Sat 20 Apr 2024, 14:00
Reading Abbey 43 Basingstoke 40
Mark Hoskins
An Abbey side missing several first choice players scored a sensational victory against Basingstoke at Rosehill in the second round of the Counties 2 Papa John’s Championship. In a classic cup tie, Abbey scored seven tries to their opponents’ six, with winger Alex Ashford claiming a stunning first half hat trick. The result was in doubt right to the end of the game, and both sides could hold their heads up with pride after a memorable afternoon of rugby.
Abbey were already missing forwards Max Courtnage, James Mallon and Jack Peachey from last weekend’s victory over Oxford, and they suffered a further loss when first choice loosehead prop Mat Woodrow pulled out. With veteran Paul Emery already on the bench, Ollie Charlton was called up to the squad, while ‘Treacle’ Knights was a welcome returnee in the second row.
Basingstoke started strongly, winning a scrum and a lineout in the early minutes. From the latter, centre Oscar Rowley, who was a constant danger to Abbey with his incisive breaks, cut through the home defence to set up a try in the third minute for prop Steve Ansell. Skipper Alfie Rowley, Oscar’s brother, added the conversion, and at this early stage it looked as if Abbey might be in for a difficult afternoon. However, it soon became clear that the Abbey plan was to move the ball wide at every opportunity, with centre Reuben Norville bringing full back Max Boucher, Ashford and fellow winger Furio Dawkins into the game as much as possible.
A tackle by flanker Matt Eldridge forced Basingstoke into conceding a penalty and Norville sent the ball into the visitors’ 22. Good work from prop Dan John and outside half Scott Rennie released Boucher, and his pass to Dawkins saw the winger tackled into touch five metres short of the line. Knights stole the Basingstoke lineout throw, and after the visitors were penalised Abbey chose to take a scrum. After the ball was won, Norville, Rennie and Boucher moved the ball smartly to the right and Ashford crossed for a try in the corner in the eighth minute. Norville was wide with the tricky conversion kick.
For the next ten minutes Abbey dominated possession and territory. Boucher made a great break from the restart kick, and Eldridge, Rennie, skipper Sol Wallis-Robinson and centre George Goodenough took play upfield. A penalty was conceded, but Knights again stole the subsequent lineout, and hooker Zac Mayo made a lengthy break which nearly led to a try. Abbey continued to attack, with flanker James Becalick, Ashford and No.8 Tom Wilkinson all prominent, and even when Basingstoke made a brief visit to the home 22, Wallis-Robinson’s first instinct was to run the ball. Boucher, John and Knights all handled, and then a lovely wide pass from Norville saw Ashford break up the right touchline. He was too fast for the Basingstoke defence, sprinting 40 metres to touch down under the posts, with Norville’s successful conversion concluding an entertaining opening quarter.
Basingstoke upped their game from the restart kick, and after a break from flanker Taylor Stranney, the ball was moved rapidly to the left of the field, where full back Brad Titcombe crossed for a try. Alfie Rowley could not convert, and the scores were level. Rennie, Norville and Knights attacked from the restart, but after a good ten-metre break from second row Ryan Williams, the ball was lost. Basingstoke won a lineout in the Abbey 22, and after a series of drives, Oscar Rowley crossed for a well-deserved try, with his brother converting to put his side 19-12 ahead.
Boucher again ran from the restart kick, and he received strong support from Wilkinson. Wallis-Robinson then moved the ball from his own 22, with Boucher, Dawkins and Norville in support. Again Norville sent a perfectly-judged pass to the right, and this time Ashford sprinted 50 metres from the halfway line to cross unopposed under the sticks. Norville’s conversion kick tied the scores again. Abbey won a scrum soon after the restart, and Williams and prop Adam Postlethwaite impressed with good runs. But Basingstoke countered well, and Norville and Boucher made important tackles on the visitors’ wingers. The half concluded soon afterwards with the score still at 19-all.
Abbey were given a gift try straight after the restart, and strangely it was Oscar Rowley who was responsible. He dropped a pass in his own 22, and Goodenough snapped up the loose ball. Postlethwaite took play close to the Basingstoke line, and Mayo stormed over for his side’s fourth try. Norville’s conversion made the score 26-19. Becalick and Mayo made ground from the restart kick, and Wilkinson, Boucher, Dawkins and John all featured prominently in
the next attacking move. Mayo then took play to the Basingstoke 22, but the ball was lost. With nearly ten minutes gone in the second half, Charlton replaced John in the Abbey front row, with Digby Riggell coming on for Ashford. Soon afterwards, Oscar Rowley made another of his powerful breaks, and winger Cam Prayag scored a try to the right of the posts. Alfie Rowley converted and it was all square once again.
