Southwell 39 Nottingham Casuals 7

30th January 2016

Midlands 2 East North
Southwell 39 Nottingham Casuals 7

Casuals have gone from top half of the table to just above the relegation places during January.
Missing quite a number of players with injury, the selectors were forced into a reshuffle, which unfortunately failed.

Playing on a gloopy, muddy morasse of a pitch, with a very strong wind, it was never going to be a spectacle.
It just needed a few water buffalo or pigs wallowing on the pitch to complete the picture.
At times the game resembled an Under 11’s school match, with a lack of good handling and coordinated attacks at a premium.
Players were consistently going off their feet, straying round at scrums, ruck and mauls, and the game was a mess, what with the slimy conditions, and the ball like a bar of soap.

Southwell pressed right from the start.
Casuals facing the stiff breeze in the first half. had to play in their 22, forcing them to defend desperately.
Despite having a share of the ball Casuals simply could not clear their lines, and Southwell took advantage of a scrum for a knock on, to cross in the 7th minute, giving them a 5 - nil lead.

Casuals were consistently penalised for a whole variety of offences, but luckily for them, Southwell elected to go for touch rather than goal, as they did not seem to possess a place kicker.
It took Southwell most of the half to register another score, and when they were awarded yet another scrum, they went through in the centre, as Casuals defence parted for an easy run through.

This score seemed to spur Casuals on, and they pushed Southwell back on the defensive, but as with previous weeks, their attacks simply could not get through, foundering as they simply could not get telling passes in. Eventually Southwell regained possession when the ball was dropped in the backs, and a long kick ahead from inside their 22 bounced downfield, and stayed in play. With Casuals totally flatfooted, they did not cover back and Southwell’s wing forward ran through to pick up the ball totally unchallenged, for a stroll over for the 3rd try.

After 1/2 time Casuals had the advantage of the wind at their backs, but they were just unable to cross for a try, even though they had Southwell on the rack for the initial few minutes.
Casuals less than telling kick ahead was taken easily and Southwell ran back, but it there was a farcical period of play as the ball was dropped, hacked on, knocked on, and eventually another hack forward was seized on by Southwell to get their 4th try.
Casuals were not disheartened, but their play became more and more frenetic as they tried to break Southwell’s defence, but with a lack of cohesion, they simply could not find a way through.
Southwell however had more luck as their attacks, even as disjointed as Casuals, had more positive outcomes. Despite a wealth of dropped balls, fly hacks, wild passes, they eventually managed 2 more break throughs, as Casuals defending disentegrated.
Despite the score moving to 34 to nil, Casuals showed spirit, and their efforts were eventually rewarded in the 37th minute, when they shoved a scrum over Southwell’s line and scrum half Ben Newton was eventually credited with the try, despite apparently the ball not being touched down.

Casuals hopes were raised by this late score, but Southwell once again managed to scrabble their way back to Casuals’ half, and another hack and chase was gathered by Southwell, and they registered their 7th try to seal a bonus point win, shoving Casuals down to 8th place in the league.

It might be suggested that keeping the ball in hand is easier said than done, but Casuals need to play together, and players need to stay close to work with their support. Individual runs were going too far and players were being isolated, and the ball was lost at crucial times, illegally or not. Kicking the ball was not a good option, as the kicks had no depth or direction, so Casuals must get back to what they do best, playing as a unit. No point in rushing away and blasting at the opposition, if the runner gets isolated. It simply turns attack into defence.