Saucy
Unhappy New Year
Saucy
By Torbs_LI
January 3 2005
This is my first go at doing one of these and I have to say I am full of admiration for those that have gone before me. By the time I have removed all the expletives there may not be a lot left but here goes.
Saucy
January 3 2005
This is my first go at doing one of these and I have to say I am full of admiration for those that have gone before me. By the time I have removed all the expletives there may not be a lot left but here goes.
I hope those of you that actually went to the game will at least recognise some of this even if you don’t agree with it. Having taken a peak at the message board just now it is obvious that there are a lot of opinions being posted some of them valid but quite a few are ill informed and perhaps understandably emotive.
Sixways is in my opinion one of the better grounds we get to visit and their supporters are generally very pleasant and knowledgeable about our great game.
The “usual suspects” had bedecked part of the North Stand in pink and green adding a blaize of colour to what was to turn out to be a dark afternoon in more ways than one. It started with the news that Sackey, Catt and Hardwick were out due to one virus or another.
The sell out crowd (8,477) stood in silent respect to the terrible tragedy in the Indian Ocean and when all is said and done doesn’t that put “our” supposed crisis into prospective?
From the kick off Phil Murphy unusually failed to gather the ball and knocked on. Scrum to Worcester who put in the first of many big drives and we were pinged for turning the scrum. Tommy Hayes kicks the penalty. I minute gone 3 – 0 Worcester.
Irish came back strongly showing some improved handling skills but we made little forward momentum and once again were getting turned over by a more aggressive set of forwards when it comes to dogging it out on the ground.
Seven minutes gone and Tofty recovered from a cut to the face to kick a penalty following Worcester handling in the scrum. 3-3 This was to be one of Toftys brighter moments in what was otherwise a very undistinguished performance. IMO.
I would say both sides had their fair share of possession in what for most of the game was end-to-end stuff with both teams defending well. 11 minutes gone and Mr Lander pinged Dawson for not binding. Hayes penalty from 26 mtrs 6 – 3.
The next ten minutes or so saw both sides making mistakes at the set pieces but once again some very lateral passing failed to break the Worcester defence.
At 24 minutes Worcester were camped out short of our line but drove early in the scrum.Horaks resulting free kick was charged down by Matt Powell, who may not have retired ten metres and he followed over to score the try. Hayes failed to convert 11 – 3 Worcester.
At 30 minutes the predicted heavy rain arrived which did nothing to help the handling or our kicking from hand by the backs who failed to find touch and on more than one occasion kicked straight into touch.
Mr Lander appeared to be very lenient in relation to some of the dark side work by Worcester however he had no option but to bin Tim Collier on 38 minutes for persistent pulling down in the line.
Tofty kicks the corner, Irish drive but fail to make headway even with Collier missing at 120 kilo. Worcester get pinged again. We go to the corner and once again take the ball but fail to drive over. We spin the ball out, Tofty grubber kicks for Nils but the ball goes dead in a very tight dead ball area.
Half Time 11 – 3 Worcester.
The first ten minutes of the second half saw Barry Everett on for Tofty and Darren Edwards on for Hodgson who had a workman like game, and for a while we looked to be making some headway with Bishop, Russel, Casey and Armitage all making some line breaking runs however that final gap just never appeared or wasn’t created.
At 52 minutes Appleford came on for Horak and Roland Reid came on for Murphy and Roland made something of an impact with some good lineout work and support play amongst the backs. Shows promise IMO.
On 55 minutes Irish awarded a penalty for going in the side. Everett converts 11 – 6 and now maybe we would turn up the gas. There were no signs that Worcester would sit back on their lead and Tommy Hayes continued to kick for territory which put them back just short of the Irish 20 mtr line.
Worcester stole the line out and Nils missed a crucial tackle in the centre that put Worcester just short of the line. Good defence by the forwards but Worcester eventually worked the ball left for Frenchman Thomas Lombard to go over.
Hayes missed 16 – 6.
Irish were picking up injuries and this resulted in Kennedy coming on for Staniforth and Halsey for Durant and shortly before this Robbie Russell was replaced by Van der Walt.
Irish continued to push forward but a strong Worcester defence and some basic errors by Irish saw the game finish 16 - 6 in torrential rain.
Like most of you who were actually there I felt very disappointed after the game but after a few scoops and a good nights sleep it wasn’t all bad. Worcester are a good side and they have beaten Wasps and Quinns up there. They have run some other very good sides to win bonus points.
