Casuals v Bingham

It was a healthy squad turnout on a grey and windy morning as the Casuals played host to Bingham in a match that would prove to be - and I quote - “tough sledding”. With the strategic focus firmly on GOGL (getting over the gain line), the team warmed up, getting the ball through the hands and introducing some early contact drills in an effort to be prepared for the imminent battle.

Quite how to fully ready the team for the first whilst remains elusive, however, and not unlike previous weeks it would be a slow start from the Casuals which dug them into a hole and presented an arduous task to get back into the game, at least from a points perspective. That being said, credit should go to Bingham who looked well drilled and made it a very tough game with and without the ball.

A play-by-play retelling of this game would be unflattering to the Casuals, but also, I feel, a little unfair in terms of capturing the spirit they displayed. Despite a decidedly lopsided scoreline from early on, they did not collapse into a beaten side, content to see out the remainder of the game feeling sorry for themselves. The story of this game was of continuous improvement from one quarter to the next as they realised they had what it takes to give Bingham a legitimate challenge.

The first quarter landed the Casuals six scores behind. Bingham came out of the gates with good handling, pressure on the ball carrier and consistently getting two players into every ruck. It was clear that mistakes would be punished and too many small errors from the Casuals gave the visitors a relatively comfortable path by which to begin racking up the tries.

The second quarter remained tough for the Casuals, but there was a glimmer of hope. Despite continuing to concede, they began to put together more phases and turn up the pressure a little. The road team remained in control, however, putting four more on the board and capping the period with a measured kick and chase to set themselves up for the last of those.

Half time brought with it the opportunity to face up to the difficult truth. This game was looking impossible to win, and very difficult to get back into, and so the team was faced with a decision: they could collapse, or use the second half to show what they were capable of.

I’m pleased to report they chose the latter.

The third quarter was the beginning of marked improvement from the home side, keeping the game tight for long stretches and really upping the intensity. It turns out that even good sides don’t like having tacklers in their faces and having to really fight for the ball at every breakdown. It wasn’t mistake-free from the Casuals - some missed tackles meant that Bingham added a few more to the scoreboard - but it was a clear change in mindset and performance.

With one quarter remaining, the scoreline was long out of hand but the opportunity to salvage some pride remained. They played a full quarter of hard-hitting rugby and made life tough for the visitors in all phases. As a reward, the Casuals got over the try line for the first time and, had it not been for a breakaway try in response, they would have won the final quarter. Their determination took them right to the final whistle and a final drive to the line fell agonisingly short as time expired.

Final score: Casuals 1 - 14 Bingham.

It was not a flawless performance, but I hope the team felt proud of the way they responded to adversity. Not every game will go your way, and it’s a hard ask to summon the extra fight when playing from behind. Great effort Casuals.

Gathered around a tray of hot dogs in the aftermath of battle, it was time for a few awards. First, a reward of chocolate for the Gain Line Champions. Liam took the Defensive award for a ferocious display of defensive pressure. Mikey took the Attacking award for his consistent ball carrying and positive running. Finally, Player of the Week went to Rupert for a strong all-round effort with and without the ball. Rex offered a brace of descriptors for his performance, one more family-friendly than the other - I still need to get this report past the censors so I’ll just echo one: “ubiquitous”.