: J Becalick, G Goodenough
Tadley: M Davies, M Fordham, J Till, C Thomas-Peter, M Heskin (C Dennison 40), S Raymond, G Dampies, K Johnson, M Stewart, D Nocella (J Saynor 71), N Packham (captain), R Prinsloo (O Snook 51), S Hutchinson, J Hall, D Fowler
Abbey:
Tries: Mallon (3), Boucher, Norville, Mayo, Ross, Postlethwaite, Wallis-Robinson
Con: Norville (9)
Tadley:
Tries: Raymond, Fowler
Con: Davies (2)
Yellow cards: Abbey: Wisener, Wills
Referee: C St Austin (Berkshire)
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