London Welsh
London Welsh v Rotherham - Match Preview
By Mark W-J
December 16 2009
Having broken into the top four in the Championship table with last weekend’s win at Birmingham Solihull, London Welsh welcome Rotherham to ODP for the final home fixture of 2009. The Titans travel with just a single away win to their credit this season – 29-0 at Bees at the beginning of October – and currently find themselves in the mix for the relegation play-offs with four wins from thirteen.
Two of their other three wins have come against the teams who have won at ODP this season. Plymouth – who have also beaten Bedford, Pirates and Nottingham thus far - lost 29-16 at Clifton Lane in September, while Doncaster’s four match winning streak – which included Bristol as well as Welsh – was ended last month by their local rivals, 11-7. It’s a shame that the excitement and unpredictability of the results to-date will count for nothing in the final shake-up, and is an indication of just how ridiculous the play-off structure is.
For the second week running, our opponents come into the game having been ‘nilled’ by Bristol the previous week. Roth’s 15-0 defeat on Saturday was no disgrace – Bristol had picked-up a try bonus in each of their last four games and seven times in total – and it shows a marked improvement on two years ago when the relegated Premiership side, Northampton, won 41-0 at Clifton Lane and 73-0 at Franklins Gardens. We suffered the same indignity ourselves when Leeds triumphed 38-0 at ODP in October last year.
The Titans’ results in the B&I Cup were as mixed as their league form. An opening seven-try win over Bees (52-10) was followed by a 28-13 defeat at Scottish champions Ayr which leaves them second in Pool D, although the game between Pontypridd and Doncaster has yet to be played. Roth entertain both of those sides in the spring, either side of a trip to current group leaders Cardiff.
Since the Exiles’ visit to Clifton Lane in September, our opponents have made a number of new signings, most notably the return on a permanent basis of former Ireland centre Kevin Maggs. The 35 year-old, capped 70 times, played six games on a short-term deal last season after being released by Bristol, the club with whom he’d started his career 15 years previously. He made his debut in our 20-7 away win in early March, and returned at the start of last month as a player-assistant coach, making his first start in last week’s defeat to his former club.
Of the 219 points scored by Rotherham in the league, 50% (109 points) have been bagged by Jonny West, son of Head Coach Craig. He’s inherited the goalkicking responsibilities from former LW full-back Mike Whitehead, who scored 114 points in his only season with us at a rate of 80%. West’s current strike-rate is around 69%, slightly ahead of Aled Thomas who has also scored 109 points at a rate of about 64%. The Titans’ 19 tries have been shared among 14 players, five of whom have grabbed two apiece: only Bees, with 18, have scored fewer tries in the league.
A total of 36 players have donned the maroon and sky blue jersey, of whom three – West, prop Ben Prescott, and much-travelled flanker Gregor Hayter – have appeared in all 13 games, although only Prescott has started each match. For Welsh, four players have featured in every game, of whom Aled Thomas and Matt Corker have started 12, while Neil Starling and Michael Holford have each made two substitute appearances.
As mentioned previously, Roth are currently 11th in the 12-team Championship, although if – as expected - Coventry incur a 15-point penalty then they will rise to 10th. However, they’re only one win adrift of Moseley, who currently occupy the final promotion play-off spot, and the last three weeks of the ‘league’ season see Titans entertain both Cov and Moseley. They could also be forgiven for having one eye on Boxing Day’s fixtures when the Midlands rivals meet at Billesley Common and Roth entertain rock-bottom Bees.
We’ve twice been the victims of ‘shock’ results at home to teams in the bottom four, and having finally clawed our way up to 4th in the table you’d hope that there will be no room for complacency this Saturday. Ten years ago, Rotherham used to delight in upsetting the so-called ‘bigger’ clubs, gaining promotion to the Premiership ahead of their well-heeled rivals from Leeds and Worcester. There’s still some way to go before we can consider ourselves one of those ‘bigger’ clubs again, but while a top-two finish looks unlikely it would be nice to think that if we can build on the recent run of form we can start to regain the respect and praise that was being lavished upon the team in the early stage of the season.
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Change of Kick Off time for Rotherham game this weekend
The Kick Off time for this weekend's game against Rotherham has been brought forward to 1.45pm.
This is due to weather conditions and the possibility of bad light.
If you have booked hospitality this will also begin earlier at 12.00 for 12.15.
And Squeak will be singing on Saturday.
Supporters Club song sheets will be available for those wishing to join in with the carols.
15: Aled Thomas
14: Ed Lewis-Pratt
13: Paul Mackey
12: Simon Whatling
11: Errie Claassens
10: Gordon Ross
9: Nick Runciman
8: Tom Brown
7: Guy Mercer
6: Jonathan Mils (captain)
5: Matt Corker
4: Matt Garvey
3: Lorne Ward
2: Dan George
1: Dorian Williams
Replacements
16: Chris Whitehead
17: Michael Holford
18: Mike Powell
19: Jon Fisher
20: Rob Lewis
21: Neil Starling
22: Dominic Shabbo
1. Craig Voisey
2. Nigel Conroy
3. Ben Prescott
4. Matt Challinor
5. Andy Barnes
6. Adam Kleeberger
7. Tinus Du Plessis
8. Sam Dickinson
9. Neil Chivers
10. Mike Whitehead
11. Brad Hunt
12. Petaia Gidlow
13. Kevin Maggs
14. Andrew Henderson
15. Ben Coulbeck
Replacements
16. Simon Jenkins (F)
17. Anton ODonnell (F)
18. Steve Swindalls
19. Ryan Burrows
20. Nick Buckley
21. Peter Swatkins
22. Jonny West
23. Colin Quigley
Can't see it going ahead looking at the forecast - maybe more snow, but more importantly its down to -4 or 5 tonight & will only struggle to +1 or 2 by 2pm. Ground is likely to be frozen.
Keep an eye on the various websites but don't phone the club!
Conv missed
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009:12:19:14:34:33 by Blackheath Welsh.
conv missed
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009:12:19:15:27:53 by Blackheath Welsh.
conv missed
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009:12:19:15:25:27 by Blackheath Welsh.
A great Christmas present for us all,players and supporters, many many thanks to you blackheath welsh for your match reports,they are very much appreciated, go and have a hot toddy to warm you up. 
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2009:12:19:16:23:31 by SELondon Welsh.
Was I the only one to find the refereeing a bit strange? Not the decisions so much as the ditheriness and general lack of commitment to decisions. Whistle seemed to come late, if at all in some cases. Half time call was a bit uncertain. Hand signals were a bit half hearted too.
Also thought that there should have been a kit change, they were too similar in colour, especially when we started losing the light.
We were being outmuscled at the breakdown, outthought and outplayed for most of the game.
Still in 4th place in the table, even with the Bees/Nottingham game off.
He was in the Swansea Marriott the Saturday before, wearing RFU branded gear and having a drink in the bar with a mate.
The number 19 that came on at the end was a fine physical specimen but everything he did was a mistake!! three missed tackles and two dropped balls in a three minute period. Also chased a lost cause which created a hole in the defensive line which could have hurt , right at the end!
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