Knights stole another Basingstoke lineout soon after the restart, and even more impressively, a massive shove at the next scrum pushed the visitors off their own ball. Wilkinson charged into the 22, Mayo supported, and Norville’s pass to Boucher sent the full back on his way to the left corner to score Abbey’s fifth try. Norville could not quite convert from a difficult angle, but Abbey were back in the lead, a lead they were destined never to relinquish. Eldridge attacked at once from the restart, and Boucher and Dawkins handled before Alfie Rowley’s deliberate knock on resulted in the Basingstoke skipper being shown a yellow card. The subsequent penalty was in a kickable position, but Abbey chose to take a scrum. Wallis-Robinson and Rennie moved the ball to the left, and Boucher, Eldridge, Wilkinson and Norville handled before Knights gave a scoring pass to Mayo. The hooker was injured in scoring, with Emery coming on in his place. Once again Norville could not convert from out wide.
Abbey continued to attack after this, with Wilkinson and Boucher both making good ground. With ten minutes of regular time remaining, Emery was injured, with Dan Norville replacing him. The sin bin period ended with Abbey still 36-26 ahead. Basingstoke raised their game after this, and they came close to scoring, with Becalick and Eldridge both holding up a visiting player on the line. Soon after this Leo Clifford came on for Becalick, which meant that when the pack was rearranged Dan Norville and Clifford, both backs, played in the back row of the scrum. Abbey were awarded a free kick near their own line, and despite the presence of two backs in the pack they opted to take a five-metre scrum. They won the ball, but Goodenough was robbed in possession and the visitors’ forwards engineered a try for prop Adam Warner. Alfie Rowley’s conversion made the score 36-33 with six minutes including added time remaining.
It was anybody’s game at this stage, and it was crucial for Abbey to score next. Eldridge, Charlton and Norville took play close to the 22, and Abbey were awarded a penalty. A quick tap saw Wilkinson
and Williams make ground, and Norville wriggled his way clear to stretch for the line and score. He converted via a post to make the score 43-33, but the match was not quite over. Basingstoke attacked again, and after Abbey were twice penalised in their own 22, the ball was moved wide for Brad Titcombe to score his second try on the left. Alfie Rowley’s excellent conversion made it 43-40, but this was the final action of a memorable game.
What a brilliant cup tie this was! Both sides were desperate for victory, and Basingstoke’s big forwards must have fancied their chances. However, Abbey’s brilliant all-running game paid dividends, with Norville directing play superbly. Rennie always looked strong and confident, Ashford took his tries brilliantly, Boucher was a handful for the opposition and Mayo stormed around the field to great effect. Not for the first time, Postlethwaite battled away for the entire game in the front row, while Knights, Eldridge and latterly Charlton all made massive contributions. But in truth this was a team effort with every single player giving everything both in attack and defence. After this Rosehill classic, Abbey are now two games away from a Twickenham final, and they face first-time opponents Old Rutlishians in the quarter final at home next Saturday.
For the record, this was Abbey’s first victory over Basingstoke’s first team since 1985.
Abbey: M Boucher, A Ashford (D Riggell 49), R Norville, G Goodenough, F Dawkins, S Rennie, S Wallis-Robinson (captain), D John (O Charlton 49), Z Mayo (P Emery 63-70, D Norville 71), A Postlethwaite, J Knights, R Williams, J Becalick (L Clifford 73), M Eldridge, T Wilkinson. Not used: J Johnson-Mitchell
Basingstoke: B Titcombe, C Prayag, O Rowley, M Morincini (T Titcombe 49), T Jeffery (J Strudwick 49), A Rowley (captain), T O’Driscoll (D Paterson 40), A Warner, A Bushnell, S Ansell (S Crawford-Falekaono 27), J Rushworth (T Jeffery 80), P Gilbert, T Stranney (R Goodwin 68), J Jagged, M Mairs
Abbey:
Tries: Ashford (3), Mayo (2), Boucher, Norville
Con: Norville (4)
Basingstoke:
Tries: B Titcombe (2), Ansell, O Rowley, Prayag, Warner
Con: A Rowley (5)
Yellow card: Basingstoke: A Rowley
Referee: C St Aubin (Berkshire)
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