OK so we had a bad day at the office. If you have a bad day on Tuesday will you get pilloried or sacked? I believe we have the components to do the job. We just have to get them in the right order.
If you went and you agree with this that’s great. If you don’t then that’s also great as that is your right. If you didn’t go and you don’t agree with this then go next time and give us your slant on things.
And by the way!!!
Happy New Year.
Sixways is in my opinion one of the better grounds we get to visit and their supporters are generally very pleasant and knowledgeable about our great game.
The “usual suspects” had bedecked part of the North Stand in pink and green adding a blaize of colour to what was to turn out to be a dark afternoon in more ways than one. It started with the news that Sackey, Catt and Hardwick were out due to one virus or another.
The sell out crowd (8,477) stood in silent respect to the terrible tragedy in the Indian Ocean and when all is said and done doesn’t that put “our” supposed crisis into prospective?
From the kick off Phil Murphy unusually failed to gather the ball and knocked on. Scrum to Worcester who put in the first of many big drives and we were pinged for turning the scrum. Tommy Hayes kicks the penalty. I minute gone 3 – 0 Worcester.
Irish came back strongly showing some improved handling skills but we made little forward momentum and once again were getting turned over by a more aggressive set of forwards when it comes to dogging it out on the ground.
Seven minutes gone and Tofty recovered from a cut to the face to kick a penalty following Worcester handling in the scrum. 3-3 This was to be one of Toftys brighter moments in what was otherwise a very undistinguished performance. IMO.
I would say both sides had their fair share of possession in what for most of the game was end-to-end stuff with both teams defending well. 11 minutes gone and Mr Lander pinged Dawson for not binding. Hayes penalty from 26 mtrs 6 – 3.
The next ten minutes or so saw both sides making mistakes at the set pieces but once again some very lateral passing failed to break the Worcester defence.
At 24 minutes Worcester were camped out short of our line but drove early in the scrum.Horaks resulting free kick was charged down by Matt Powell, who may not have retired ten metres and he followed over to score the try. Hayes failed to convert 11 – 3 Worcester.
At 30 minutes the predicted heavy rain arrived which did nothing to help the handling or our kicking from hand by the backs who failed to find touch and on more than one occasion kicked straight into touch.
Mr Lander appeared to be very lenient in relation to some of the dark side work by Worcester however he had no option but to bin Tim Collier on 38 minutes for persistent pulling down in the line.
Tofty kicks the corner, Irish drive but fail to make headway even with Collier missing at 120 kilo. Worcester get pinged again. We go to the corner and once again take the ball but fail to drive over. We spin the ball out, Tofty grubber kicks for Nils but the ball goes dead in a very tight dead ball area.
Half Time 11 – 3 Worcester.
The first ten minutes of the second half saw Barry Everett on for Tofty and Darren Edwards on for Hodgson who had a workman like game, and for a while we looked to be making some headway with Bishop, Russel, Casey and Armitage all making some line breaking runs however that final gap just never appeared or wasn’t created.
At 52 minutes Appleford came on for Horak and Roland Reid came on for Murphy and Roland made something of an impact with some good lineout work and support play amongst the backs. Shows promise IMO.
On 55 minutes Irish awarded a penalty for going in the side. Everett converts 11 – 6 and now maybe we would turn up the gas. There were no signs that Worcester would sit back on their lead and Tommy Hayes continued to kick for territory which put them back just short of the Irish 20 mtr line.
Worcester stole the line out and Nils missed a crucial tackle in the centre that put Worcester just short of the line. Good defence by the forwards but Worcester eventually worked the ball left for Frenchman Thomas Lombard to go over.
Hayes missed 16 – 6.
Irish were picking up injuries and this resulted in Kennedy coming on for Staniforth and Halsey for Durant and shortly before this Robbie Russell was replaced by Van der Walt.
Irish continued to push forward but a strong Worcester defence and some basic errors by Irish saw the game finish 16 - 6 in torrential rain.
Like most of you who were actually there I felt very disappointed after the game but after a few scoops and a good nights sleep it wasn’t all bad. Worcester are a good side and they have beaten Wasps and Quinns up there. They have run some other very good sides to win bonus points.
OK so we had a bad day at the office. If you have a bad day on Tuesday will you get pilloried or sacked? I believe we have the components to do the job. We just have to get them in the right order.
If you went and you agree with this that’s great. If you don’t then that’s also great as that is your right. If you didn’t go and you don’t agree with this then go next time and give us your slant on things.
And by the way!!!
Happy New Year.
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