By Hillary Carr
April 30 2004

With the chance to finish the season midtable and this being the only occasion this season to play at The Stoop, Harlequins Amateurs set about Uxbridge with a flourish that befitted the pride in our club and colours. Won 30 – 5

The weather contributed handsomely to the game. Clear but breezy conditions allowed an open game to be played using the full potential of the width of the pitch and the wind in each team’s favour, which Quins exploited to the greater good.

Quins were already 3 points up after sustained pressure resulted in a penalty converted by Webster at stand-off. Good use of the blind side attacking option by the backs from the kick off saw Quins forwards driving for the line, firstly through Stevens, the No.8 who was consistently strong off the back of the scrum all afternoon, then through Webster. Once again as has blighted our game throughout the season, our over-enthusiasm to convert pressure into points led to Quins conceding a penalty within 5 metres of the line.

The pressure was sustained with Uxbridge making the odd foray into the Quins half, their efforts too often breaking down through poor handling and a solid defence in the tackle. On 20 minutes, the Quins forward pressure resulted in the captain Ben Richards, probably playing his last game for the club, stretching to reach the line for the first try, converted by Webster (10-0).

Uxbridge missed an easy penalty in the 25^th minute, which Webster punished by converting a Quins penalty in the 31^st minute, though his attempt at a drop goal was hurried and wayward five minutes later.  Half Time: Quins led 13-0.

In the second half, Grundlingh came on to the right wing and immediately made his presence known with some blistering bursts through the Uxbridge tacklers. Against the run of play, Uxbridge scored a try eight minutes into the second half. Those on the sidelines watching feared the almost habitual turnaround where Quins let the opposition come back into the game to the detriment of the final result. But to their credit, Quins set about redeeming the situation and started to move the ball wider with positive results. Shaw came on to replace Hurst in the centre and Wootton moved to inside centre.

The size of the pitch was telling on some of the forwards who were struggling to keep up with play. It may be that fatigue overtook the opposition sooner, but that may be doing an injustice to Nick Wootton who in the space of 4 minutes broke through the Uxbridge backs to score two excellent tries to put Quins 23 –5 ahead.

Normally, you’d expect a side to relax knowing the result was assured, but Quins sustained their pressure to the final whistle, with No8. Stevens carrying and dragging 3 Uxbridge players with him as he charged for the line on the stroke of full time for Webster to convert his try, leaving Quins outright winners at 30 – 5.

Quins: Tries: Richards, Wootton (2), Stevens. Conversions: Webster (2); Penalties: Webster (2)

1. A.Lawrence 2.J. Fairweather 3. L. Roberts 4. T. Cooper 5. B. Richards 6. A. Brown 7. K. Bamfield 8. M. Stevens 9. G. Coyle 10. R. Webster 11. B. Fretwell 12. H. Hurst (R. Shaw 65) 13. N. Wootton (E. Evans 75) 14. B. v d Westhuizen (T. Grundlingh 40) 15. P. Ah-Sun