Camels 'R' Us
London Irish vs Saracens match report
Camels 'R' Us
By MrsGoz
November 10 2003
There are two ways to achieve a win in rugby; there’s the easy way and then there’s the London Irish way. I now know why the London Irish way is the best way, it’s because the lads want us to really ‘feel’ the blood-and-guts-right-down-to-the-wire approach. Thanks lads, I felt it!!
Camels 'R' Us
November 10 2003
There are two ways to achieve a win in rugby; there’s the easy way and then there’s the London Irish way. I now know why the London Irish way is the best way, it’s because the lads want us to really ‘feel’ the blood-and-guts-right-down-to-the-wire approach. Thanks lads, I felt it!!
We settled into the South stand at Sarries in plenty of time to secure seats right behind the posts and half way up, shortly to be surrounded by Sarries supporters and a few Irish who didn’t want to sit in the naughty corner allocated for the drums (oops, drum)!
After some very entertaining mini-rugby we had a laugh at Sarrie the Camel – who quite obviously isn’t a real camel as he wears plastic bags on his feet, can the club not buy him some hooves?
There was then a lovely musical interlude with some pictures of Sarries players on the big screen, I think it was meant to be rousing but Sachbi said it would have been more successful if they’d had no clothes on!
The Kenwood tunnel had now been extended for the players to run through, so they did.
On the whistle Sarries kick-off. Irish secure the ball and after a couple of passes Barry and his magic boot kick to touch on the half way line. Sarries throw-in and retain possession, passing the ball swiftly along the line and through a sloppy Irish defense for Goode to score a try, which he then converts. Sarries 7-0 after 2 minutes!
From the restart, Sarries 9 hoofs the ball directly to a well placed and probably grateful Spud Murphy. Irish retain the ball but didn’t make a huge amount of impact, Sarries are pinged for being off-side so Barry and his magic boot do the honours and the score is 7-3 on 8 minutes.
Irish retain the ball from the restart but faced with slight Sarries pressure the ball was again sent into touch, Sarries win the lineout and advance towards the Irish line before Goode takes the opportunity to land a cheeky little drop goal. 10-3.
The next 5 minutes seem to consist of each team taking it in turns to hoof the ball into touch, win their own line-outs, retain possession for a short while, lose it for the other team to then do the same. Neither team making a huge amount of distance but if the effort they were putting in was indicative of the amount of steam rising from their bodies, they were working hard!
A moment of high excitement followed an Irish throw-in where we retained the ball, some nice fluid moves saw Horak collect the ball and storm towards the Sarries line only to be hauled into touch about a metre short.
Sarries hold on to the ball following their throw-in and when faced with an advancing Irish, again kick to touch. Irish win their throw-in Strudders has the ball and is tackled, Barry receives and is tackled and the ball goes back to Strudders who crashes over the line in front of the drums (oops, drum). The try is unconverted. 10-8 and 13 minutes played.
From the restart, some Sarries interference leads to an Irish knock-on. Irish penalised for a misdemeaner in the resulting scrum but from the reset, steal the ball. Barry hoofs the ball but fails to find touch. Sarries boot the ball back towards the Irish half and knock the ball into the waiting arms of Awesome. Irish work the ball along the line but lose it, Sarries Haughton, not missing a gift like that, taps the ball and lands neatly on top of it to score, duly converted by Goode. A very sloppy Irish defense means that the score on 19 minutes is 17-8.
Sarries collect the ball from Barry’s restart and it thump it up the pitch where Horak is perfectly placed to collect it and kick it into touch. Sarries win their line out and break through what little defence Irish offer, they are however stopped some way short of the line. Irish are penalised for not rolling away and Goode takes the opportunity to increase their lead with a penalty. 20-8. Now just before the penalty was taken, the water carriers come running onto the pitch to the music from Chariots of Fire. Is this because water people are running on, or is it because Sarries are about to kick a penalty???
Play resumes. Sarries penalised for something I missed (the perils of report writing) and the Ref indicates Irish advantage. Play then bought back in front of the posts and Irish tap & go. Bish and Spud both make for the line before Sarries get penalised again. Their number 3, Broster, gets a bit lairy and in the absence of any offical involvement Beefy calms him down. Barry takes the penalty and makes the score 20-11 and 26 minutes played.
