Rugby: Warls back to winning ways

Warlingham got back to winning ways by beating Old Paulines 13-32 at Thames Ditton last Saturday.

Two tries from fly-half Alex Glover helped them to consolidate their third position in the London South West Four table.

Yet the Crest Nicholson-sponsored side managed to add yet another casualty to the club's lengthy injury list as powerful winger Ben Wiseman left the pitch with a broken rib early in the second half.

Warlingham had started the game looking likely to match their near-60-point win over Paulines from earlier in the season. With barely five minutes gone, Jon Smith, the visitors' captain, took the ball on from a scrum before off-loading to scrum-half Ollie Doe who then released Glover.

Glover, with 80 yards of pitch in front him, ran superbly avoiding two tackles before touching down to score an excellent individual try.

Warlingham continued to press and could have had a second try in a matter of minutes when Doe broke away, sprinting along the right wing before passing inside to Wiseman. But a fumble granted Old Paulines a lucky escape.

Instead of the try, Warlingham soon added more points to the board, though, when the referee awarded them a penalty which Doe converted.

Warlingham played some good rugby and continued to force Old Paulines back into their half. When Glover released Dan Street on the 22-metre line, he charged towards the line, knocking over one challenge before overpowering the Old Paulines full-back and, on his birthday, scored, showing just why the strong and fast hooker has gone into double figures for tries this season.

A lthough Doe was unable to convert, the score was 0-13 with just 20 minutes gone.

Old Paulines were unable to make any real impression on the Warlingham side until close to halftime when retained pressure earned them two penalties, of which one was converted leaving the score 3-13 at the break.

Warlingham coach Conrad Bool used the break to make a change, bringing on Shane Webzall for youngster Michael Freeman as he shuffled his squad around in attempt to open the Old Paulines side and finish them off early.

But having just made that tactical change, Bool was soon forced into another due to Wiseman's injury, and that saw teenager Rory Bowman enter the fray and make an immediate impact.

With Warlingham pressurising the Old Paulines 22, the ball was spread out along the backs to Chris Cole and then to Bowman who went over to score a try.

But then Warlingham took their foot off the gas, much to coach Bool's displeasure. A sluggish Warlingham conceded two penalties allowing Old Paulines nearer their try-line, which they exploited to the full when their centre went steaming through to score completely unopposed.

Warlingham played the rest of the game in fits and starts, only sometimes showing small bursts of skill and power. It was in such a moment that Dom Lespierre kicked and chased before catching and playing a good pass to Glover, who cut inside and went over to record his second try of match, which Doe converted.

Old Paulines continued to fight and scored another try, but Crest Nicholson-sponsored Warlingham responded with another try through Cole to round off the scoring.

Warlingham's coach's frustration was clear when Bool said, "What was most disappointing was that we showed that whenever we wanted to play, we scored at will.

"But there was a distinct lack of effort, and that affected the cohesion of the team, and that isn't acceptable."

Warlingham's man of the match was Sam Salter, who was one of the few players who tackled excellently throughout the entire contest.

"Obviously we need to work on tackling after that performance," Salter said, "but a win is a win. We just need to keep on improving each game."

Wiseman's broken rib means that he joins four other first-choice players - Neil Robson, Mark Kozminski, Rory Child and Tom Street - as a long-term injury just a week ahead of a crunch local derby.

This Saturday at Hamsey Green, Warlingham have a "friendly" with a derby against Purley-John Fisher, a contest that will surely test their young squad to the full. That game will be preceded by a special challenge match between a Warlingham XV and a side from top French club Stade Francais (11am kick off).

*Warlingham is staging a two-day rugby camp for boys and girls aged from 6 to 15 at Hamsey Green during the Easter school holidays. Run by former Warlingham, Wasps and Munster player Dan Leek, the camp will be staged on April 11 and April 12 and players will be coached by fully qualified RFU coaches in all aspects of rugby - kicking, contact, handling and agility.