Match Report: Saturday 3rd December 2005

LSA vs London Scottish 3

Impressive display seals victory for LSA against league leaders

Saturday 3rd December saw LSA welcome London Scottish 3 to Imber Court for their biggest game of the season. The pitch had held the overnight rain well and the bright conditions had brought out the biggest crowd of the season so far to support LSA, amongst them being Dick Best the former England Head Coach.

LSA started well with some good driving runs by the pack generally and Mark Otto in particular. The early exchanges demonstrated that the 4 week layoff from the last game hadn’t affected the team’s cohesion. Mark Porter had been pushed up into the second row alongside Ryan Williamson and LSA were giving debuts to new arrivals Tiaan Visser (at 8) and Tiaan Coetzee (at 15).

After the tight early exchanges and with less than ten minutes gone, the backline cut through the Scots defence with a great move involving Nick Osman, Matt Fendick and Carl van der Walt. Unfortunately the referee saw a forward pass that few others saw which stopped LSA in their tracks. The Scots cleared their line from the ensuing scrum but only as far as their 22. From the next play LSA opted to move it wide. The ball came out to Osman and showing deceptive strength, he was able to drive through the Scots midfield to score LSA’s opening try. Fendick slotted the extra points to put LSA 7-0 up – a great start. The confidence began to flow through the team and it looked as if the Scots were finding life a little tougher than they had been expecting.

From the restart LSA immediately applied good pressure on the opposition. A rare penalty in favour of LSA gave them a chance to gain good field position and Fendick obliged with a good kick to touch. Unfortunately, as a sign of things to come, LSA lost the ball on their own lineout and the turnover fed a Scots counter attack to within 5 metres of LSA’s line. It took all the familiar South African defensive qualities to keep the Scots at bay. In a typical piece of play from LSA, they cleared their line with two good forward drives from Ryan Hendrikz and Mark Porter respectively to allow John Turner, playing through a heavy dose of flu, the chance to find a superb clearance from the 22 back up to halfway.

In the final 10 minutes before half time the Scots continued to apply pressure on the LSA defence. From a lineout just over halfway, they were able to run a well-worked move in their backs. LSA’s solid defence and forward power had pushed the Scots to try and play more expansively and this paid dividends for them when, in a sweeping backs move, the ball found its way to the left wing. With a great turn of pace, he outran the LSA cover defence and crossed to score in the corner for the Scots. With the score now 7-5 to LSA, Cyril Sauer made his LSA debut, coming on for Tiaan Visser at 8.

It was important that LSA steadied the ship and soaked up all the pressure that the Scots were going to throw at them following their score. LSA were able to play the game in the middle third of the pitch but the referee was applying still more pressure on the home side with the interpretation of certain key areas of the game. The penalty count against LSA rose steadily to the point where it was making it impossible for LSA to get out of their own half, particularly as the lineout was not functioning as smoothly as usual.

LSA made a couple of changes in the break with Mike Kuipers replacing Mark Otto at openside and Dave Blackburn on for Tiaan Coetzee.

Early in the second half LSA built the pressure well with some strong scrummaging from the front row. One such scrum led to a great attack involving the most of the LSA backs with Nick de Kock and Bevan Williams combining well down the wing. The Scots mounted some desperate defence and were forced to concede a penalty 20m out but LSA were unable to capitalise on the great field position, conceding possession once again.

Neither side were able to establish themselves on top in the subsequent passages of play. Williams was forced off with injury to be replaced by Justin Venter on the wing. LSA also introduced Bruce McClelland to try and protect their lineout ball. With 55 minutes gone LSA suffered a double blow... John Turner was sent to the sin bin and 3 minutes later Jake Hoddinot followed him off. From the penalty, London Scottish claimed the 3 points to swing the game in 7-8 in their favour. Being reduced to 13 men for half of the rest of the game something special would be needed if LSA were going to rescue the game. The adversity focused the team and their response was first class. The 13 men of LSA raised their game to the extent that they had the better of the play for the ensuing 10 minutes. 

With 67 minutes gone a superb piece of work at the base of the scrum by the refreshed John Turner stole what should have been a London Scottish ball. Turner was well supported by McClelland and LSA were able to surge into the Scots 22 but again the attack came to nothing as LSA lost possession.

With time running out LSA needed some inspiration. In the 72nd minute the ball was retrieved on half way and was moved out through the hands of Matt Fendick to Nick Osman. Finding space in the crowded midfield Osman broke through the initial line of the Scots defence and looked for support. He opted to go himself and cut across for the corner outpacing the two covering defenders to down the ball in the corner for what was to be the winning score – nothing more than the team deserved.

LSA immediately introduced fresh legs to the midfield with Nick Osman replaced by Tim Osman and Chris Assad on for Carl van der Walt. Coetzee replaced Justin Venter on the wing. The final 8 minutes saw some great defence by LSA and it was John Turner who aptly made the final clearance into touch to confirm the win and a vital 3 points.

FINALLY - a big thank you to all who have played for the club in the first half of the season and we are looking forward to 4th January when we start training again and the launch of the LSA 2’s.

Merry Christmas!

Starting XV

Ryan Hendrikz, Aldo du Plessis, Andrew Field, Mark Porter, Ryan Williamson, Jake Hoddinot, Mark Otto, Tiaan Visser, John Turner, Matt Fendick, Bevan Williams, Nick Osman, Carl van der Walt, Nick de Kock.

Substitutes

Andrew Midgeley, Chris Assad, Dave Blackburn, Tim Osman, Theo Meets, Jaapie Meets, Mike Kuipers, Cyril Sauer, Bruce McClelland, Justin Venter, Tom Modinger