RICS take on Lloyds of London in the City League rugby

It’s bragging rights at Twyford Ave, West London with the afternoon sun shining but there’s a hooley blowing straight down the pitch and could pay dividends in the later stages of the match.?RICS chose to kick into the wind, and it’s running rugby on Wasps FC new 4G pitch. The ball is spun out along LOL attacking backline, but the No. 12 gets a hospital pass which is knocked-on, so the first scrum to RICS. It doesn’t take the flying centre Jack Lavin long to turn on the afterburners down the left-hand side of the pitch and pick-up RICS first score of the afternoon, converted by Harry Cox.

LOL kick-off again deep into RICS 22m but they work their way back up the pitch, hitting up through the centres then going wide utilising the whole width of the pitch with Lavin once again touching down with Cox notching-up the conversation.??

LOL take the only game plan with this wind and kick deep into 22m, but RICS are strong and run it back to the halfway. It’s going to be a hard afternoon for LOL but awarded their first scrum on half-way line. LOL No. 9 whips the ball out along the line where their centre gives a great off-load in the tackle but LOL where penalized for not rolling away from the ensuing ruck. RICS take the quick tap and spin it through the backs, out to the righthand side, where a mixture of punishing runs by the backrow gets RICS well into the LOL 22m but a fine turn-over by LOL see’s play switch once again when the ball eventually gets to the wing who sprints into the RICS half but unfortunately gets his pass intercepted by LOL who punts the ball all he way back into the RICS half for a lineout.??

Rhys Davies the RICS No 8 takes the lineout ball and battles his way through the LOL defence only to be turned over at the breakdown, we then have 10 minutes of play in-between the 22m with the ball constantly turned over at the breakdown. Finally, RICS give away a pen and LOL use the wind to spiral the ball down the pitch for a lineout on the 5meter line. Unfortunately, the lineout is lost and RICS are back in control. A couple of miss passes, and the ball is in the wingers hands who is caught inside LOL 22m where they give away another penalty. RICS leader for the afternoon Phil Dale kicks the ball low and straight into the LOL 22m. they choose a 5-man line-out and drive, with No. 9 feeding the ball along the backs where the ball eventually gets in the hands of Dale who gleefully goes over for the score and converted once again by Cox.?

RICS losing a bit of intensity, setup the ruck but saw a great interception by LOL Tom Walker when spinning the ball wide.?Walker touched down to the right of the posts giving Dave Duffers an easy conversion.??

RICS take the KO but fail to make the 10 meters but turn the ball over at the LOL scrum.?RICS spin the ball wide but get penalised for holding-on at the ruck. LOL hoof the ball down the pitch, however, the weight is too much in this wind, and the ball goes dead, scrum down back on the halfway. Davies the RICS No. 8 picks the ball from the base but LOL manage to spoil the big man’s endeavour and get the scrum reward from the knocked-on. LOL drive the scrum back with an 8-man push, then No. 9 whips the ball out to the No. 10 who completes a miss 1 pop to Duffers who makes ground and LOL keep penetrating the blind side, eventually kicking the ball into touch on RICS’s 5 meters line. LOL manage to steal the lineout and use the forwards to punch through the RICS defence however, knocking the ball on so close to the line. RICS scrum and Dale decides to run it, switching the play utilising every inch of the pitch, as they make their way back into the LOL 22m eventually getting the ball into Davies hands for a well-deserved score under the posts, with a successful conversion.

LOL never gave up and from the KO regain the ball and get it wide, once again probing the defensive wall. The No. 10 get the ball out to Duffus who skips through a couple of tackles eventually switching with Josh Van-Loen who crashes over the line and converted by Duffus.?

RICS get their heads back in the game and a chip over the defensive line by Lavin who regathers and passes to Tom Caine who scores in the corner, the conversion is missed however, the game is back on….. LOL take the restart and RICS are happy to slow the game down as there is an injury to their prop.?The game restarts with a scrum RICS but LOL turn the ball over, running the ball down the left side of the pitch where Hayden Oakley dives over the tryline and Duffus adds the conversion finishing the 1st half RICS 38 – 21 LOL.??

This time it’s LOL to kick into the wind which is run back by RICS unfortunately giving away a penalty. LOL take the quick tap, getting the ball out to their No 13 who has a lovely right, then left fend, eventually being mauled down in the covering tackle but it’s a great competitive game of rugby. The ball goes into touch for a LOL lineout. The throw is long and RICS have LOL camped on their 5m but LOL manage to turn the ball over and clear their lines, even with the wind against them.?

RICS run it from their 22m but take advantage of the 50:20 rule by kicking it long down the pitch. The ball gets passed out wide from the lineout and into the Caine’s hands once again who scores with Dale successfully taking the conversion. LOL restart which sees RICS give away another penalty which is increased by another 10 meters for chat to the referee. The ball is spun down the left-hand side of the pitch, finding the hands of Gareth Stoppani for the LOL score and converted by Duffus.?

RICS KO long into 22m and they manage to get the ball back, hitting it up through the forwards then eventually get the ball to Chris Wright who duly gets over the line, assisted by Dale. LOL gather the ball from the restart and it’s their turn to hit it up through the forwards but there are some big hits going in as the ref stops the game following a massive hit from RICS Dan Serfontein which leaves the LOL player needing assistants.?There are some tired legs and bodies out there as this 4G pitch opens the game up. With 10 mins to go LOL are still in the game but this time the prop Stevie Taylor hits the RICS line and off-loads to Duffus who puts the ball down left of the posts and successfully coverts his try.??

It's RICS time to shine with what seemed like the Lavin show as the centre now on the wing, runs in for 2 tries in this period to quash any LOL fightback although LOL fight to keep in the game the eventual score line was RICS 64 – 40 LOL.