Irish collect the new ball and Sarries are penalised but Barry fails to find touch. Sarries Johnston kindly helps us out and kicks the ball out of play. Irish throw in is messy but we retain the ball, Spud appears to be all over the pitch and I think is having a blinding game. Sarries 5, Chesney, throws a closed fist punch but the Ref fails to see it, surprising as it was right in front of him, obviously it was too blatant to register!
Irish lose the ball for Sarries to send it into touch, Irish win the line-out and drive forward but again lose possession. Sarries pick up the ball and some beautiful passing and fierce tackling from both sides ensues. The ball is with Goode and Strudders runs toward him, hits him square on and sends him flying. The tackle looks sublime and very fair, the Ref signals play to continue before the Touch Judge lifts his flag to indicate Goode is still down and not moving. Play is suspended for 5 minutes in which Goode’s condition is monitored before he is stretchered off, during which time the Sarries crowd are baying for Strudders blood. The Touch Judge and Ref confer and still no offence is signalled. Finally, and it seems as a direct result of crowd pressure, the Ref bins strudders for 10 minutes for a dangerous tackle. Nice one Ref.
With Irish down to 14 men and Little on in place of Goode play resumes. Irish gain possession and after 5 well-strung passes a beautiful kick to touch puts us in sight of Sarries line. Sarries win the ball and almost immediately kick back into touch, halfway into their own half, we fail to capitalise and Sarries then hoof the ball back out of play on the half-way line. We spill the ball from the put-in and Sarries hoof it towards the touch line and into the safe arms of Spud who runs and chips a beautiful ball but is unlucky to get knocked into touch. Sarries quickly lose the ball, Barry does a beautiful crab impression with his sideways steps passes the ball out and finds Sackey with a massive gap in front of him. Sackey scores, Barry converts and it’s 20-18 deep into injury time.
Irish concede a penalty for something, nobody really seems sure what. Sarries go for the penalty and increase the lead to 23-18. Some more scrappy play where a last minute knock-on stops an Irish try and the whistle blows for half time.
The second half commences with another session of ‘hoof the ball’ ending in Sarries kicking to touch. Irish retain the ball from the throw in and Sarries are then penalised, I think for off-side. Barry and his magic boot kick a good penalty and it’s 23-21.
Sackey catches from the restart and after Barry kicks to touch we steal their line-out ball, twice in quick succession. Play appears much faster following the break although the damp air and ground is resulting in a slippery ball.
Another exchange of long kicks results in an Irish knock-on. Sarries clear their own scrum but the kick is caught by Horak who passes to Appleford who receives a dodgy looking tackle. The Ref has a chat with the Sarries man and awards a penalty. Barry kicks to touch on the Sarries 22. We retain the ball and there follows some very slick passing with Irish working the ball very well, Barry attempts a drop goal but it goes wide, looked as if a hand may have got to it as the veering was rather sudden!
Irish then seem to lose the ability to tackle – probably fearful of being binned for it – though thankfully the tackle drought doesn’t last long and when Sarries are penalised (hands in the ruck) Barry misses touch. However, again Sarries help us out and kick the ball to touch in their own half. Our throw in and we retain the ball and beetle off towards Sarries line, sadly a knock-on puts paid to our plan!
Sarries have a put in at the scrum, they clear and again kick to Horak who knocks the ball on, another scrum for Sarries which turns too fast and after the second attempt Irish are penalised. A further Irish infringement results in Sarries taking a penalty and making the score 26-21. Not for long though as almost immediately after the restart Sarries are penalised and Barry, along with his magic boot, slots the ball neatly between the uprights 26-24.
Before you know it, Sarries 6, Roques, is binned for handling in the ruck, Barry takes a shot from almost half way and while those experts around me in the South stand felt it went over I’m willing to concede the Ref may have had a slightly better view!
Horak takes the ball from the restart, some good play follows but we lose the ball, get it back. Lose it again, get it back and it finds it’s way into the hands of Appleford, who does that lovely fast running thing over about 40 metres and scores a peach of a try which Barry happily converts. 26-31 with 23 minutes of the second half gone.
