An enthralling encounter between the top 2 sides in London 2 South-West on Saturday was finally settled by a try 3 minutes from time to see visitors Cobham land the match and the league title. The match was in the balance throughout, and Cornish can take some consolation from having taken 6 points from their 2 matches with the league champions to the 4 gained by Cobham, and from having restricted the Surrey side to a total of 18 points and just 2 tries in those same games.
A large crowd, buoyed both by the Cobham supporters hoping to see their team secure the win that would bring the title and by the presence of a number from potential play-off opponents Sevenoaks RFC, found their way to the back pitch at the REMPF, which was softer than the previous week but still in good nick. With the weather brightening, Cornish kicked off playing away from the clubhouse end. The pattern was set right from the off, with Cornish dominating possession and territory while the league leaders were content to wait for their moment to counter. Tom Jeffery was quickly into the action and twice made breaks as the visitors fell off tackles. On 8 minutes a Cobham breakout was halted by a tackle by Cornish fly-half Phil Dale, but as he stood up he was collared on the head by an errant knee as a supporting Cob player tried to hurdle him. The damage was immediately apparent for a huge and deep cut opened on Dale’s forehead, forcing him off to hospital and Cornish into an early change, Chris Smart moving to 10, Matt Hakes from 6 to 13, and Matt James on at 6. Hakes very nearly made an immediate impact when he and Jeffery sniped blind on halfway, but just as they broke clear they were called back for a contentious forward pass. On 16 minutes, and with their first attack of any note, Cobham clinically struck when they attacked the newly formed centre, burst through a gap and then spun the ball to their left wing to cross for a well converted try. Their 10 did not last much longer either, him succumbing to a hamstring strain on 20. Cornish rotated prop Tom Lloyd on for Oli Low at this point, the former having recovered from an ankle operation that had sidelined him since December. For the next 12 minutes Cornish battered away, a combination of rolling mauls from Ben and Tom Ievers lineout claims coupled with hard yards from Mark Osei-Tutu, James, Skip Dave Theobald and Joe Donnelly. Cobham tackled everything thrown at them until on 32 minutes they lost a man to the bin for deliberately dropping a maul 5 out from their line down the left wing. Rather than be forced on the defensive, Cobham now upped their game and they were unfortunate to knock the ball on at the base of a ruck on 38 minutes when just short of the line. With time nearly up on the half, the visitors won a penalty for a high tackle, but their kicker drove his kick wide of the right hand upright, the teams turning round with Cobham 7-0 to the good.

With a freshening breeze at their backs, Cornish were comfortable that they could turn the game around, particularly given their recent 2nd half performances. A critical moment on 48 minutes saw a long clearance by Josh Allison misfielded by the Cobham back 3 just yards from their try line, and as wing Robin Heymann scooped the ball up to dive over for the try, the ball was dislodged and knocked on by a despairing tackle by the visiting wing (see main photo and great series of photos attached to the report) and then cleared at the scrum. Cornish continued to press, but were repeatedly pinged when in good field position until the game took a momentum swing on 52 minutes. Another Cornish maul was hauled down as it arrowed toward the tryline, and this time the visiting 6 took 10 in the bin. Cornish reset the line, Tim Homan hit his man, and the maul powered over for Osei-Tutu to claim a well deserved try. Allison’s conversion attempt from wide right slammed into the far upright and fell just the wrong side of the posts, but now there were only 2 points in it! Cobham now demonstrated why they are worthy Champions, sensibly keeping their hosts at arms length with well flighted kicks in behind, and they were helped by Cornish knocking the ball on as they chased the game. The exiles reversed their earlier front row replacement on 69 and were unlucky that a Cobham player took a nasty blow when Cornish were on the attack on 72, the home side continuing to have the lions share of possession but lacking a little penetration. Champion teams find a way to win these tight games, and so it proved on 77 when Cobham pieced together arguably the best set of phases of the match until they fashioned enough room to send their right wing diving over on the far touchline, for the game and title winning score. It would have been harsh on Cornish if the conversion had pinched the losing bonus point from their grasp, and when it slid across the face of the posts there was still time for the exiles to respond. Once last herculean rolling maul from another Ben Ievers lineout claim drove play to the Cobham 22, but an accidental offside gave Cobham the chance to kick the ball into touch at the scrum to the delight of their players, coaches and supporters.
So Cobham bounce back at the first attempt, revitalised by their affable and talented DoR. They deserve their moment as they play an attractive brand of rugby and are a decent bunch of lads off the pitch too. Congratulations from all at LCRFC and we wish you well in London 1 South next season.
Whether Cornish can join them remains to be seen, but having marshalled their resources to ensure that a number of key players return to action in the closing weeks of the season rather than be rushed back before they are ready, the target now has to be to close out the play-off spot and have fresh legs available if, as and when they get there!