CHARD RUGBY REPORT
FOR
SATURDAY 10TH  MARCH 2007

SOMERSET VASE QUARTER FINAL

OLD CULVERHAYSIANS  0PTS  CHARD 38PTS

Chard won this game as comfortably as the score suggests against their Bath based opponents from division 1
Chard played down the very slight slope in the opening half and both sides had to deal with very tricky wind conditions.
All the early pressure came from the Chard side who were fielding a very makeshift and experimental back division. Fly half Jean Botha  opened the scoring with a well worked try which was converted by the accurate boot of Paul Nicholls. Nicholls increased Chards lead with a neatly taken penalty goal.
The home side were playing aggressively but could not match Chards forward power and they found themselves having to soak up a lot of pressure. A desperate kick upfield was returned with interest by Chard fullback Lee Brun and Skipper Jim Wagstaff playing out of position in the centre ran the ball in for his sides second try which was again converted by Nicholls.
Chard were denied several scoring opportunities by the referee picking them up for debatable technical offences, but after 30minutes play a lovely counter attack initiated  by Ben King from his own half led to Flanker John Porter  going over under the posts for Chard third try . Nicholls again added the extras and the visitors had a very commanding interval advantage of 24pts.
Play was  a little more even for much of the second half but Chard always looked the more likely team to score.
The Old Boys created some scoring opportunities but they rarely looked like breaching an outstanding Chard defensive line. Chard on the contrary looked dangerous whenever they got into the opposition half and from excellent lineout ball  Alan Henley made a surge for the line and then fed the ball out to Jon Hendy who went over under the posts for another converted try.
The home side then lost one of their forwards to the bin for a blatant technical offence and this put them at a real disadvantage. They were unable to stop a driving Chard maul legally and this resulted in the referee awarding a penalty try which was once again converted.
Chard youngster Finn O’Brien had another promising game and played well on the wing and at fullback.
A comfortable win for Chard who will now play Wellington in the semi final. The neutral venue and date for this game has yet to be decided but it is likely to be played mid week  under lights.

Next Saturday Chard are at home to Avon kick off 2.30pm

The second xv match against Martock was called off because Martock were told to play a previously postponed league match.

Next Saturday the second xv are away at Wellington in a non league encounter