By this time, my throat is very sore.
Off again, Sarries have a throw in and while they keep the ball from that, Horak manages to catch it and proceeds to charge up the pitch with it before hoofing it towards Sarries try line. Sarries collect the ball and swiftly get dragged into touch. Irish ball and Sarries are penalised, Barry lines it up and does his thang, 26-34.
From the restart the ball goes straight to touch so we’re back for a scrum on the halfway line ball is cleared and kicked into touch well into Sarries half, we steal the ball at the throw in and look like we mean business but are penalised (sorry, was writing so didn’t see what for!). Sarries kick to touch just inside Irish half, ball passes from pillar to post and the Ref penalises Sarries for hands in the ruck.
Play moves towards the Sarries line with Irish retaining possession until a slippery ball escapes from Barry. Possession then switches from one side to another until LaaLaa (or Billy Bob Tooth as the offy site would have it) is binned for going in at the side.
Sarries are awarded a scrum which sees Durant coming on and Dawson going off as Irish are without LaaLaa and need a scrum replacement.
Irish steal the ball and Barry belts it to touch from where Irish also steal Sarries throw-in – although in the spirit of fairness, we did kick the ball straight back to Sarries who, in turn, hoof it straight back to the arms of Horak, he in turn hoofs it into touch!
Rob Hoadley who has been all over the park and worked like a trojan is taken off and Nils Mordt takes his place.
Sarries throw-in, Irish steal (again) and Horak boots the ball to touch on the other sideline. Sarries throw-in, they win but we steal the ball and then knock it forward. Spud Murphy is taken off and Gussie makes a welcome return; Naka also goes off to be replaced by Flavin and Sarries Bailey goes off to be replaced by Cech.
Play continues and Irish are penalised for coming in at the side of the ruck. Sarries go for the penalty very close to the posts – and, although quite how remains a mystery, miss!
There follows a spell of tag with the ball bouncing from one side to the other and from one half to the other before advancing rapidly into our half. Sarries Haughton finds himself out wide, unmarked and with the ball in his hands, figuring it’d be rude not to, he scores but Little fails to convert.
Full time and the score board says 31-34.
The lads came over to acknowledge the travelling support and everyone is relieved to see Andy Goode up on his feet and being interviewed.
I think Irish played as a solid team and would find it hard to single any one person out especially. However, I do feel compelled to say that Spud Murphy did a fantastic job and had a great game – no mean feat when you look at the shoes he’s trying to fill.
The other thing I have to say is probably music to your eyes, never again will I do a match report!
After some very entertaining mini-rugby we had a laugh at Sarrie the Camel – who quite obviously isn’t a real camel as he wears plastic bags on his feet, can the club not buy him some hooves?
There was then a lovely musical interlude with some pictures of Sarries players on the big screen, I think it was meant to be rousing but Sachbi said it would have been more successful if they’d had no clothes on!
The Kenwood tunnel had now been extended for the players to run through, so they did.
On the whistle Sarries kick-off. Irish secure the ball and after a couple of passes Barry and his magic boot kick to touch on the half way line. Sarries throw-in and retain possession, passing the ball swiftly along the line and through a sloppy Irish defense for Goode to score a try, which he then converts. Sarries 7-0 after 2 minutes!
From the restart, Sarries 9 hoofs the ball directly to a well placed and probably grateful Spud Murphy. Irish retain the ball but didn’t make a huge amount of impact, Sarries are pinged for being off-side so Barry and his magic boot do the honours and the score is 7-3 on 8 minutes.
Irish retain the ball from the restart but faced with slight Sarries pressure the ball was again sent into touch, Sarries win the lineout and advance towards the Irish line before Goode takes the opportunity to land a cheeky little drop goal. 10-3.
The next 5 minutes seem to consist of each team taking it in turns to hoof the ball into touch, win their own line-outs, retain possession for a short while, lose it for the other team to then do the same. Neither team making a huge amount of distance but if the effort they were putting in was indicative of the amount of steam rising from their bodies, they were working hard!
A moment of high excitement followed an Irish throw-in where we retained the ball, some nice fluid moves saw Horak collect the ball and storm towards the Sarries line only to be hauled into touch about a metre short.
