On the inaugural day of the 2008 Six Nations Championship, an Oldfield second/third team mix took to the field to play a friendly against Combe Down II.

A weekend free from league commitments gave our second and third team a chance to integrate against our hosts’ second team at Holly’s Corner.  

Oldfield started brightly with fly half “angry Jack Burns” looking to run his backs at every opportunity in the first ten minutes.  Combe Down soon looked to nullify this open style of rugby through their forwards whose impressive rucking and mauling stifled the opening Oldfield assault.  Thereafter, a period of shadow boxing commenced with both sets of forwards looking to assert authority on the game.

It wasn’t until the twentieth minute that the halfback pairing of Clarke and Burns made a break to release Fireman Sam into the Combe Down 22 where his finishing pace gave the Shaft Road outfit their first try of the game.  Combe Down answered almost immediately when both full back and scrum half made some elusive running on the right wing.  With Oldfield backs scampering to cover the attack, a clever switch by the scrum half opened up the Oldfield 22 for his full back, giving the hosts a well-worked and deserved score.

With Ireland struggling to convert their chances at Croke Park; Oldfield also found it difficult to break down a resilient Combe Down.  Matters were not helped when both Murphy and JR held hands behind the posts for 10 minutes after trying to endear themselves to the referee.  Back row Hayes proved a constant threat and carried ball on numerous occasions across the gain line.

The changes at half time saw third team boiler house pairing of Chapman/Wynes add some solidity to the creaking Oldfield scrum.  As the game weathered on, Oldfield’s fresh forwards (well fresh ish!!!) gained parity to allow the backs open up the game for some running rugby.  Clarke in particular made some cutting moves to score two deserved tries.  The final minutes saw Oldfield dominate lineout possession to allow “angry Jack Burns” to scuttle across the line after a break by openside Hayes.  

Our hosts kept up the pressure until the end with the final score flattering the visitors.  Notable Oldfield performances came from the Burns brothers, Hayes, Stainer and Clifton.  But man of the match award goes to the ever-guileful Guilan Clarke.   

Oldfield III:

McRae, Murphy, Stainer, Clifton, Gibson, JR, Hayes, Hawkins, Clarke, Burns J, Lane, Burns S, Sir Guy, Taylor, Ericson.

Subs: Chapman, Wynes, Coales, Madden, and Parker.

Tries: Burns J, Burns S, Clarke (2)

Conv: Burns, Parker

Jack Gillett forgot his shorts this week!!!!!!!!!