London Welsh V Brighton Match Report

Brighton are languishing at the bottom of the league with no wins this season, but this does not always mean they cannot provide stiff opposition or take advantage of lapses in the Welsh defence. The Welsh team was to be playing with a few of the regular first team absent from the list, many of them sitting in front of me in the stand as spectators.

Welsh kicked off and seconds later had conceded the first of many penalties. Both teams traded possession through kicks upfield and penalties, but interspersed this with running rugby. Eventually Welsh pressure in the Brighton half resulted in an excellent move on the right, with the ball being swiftly and accurately passed among the Welsh backs to eventually release Elis Staines for a try in the right corner. The conversion by Matt Hodgson from near the right touch-line was another example of his ability to curl the ball in towards the posts. Score 7 – 0

From the restart Welsh played some good running rugby but soon enough Brighton gained possession and ran the ball about on their own behalf to gain some respite from the constant running attacks by Welsh. Brighton gave possession away by conceding a penalty in the Welsh half. This gave Welsh another opportunity to attack, and aided by two penalties awarded against Brighton, they had a lineout on the five-yard line, caught the throw-in, formed a rolling maul which pushed over the Brighton try-line for Ben Davies to score. Another curling conversion by Matt Hodgson. Score 14 – 0

From the restart Welsh pressed Brighton in their own half. They stole a Brighton line-out about thirty yards out from the try-line and Hywel Williams did the unexpected and ran through the defence to score under the posts. Converted by Matt Hodgson. Score 21 – 0

From the restart play moved into the Brighton half, and with excellent running rugby involving some slick passing along the line, Rhydian George scored a try just before half time. Converted by Matt Hodgson. Score 28 – 0

Brighton started the second half with visibly more purpose and very soon had a penalty awarded to them in the Welsh half. Things proceeded exactly to plan; kick to touch, line-out, rolling maul pushed over the try line for a Brighton player to touch down. Try converted. Score 28 – 7

Soon after the restart Will McKenna was injured and Welsh sent all three replacements onto the pitch, Andy Black for Will, Lima Savaiinaea for Dafydd Manley and Jack Rouse replaced Tom Williams. The Welsh launched a fast-paced attack from their own half with some accurate passes and offloads, gaining a penalty award only yards from the Brighton try line. Matt Hodgson kicked for touch and Welsh won the line-out but then suffered a turnover. Brighton were unable to actually progress forward and were awarded a scrum inside their 22 yard line which they won but instead of clearing the ball decided to pass the ball along. That ended badly with the ball going loose and it was easy enough for Lima Savaiinaea to collect the ball and ran in the try under the posts. Converted by Matt Hodgson. Score 35 – 7

Only moments after the restart Tom Hunt was yellow-carded for a deliberate knock-on. The loss of a player seemed to make little difference to the Welsh who had their fair share of attacking moments in the next minutes. However it was Brighton who scored next, outflanking the Welsh defence down the right wing, scoring a try which was not converted. Score 35 – 12

From the restart Brighton had the better of the next few minutes of play until they conceded a penalty. This gave Welsh the opportunity to turn the tables and apply pressure themselves, with Ossama Aslam scoring in the left corner. Not converted. Score 40 – 12

From the restart Welsh collected the ball and kicked downfield; with Lima Savaiinaea haring towards the ball’s landing site a Brighton three-quarter fumbled the ball, Lima collected it and offloaded to Jacob Butler coming down the left wing and he scored in the left corner. Not converted. Score 45 – 12

At about this time Matt Hodgson left the field to be replaced at outside-half by Osian McAvoy, Dafydd Manley returning to the three-quarter line. Soon after the restart Welsh gained possession and excellent passing amongst the three-quarters ended with Osian McAvoy scoring a try on the right. He converted his own try. Score 52 – 12

After the restart it was Brighton who pushed forward in attack; a scrum around the Welsh twenty-two yard line went horribly wrong and Brighton scored a try which they converted. Score 52 – 19

The last try was hugely popular with the Welsh supporters because a Welsh attack released Ed Couzens with the ball, and he obligingly dived over the Brighton try line to make a rare score. Try converted by Osian McAvoy. Score 59 – 19

This concluded the match.

Some special mentions needed now; Tom Douglas stole at least three of Brighton’s line-outs, and I don’t mean disrupted. He won the ball cleanly and passed down to his scrum-half! Jacob Butler and Elis Staines seemed to me to be playing blinders, with more commitment, some outstanding positioning in attacking three-quarter lines and some very committed defensive work.

The team: 1 Chay Bailey, 2 Ossama Aslam, 3 Will McKenna, 4 Tom Douglas, 5 Ed Couzens, 6 Ben Davies, 7 Rhydian George, 8 Tom Williams, 9 Hywel Williams, 10 Matt Hodgson (C), 11 Jacob Butler, 12 Dafydd Manley, 13 Elis Staines, 14 Tom Hunt, 15 Osian McAvoy.

Replacements: Andy Black, Jack Rouse, Tololima Savaiinaea.

Scorers: Elis Staines, Ben Davies, Hywel Williams, Rhydian George, Tololima Savaiinaea, Ossama Aslam, Jacob Butler, Osian McAvoy, Ed Couzens. Conversions: Matt Hodgson – 5, Osian McAvoy – 2.