Sarries hold on to the ball following their throw-in and when faced with an advancing Irish, again kick to touch. Irish win their throw-in Strudders has the ball and is tackled, Barry receives and is tackled and the ball goes back to Strudders who crashes over the line in front of the drums (oops, drum). The try is unconverted. 10-8 and 13 minutes played.
From the restart, some Sarries interference leads to an Irish knock-on. Irish penalised for a misdemeaner in the resulting scrum but from the reset, steal the ball. Barry hoofs the ball but fails to find touch. Sarries boot the ball back towards the Irish half and knock the ball into the waiting arms of Awesome. Irish work the ball along the line but lose it, Sarries Haughton, not missing a gift like that, taps the ball and lands neatly on top of it to score, duly converted by Goode. A very sloppy Irish defense means that the score on 19 minutes is 17-8.
Sarries collect the ball from Barry’s restart and it thump it up the pitch where Horak is perfectly placed to collect it and kick it into touch. Sarries win their line out and break through what little defence Irish offer, they are however stopped some way short of the line. Irish are penalised for not rolling away and Goode takes the opportunity to increase their lead with a penalty. 20-8. Now just before the penalty was taken, the water carriers come running onto the pitch to the music from Chariots of Fire. Is this because water people are running on, or is it because Sarries are about to kick a penalty???
Play resumes. Sarries penalised for something I missed (the perils of report writing) and the Ref indicates Irish advantage. Play then bought back in front of the posts and Irish tap & go. Bish and Spud both make for the line before Sarries get penalised again. Their number 3, Broster, gets a bit lairy and in the absence of any offical involvement Beefy calms him down. Barry takes the penalty and makes the score 20-11 and 26 minutes played.
Irish collect the new ball and Sarries are penalised but Barry fails to find touch. Sarries Johnston kindly helps us out and kicks the ball out of play. Irish throw in is messy but we retain the ball, Spud appears to be all over the pitch and I think is having a blinding game. Sarries 5, Chesney, throws a closed fist punch but the Ref fails to see it, surprising as it was right in front of him, obviously it was too blatant to register!
Irish lose the ball for Sarries to send it into touch, Irish win the line-out and drive forward but again lose possession. Sarries pick up the ball and some beautiful passing and fierce tackling from both sides ensues. The ball is with Goode and Strudders runs toward him, hits him square on and sends him flying. The tackle looks sublime and very fair, the Ref signals play to continue before the Touch Judge lifts his flag to indicate Goode is still down and not moving. Play is suspended for 5 minutes in which Goode’s condition is monitored before he is stretchered off, during which time the Sarries crowd are baying for Strudders blood. The Touch Judge and Ref confer and still no offence is signalled. Finally, and it seems as a direct result of crowd pressure, the Ref bins strudders for 10 minutes for a dangerous tackle. Nice one Ref.
With Irish down to 14 men and Little on in place of Goode play resumes. Irish gain possession and after 5 well-strung passes a beautiful kick to touch puts us in sight of Sarries line. Sarries win the ball and almost immediately kick back into touch, halfway into their own half, we fail to capitalise and Sarries then hoof the ball back out of play on the half-way line. We spill the ball from the put-in and Sarries hoof it towards the touch line and into the safe arms of Spud who runs and chips a beautiful ball but is unlucky to get knocked into touch. Sarries quickly lose the ball, Barry does a beautiful crab impression with his sideways steps passes the ball out and finds Sackey with a massive gap in front of him. Sackey scores, Barry converts and it’s 20-18 deep into injury time.
Irish concede a penalty for something, nobody really seems sure what. Sarries go for the penalty and increase the lead to 23-18. Some more scrappy play where a last minute knock-on stops an Irish try and the whistle blows for half time.
The second half commences with another session of ‘hoof the ball’ ending in Sarries kicking to touch. Irish retain the ball from the throw in and Sarries are then penalised, I think for off-side. Barry and his magic boot kick a good penalty and it’s 23-21.
Sackey catches from the restart and after Barry kicks to touch we steal their line-out ball, twice in quick succession. Play appears much faster following the break although the damp air and ground is resulting in a slippery ball.
