On a day when the freezing conditions forced the postponement of three league fixtures, Cobham were able to play both of their matches against Haywards Heath on their artificial grass pitch (AGP). The only adjustment required was a half an hour delay to the 1st XV fixture, allowing the 2nd XV to finish their match; the latter fought back from being 0-20 down, but despite a valiant effort they ultimately lost 31-34 in a closely contested game.
This also provided an opportunity for Cobham President Ian Thomas, Chairman Steve Heard, Past President Lionel Frewin and members from both Cobham and Braemar to enjoy a relaxed mini lunch. During this time, they were able to offer their congratulations to Mark Newey, President of Haywards Heath who was awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) for his services to grass roots rugby in the New Year Honours list.
Cobham fielded the same pack from their previous match but Wilf Saywell came in at fly half, Jordan Bond at full back and Ross Munro on the wing. Will Stephen returned from injury and Ben Joyce was on the bench ready to make his 191st first team cap. Although Cobham had won the away encounter in September 62-28, Haywards Heath had ended 2024 on a strong note with a comfortable win over East Grinstead. As a result, Cobham knew they had to remain cautious, especially as the weather conditions would play a significant role in the game.
Cobham started strongly, with McQuade and O'Leary breaking through early. However, Haywards Heath’s hooker Will Purdy responded in kind. It quickly became clear that the cold conditions were causing handling errors, with dropped passes being a feature of the match. After five minutes, a penalty for a high tackle on Davison gave Stephen the chance to put Cobham on the upgraded welcoming scoreboard (3-0). Shortly after the restart, Porter collected a lineout ball and ran unopposed to score in the corner. Stephen’s successful conversion from a difficult angle made it 10-0.
Haywards Heath are a well-supported side and their vociferous supporters cheered them on throughout the match. They came close to scoring when full-back Gabriel Moore made a dangerous jinking run and was brought down just metres from the try line. From the ensuing ruck, the Heath centre Nick Main was held-up over the line. A penalty attempt shortly thereafter missed the target, allowing Cobham to regain momentum. With Fox and Porter dominant in the lineout, McQuade continued to look for opportunities to break through. An offload to O'Leary came close to creating another try, but the Heath defence held firm. Unfortunately, McQuade was injured in the tackle and was replaced by Ollie Fielding.
Stand-off Tom Wharton, along with centres Jack Lucas and Main, tested Cobham's defence, which has shown significant improvement in recent weeks. A penalty in Cobham's twenty-two gave Wharton the chance to put the visitors on the scoreboard, narrowing the gap to 10-3. Saywell’s kicks to touch helped Cobham maintain territorial advantage, and a tap penalty just over halfway saw Davison, Stephen and Bond retain and run the ball. However, a final pass inside didn’t quite connect. From the ensuing lineout, Fox collected and Murphy, along with Davison, created an opportunity for O'Leary to touch down under the posts. Stephen’s conversion made it 17-3.
The final ten minutes of the first half were dominated by Heath, who came close to scoring several times. However, a fortunate bounce from a kick ahead by Wharton allowed Cobham to relieve the pressure, with Saunders kicking the ball clear to bring the half to a close, indicating it was time to regroup.
The first scrum of the second half suggested Cobham were starting to take control. Soon after, a trademark rolling maul from the lineout allowed Saunders to dart over for the third unconverted try, bringing the score to 22-3. The agility of Heath's number two continued to trouble Cobham and it required a strong tackle from Penfold to bring him down. After a period of kicking exchanges, both sides showed their willingness to run the ball wide, but Cobham lost Saunders to a leg injury during this phase. Penfold shifted to scrum-half and Taylor Burnett came off the bench to replace him.
Cobham secured their bonus-point try from a lineout when Davison offloaded to Stephen. From the ruck, the ball was fed to Murphy, who powered over the line. Stephen’s conversion made it 29-3. Immediately after the restart, Davison collected the kick-off, broke through the defence and fed Fielding, who set-up Penfold to score his 19th try of the season, tying the record held by Matt Goodard and Max MacDonald. The score moved to 36-3.
In the final quarter, Cobham’s newly installed LED floodlights illuminated the pitch and Ben Joyce came on for his 191st cap, which span 14 seasons. Despite Heath's continued efforts, Cobham stretched their lead with a breakaway and kick ahead from Saywell, which was chased down by Savill, who scored under the posts to make it 43-3. Cobham's seventh try came soon after, with Davison collecting the kick-off and feeding Bond, before Fielding finished off the move to make it 48-3. In the final minutes, Bond came close to scoring, but the eighth and final try went to Fox, who scooted over in the corner to complete the scoring (53-3).
While the scoreline didn't entirely reflect the challenge posed by Heath, this was Cobham's most comprehensive victory of the season. The win pushed them to the top of the league, with 87 tries, 50 conversions and 12 penalties to their name, the highest points scored both home and away, although some teams have a game in hand.
This weekend (Saturday 11 January), Cobham will be away to Weybridge Vandals, who play a similarly expansive style of rugby. All support would be very welcome.
Cobham 1st XV Squad:-
1. Chris Lippiatt (Capt.)
2. Andrew Murphy
3. Timon Botha
4. Louis Porter
5. Will O’Leary
6. Tom Davison
7. Olly Fox
8. Jake McQuade
9. Ryan Saunders
11. Ross Munro
12. Will Stephen
13. Fin Savill
14. Rory Penfold
15. Jordan Bond
Substitutes:
16. Ben Joyce
17. Ollie Fielding
18. Taylor Burnett
Scorers:
Tries: Porter, O'Leary, Saunders, Murphy, Penfold, Savill, Fielding, Fox
Conversions: Stephen (5)
Penalty: Stephen
Match Gallery:
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