LONDON NIGERIANS 32 TWICKENHAM 17

This was such an exciting close match that it was a pity that one side had to lose; and more so that it was T’s as relegation now looks likely.

The story was one of T’s dominance in the pack and Nigerians brilliance in the backs. T’s backs themselves showed lots of spirit; but they were no match for their opponents who had an elusive and speedy diminutive winger and a marshalling fly-half as their key weapons.

Nigerians took the lead with a penalty and, after a T’s wing forward had been sent to the sin bin, got two tries with superb handling movements.

T’s pack got stuck in and then came the most unfortunate moment of the match. In a maul 5 metres from the Nigerian line, and with the referee having indicated a penalty, inexplicably T’s lost patience and sent the ball out along the backs. The referee called out “advantage over” just as the ball was intercepted and the opposition paceman made the whole length of the field to score. The conversion made it 20-0 to the Nigerians.

To their credit T’s did eventually get a score when prop Richard Moses made a great break through the middle to set up a maul and T’s went over. The conversion by Bradford and a penalty made it 20-10 at the turnaround.

With a Nigerian forward sent to the sin bin at the start of the second half, T’s should have got back into the game quickly but it was the opponents who scored first. T’s second try again came from a Moses break which released Foley. The conversion made it 25-17, and T’s stood a chance, but in the last quarter Nigerians pack rallied and eventually ran out winners by 32-17.

TWICKENHAM: Bradford, Whittam, (Wadden), Guyett, Foley, Howden, Asbury, Peters, Nicholson( Burtt38), Tytherleigh, Moses, Goff, Davies, Colquhoun(Wakefield), Kirby, Holden