Another exchange of long kicks results in an Irish knock-on. Sarries clear their own scrum but the kick is caught by Horak who passes to Appleford who receives a dodgy looking tackle. The Ref has a chat with the Sarries man and awards a penalty. Barry kicks to touch on the Sarries 22. We retain the ball and there follows some very slick passing with Irish working the ball very well, Barry attempts a drop goal but it goes wide, looked as if a hand may have got to it as the veering was rather sudden!
Irish then seem to lose the ability to tackle – probably fearful of being binned for it – though thankfully the tackle drought doesn’t last long and when Sarries are penalised (hands in the ruck) Barry misses touch. However, again Sarries help us out and kick the ball to touch in their own half. Our throw in and we retain the ball and beetle off towards Sarries line, sadly a knock-on puts paid to our plan!
Sarries have a put in at the scrum, they clear and again kick to Horak who knocks the ball on, another scrum for Sarries which turns too fast and after the second attempt Irish are penalised. A further Irish infringement results in Sarries taking a penalty and making the score 26-21. Not for long though as almost immediately after the restart Sarries are penalised and Barry, along with his magic boot, slots the ball neatly between the uprights 26-24.
Before you know it, Sarries 6, Roques, is binned for handling in the ruck, Barry takes a shot from almost half way and while those experts around me in the South stand felt it went over I’m willing to concede the Ref may have had a slightly better view!
Horak takes the ball from the restart, some good play follows but we lose the ball, get it back. Lose it again, get it back and it finds it’s way into the hands of Appleford, who does that lovely fast running thing over about 40 metres and scores a peach of a try which Barry happily converts. 26-31 with 23 minutes of the second half gone.
By this time, my throat is very sore.
Off again, Sarries have a throw in and while they keep the ball from that, Horak manages to catch it and proceeds to charge up the pitch with it before hoofing it towards Sarries try line. Sarries collect the ball and swiftly get dragged into touch. Irish ball and Sarries are penalised, Barry lines it up and does his thang, 26-34.
From the restart the ball goes straight to touch so we’re back for a scrum on the halfway line ball is cleared and kicked into touch well into Sarries half, we steal the ball at the throw in and look like we mean business but are penalised (sorry, was writing so didn’t see what for!). Sarries kick to touch just inside Irish half, ball passes from pillar to post and the Ref penalises Sarries for hands in the ruck.
Play moves towards the Sarries line with Irish retaining possession until a slippery ball escapes from Barry. Possession then switches from one side to another until LaaLaa (or Billy Bob Tooth as the offy site would have it) is binned for going in at the side.
Sarries are awarded a scrum which sees Durant coming on and Dawson going off as Irish are without LaaLaa and need a scrum replacement.
Irish steal the ball and Barry belts it to touch from where Irish also steal Sarries throw-in – although in the spirit of fairness, we did kick the ball straight back to Sarries who, in turn, hoof it straight back to the arms of Horak, he in turn hoofs it into touch!
Rob Hoadley who has been all over the park and worked like a trojan is taken off and Nils Mordt takes his place.
Sarries throw-in, Irish steal (again) and Horak boots the ball to touch on the other sideline. Sarries throw-in, they win but we steal the ball and then knock it forward. Spud Murphy is taken off and Gussie makes a welcome return; Naka also goes off to be replaced by Flavin and Sarries Bailey goes off to be replaced by Cech.
Play continues and Irish are penalised for coming in at the side of the ruck. Sarries go for the penalty very close to the posts – and, although quite how remains a mystery, miss!
There follows a spell of tag with the ball bouncing from one side to the other and from one half to the other before advancing rapidly into our half. Sarries Haughton finds himself out wide, unmarked and with the ball in his hands, figuring it’d be rude not to, he scores but Little fails to convert.
Full time and the score board says 31-34.
The lads came over to acknowledge the travelling support and everyone is relieved to see Andy Goode up on his feet and being interviewed.
I think Irish played as a solid team and would find it hard to single any one person out especially. However, I do feel compelled to say that Spud Murphy did a fantastic job and had a great game – no mean feat when you look at the shoes he’s trying to fill.
The other thing I have to say is probably music to your eyes, never again will I do a match report!
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