TWICKENHAM 28 WOODFORD 15

On a day more suited to the willow and leather, Twickenham won this opening London League 2 North encounter, for which they were somewhat ill prepared. Pre-season training had been severely restricted and T’ took the field with no warm up match under their belts, whereas the opposition had played three friendlies against good teams.

It is tribute to the team spirit of the Twickenham side that they looked a good outfit from the beginning and they were never headed. They took the lead after 15 minutes with a 50-metre solo try from strong-running centre Clinton Banks. Winger Leon John added a penalty to make it 8-0 where the score remained for most of the half.

Flanker Charlie I ‘Anson was shown the yellow card with ten minutes to go and during this time Woodford pressurised T’s and the defence eventually gave way and conceded an unconverted try.

Turning round with an 8-5 lead, and with the referee ordering drinks breaks in the heat, it was a case of whether T’s lack of fitness would tell in the second half. They came out raring to go and there was a great try from a classic movement in the backs with Banks making the ground for winger Rupert Freeman to score in the corner. John’s conversion made it 15-5.

Woodford now had their best spell and pegged back the lead first with a penalty and then an unconverted try for 15-15.

Tired bodies were now at the point of exhaustion and it seemed inevitable that T’s would succumb. However, surprisingly, it was Woodford who caved in. A beautifully taken-drop goal from veteran fly-half Greg Bryce started T’s on the victory trail. Then a try for the forwards with a rolling maul from a line-out which saw young hooker Jon Tocock touch down. The conversion and a last ditch penalty from Greg Bryce made it 28-15 for T’s.

A welcome two League points to open the season, but fitness was sorely tested and the side will need to train harder to keep things going.

Twickenham scorers: Tries: Banks, Tocock, Freeman. Conversions; Bryce, John, Penalties: Bryce, John Drop Goal: Bryces

TWICKENHAM: Wadden, John, Isherwood (Walker 70), Banks, Freeman., Bryce, Peters, Alexander (Webb70), Tocock, Thomas, See, Stuart, I’Anson, Ford.