To win a league, you need to demonstrate strength in adversity, resourcefulness when the injuries hit, and a cussedness for when the going gets tough. London Cornish produced all 3 of these components as they shared in a 28-28 belter of a match at 2nd placed Camberley’s Watchetts HQ in London 2 South-West on Saturday. The 3 points gained maintained the exiles 15 point lead over their hosts, and stretched the lead over the 3rd placed team to 19 points.
With the long term view in mind, Cornish decided not to risk first choice scrum-half Rich Stephens for this match, even though the cupboard was bare for back ups with Ed Atkin away in Japan, Sam Williams injured and Phil Dale sorting his wedding. Step forward centre Chris Smart, himself missing injured for much of the season, but who had played 9 at school and uni and who had played a few sharpeners for the 2s and Choughs in recent weeks. To compound this, fly half George Kimmins tweaked a groin in the warm up, and though he could play, he couldn’t kick. With regular no 8 Mark Osei-Tutu absent pending an MRI on his inured knee and Tim Homan stepping into the breach again, a somewhat untested LCRFC 8, 9, 10 combo prepared for this key match! On the plus side, lock Ben Ievers returned from the broken arm suffered pre Christmas to take his place alongside Harry Somers in the row, and with Dan Leo at 6 the pack is just James La Broy short of being huge – not long now!
The Watchetts pitch was in perfect condition on arrival, and a decent gathering ensured the referee would be expertly advised from both touchlines! A well observed minutes silence preceded the match following the passing of a former Camberley Cornishman. However, the visitors were seemingly still observing the silence when the hosts shot over wide left for the opening score on 3 minutes with their first attack, though it went unconverted. Cornish responded quickly, a fine arrowing Miles Rushworth run down the right flank stopped just short, before his offload found Smart in support to step inside and over for a try well converted by David Smith. The home 8 tried to galvanise his side, but on one occasion as he picked up he was launched backwards into his own half by Leo, an audible gasp following from those watching. However, Cam regained the lead with a penalty on 10 minutes, but then had to withstand a withering Cornish onslaught as the league leaders laid siege to the Cam line. A penalty was missed on 16 before a series of mauls and pick and go’s took play within inches of the home line. Time and again Cam transgressed, Cornish opting for scrums and lineouts in equal measure, all met with stoical defence until, just when they thought the had cleared their lines, a Dave Funston run took play to 5 out before Oli Low drove over the whitewash for a deserved try half way in from the right hand touch line, Smith again converting. This was Low’s last action, him recovering from flu and replaced by Mark O’Leary. Cam responded, sniping runs from their backs taking play into the visitors half and winning them a penalty, converted on 34 minutes to reduce the arrears to 3. For a period now, Cam attacked down both flanks but were met with equally stiff resistance until, on the stroke of half time, a Craig Chatley tackle just outside his 22 dislodged the ball, open side Tom Ievers latching on to it with a fly hack before the leagues most potent try scorer Smith dashed past the cover to nudge the ball on twice more and gather it in for an opportunists try, his 18th of the season in his 12 league and cup starts, him adding the extras for a 21-11 half time lead.
Whatever was put into the Cam half-time oranges (whatever happened to them?!) worked, as they caught Cornish cold in the opening minutes, a long cut out pass giving one of their number a clear run to the line down the left flank, though Smith kept the lad wide and the conversion was short. The pattern was set with Cornish having territorial dominance, and Cam aiming to break from deep at every opportunity. On 52 minutes, and with Cornish on the attack, a ball was spilt on the floor at the base of a ruck and Cam countered on the open side, spotting the balance of the exiles backs blind. They worked the ball into the arms of their left wing, who showed a decent turn of foot to hare up the left flank for the score, again kept wide by Smith, the conversion falling short but the scores now levelled up. The topsy-turvy nature of the match refused to abate, Cornish missing a penalty before Smith and Funston linked down the right to work the ball to Homan and then Smart, who crashed across the line but was deemed held up. 3 times Cornish drove towards the Cam line at subsequent scrums under the noses of the home support on the balcony, and 3 times the home side pulled away to be pinged by the ref, until on the 4th occasion and after a very clear warning, he awarded the penalty try to few protests, Smith adding the extras and Cornish out to a 28-21 lead with the bonus point secure. Cam threw everything at their visitors for the next 10 minutes, flinging the ball this way and that in an effort to find a gap. Unusually for the league leaders, it was their midfield that gave way, two defenders getting in each others way as the burly home centre gleefully burst through a gap to clear away right down the middle of the pitch to score under the posts on 66 minutes, the conversion levelling things up and Cam having secured their own bonus point. The leadership and game management Cornish employed in the remainder of the game was excellent, for without Kimmins able to kick they simply pinned Cam in their half and dared them to concede a penalty, a winner takes all game of cat and mouse that was fascinating to watch. Frequent pick and drives interspersed with balls thrown to runners one out tested the home d, Cam tackling superbly and racking up a huge tackle count in the process - they must have been exhausted at the final whistle. Cornish mounted one final attack as the clock ran down, but when Kimmins understandably mishit a drop goal attempt with a knock on advantage in his favour, the referee called time, the points shared.
By common consent, this was a game worthy of a higher status, and Camberley are certainly a very talented bunch who look as though they will be in the promotion shake up one way or another. They are a young side, but have a few experienced heads in key positions, and it will be interesting to see how they match up on the road in a couple of their remaining games.
Cornish learn more about themselves with each passing game, and the young exiles backline will have learnt plenty here as they were tested to the full. They have taken 8 points from their 2 encounters with Camberley, and few sides will achieve that this season. The whole squad will be grateful for the week off, and it gives the exiles coaching team the chance to integrate a couple more exciting new signings just at the time they are needed most. Those not risked on this day are also set to return to action too, so competition for places just got hotter!