London Cornish overcame a 6 week absence to record a bonus point win against 3rd placed Tottonians at Imber Court on Saturday. Having only played 1 league match since December 14th 2013, against a side who had only lost 3 times in the league this season, this was a fine effort by the exiles players, who belied their lack of match condition to become increasingly strong defensively as the match wore on. In horse racing parlance, you would expect the squad to come on a lot for the run!
This match had twice been postponed with the hosts Richardson Evans Memorial Playing Fields still waterlogged, and the determination of both camps that the game would go ahead on this date was underpinned by the back up plan of having taken an option on Maidenhead RFC’s artificial surface later in the day, but as it was at the 11th hour Imber Court became available. This facility, currently the home of the Surrey 3 outfit Met Police, is still in magnificent condition, and both teams were delighted with conditions on arrival. Cornish have not rested on their laurels in the hiatus, continuing to build their squad in anticipation of a real push next season, and here gave a debut to Cornwall U20 cap Joe Skinnard, whose brother Rich has proved such a success since joining earlier in the season. Otherwise, there was a familiar look to the exiles side, though on the bench back row Phil Jones was recalled as he steadily returns from long term injury.
Totts were quickly out of the blocks, and they missed a penalty on 6 minutes for offside at a ruck. However, following a failed drop goal attempt on 10, they took the lead with a shade of good fortune when an exiles drop out was partially blocked and ricocheted straight into the arms of their 13 to cross unopposed and run round toward the posts to make the conversion a formality. Gradually, the rust began to fall away from Cornish armor, and on 14 minutes Rich Skinnard stepped away only to see his pass intercepted and a raking kick from right to left send the home back from whence they came. The challenge for Totts came whenever the ball was out, for they fielded a visibly shorter pack than their hosts and gaining clean lineout ball was an issue for them all day, on this occasion Penzance man Harry Somers claiming for scrummie Rob Healey to clear. On 18 minutes, and somewhat against the run of play, the exiles struck. Lock Ben Ievers was twice involved before fly Dave Soar sent R Skinnard away down the right, him linking with no 8 Mark Osei-Tutu to drive on into the 22, and after 3 more phases Healey spun the ball right to left to Ievers lurking wide to crash through a tackle and plant the ball over the line for an unconverted try. The try fired Cornish up, and within minutes Chris Anstey had won a penalty for holding and the home side kicked to the corner. A further penalty followed for in at the side, but the ball was knocked on at the subsequent lineout and a huge clearance from the Totts 10 saw the danger averted. A repeat passage of play saw Somers win another lineout 5 out, but the ball was knocked free and the chance lost again. The exiles suffered an injury at this point, open side Ciaran Acford ending up in a&e with a suspected broken collarbone, Jones on earlier than he had probably foreseen. However, with Anstey a constant thorn in their side at the breakdown, Totts were pinged again on 35, and this time Cornish got it right. First Tim Homan hit Somers at the lineout, and just as Totts set themselves for the maul, the powerful Osei-Tutu broke free and plunged across the line for the try, this one also converted but the score now 10-7 to the exiles. Lack of condition and match play takes many forms, and the exiles tried to play too much rugby in their own half in the opening period, handing 3 points straight back to Totts for holding on bang in front of the posts on 37. The response from the home side was immediate and clinical. Ievers claimed Soars excellent restart, drove on and offloaded to hooker Homan in support. He took the ball to the 22 and flipped the ball to Osei-Tutu, him drawing the last man and passing to Jones to dive over for a great try, improved by Luke Spells. There was just time for Totts to win a penalty, but this one smacked the near upright and bounced down over the try line for the whistle to go at the break.
Totts were again out of the blocks quickly at the break, and when a mishit chip landed straight in the arms of their centre, only a great cover tackle by Craig Chatley averted the danger. On 44 minutes the visitors worked the ball across their backline and seemed to have manufactured an overlap wide right, only for a huge double tackle by Osei-Tutu and Healey to force the ball to be thrown straight into touch. Back came the visitors, and this time it was Skipper Dave Theobald whose d came up trumps, forcing a knock on and allowing Spells to clear his lines. The force was with Totts at this point, and when another exiles kick struck the head of one of the Hampshire sides forwards, they were quicker to react, spinning the ball across their backs to work an overlap that their right wing finished with style, angling in to score under the posts for a converted try to level the scores at 17 all. With the ebb and flow of the game seeing to follow a pattern, it was no surprise that Cornish took the lead back almost immediately. Gradually, the exiles front five had taken charge in the tight, and on 52 took one against the head inside the Totts 22 wide right, Mike Bond, Homan and Theobald a match for most at this level with Somers and Ievers behind them. Osei-Tutu burst from the base and thundered into midfield where Ievers took it to the base of the posts. Healey hit Soar and the fly halves cut out pass sent Rich Skinnard over for his 10th try in his 8 league games for Cornish to date, the conversion attempt flying wide left but the bonus point in the bag. Totts countered and on 55 the exiles saw a man lost to the bin for an offence in the 22. This caused a reshuffle, which saw Oli Low on at prop and Matt Hakes on for Anstey who had taken a knock and needed an assessment. Totts turned down the kick and went for the corner but were held up in midfield. Remarkably, though down to a 7 man pack, Cornish pinched the scrum against the head and Joe Skinnard cleared. Still Totts attacked, but throughout the game their slightly underpowered pack had struggled in set plays, and now they lost a critical lineout 5 out on their own through through a clean steal by Ievers. This set play issue was to dog their efforts to get back in the game, because though their 10 kept kicking them into good field position, they could not threaten the exiles lineout, so the tactic failed. Finally, on 66 minutes, they won a kickable penalty and this time elected to kick it. To their horror, their 10 who has such a prodigious boot, hoiked the kick to the left of the posts. The constant pressure finally broke on 71 minutes when Joe Skinnard broke blind and linked with Healey, who sent a fine grubber down the right tramlines for a lineout 5 out. A short foray later saw Osei-Tutu dislocate a finger, but this was quickly dealt with by the home coaching team for the player to return to the fray. Further attempts by Cornish to attack saw a couple of knock on’s when well placed, one following a promising blind side move when Osei-Tutu and Rich Skinnard combined. With Anstey restored and Bond back on after Low had completed a 15 minute shift at the coal face, Cornish made a final change with Matt Hakes on for Spells, whose calf was tight. Cornish kept Totts penned in their 22, and on the two occasions the visitors threatened to break out, first Somers and then wing Robin Heymann snuffed out the danger with smothering tackles. When the final whistle blew, Totts had been hemmed in their own half for all of the last 7 minutes of play.

Tottonians are a perennial top 4 side in London 2 South-West and this will not change this season. Underpowered up front on this occasion, they will undoubtedly be strengthened for the visits of the top 2 to Water Lane, where they are unbeaten. This defeat probably ends any slim play-off hopes they may have harboured, but don’t bet against them having a say in who wins the title just yet! We look forward to a prolonged post match with them at both venues next season.
Cornish should kick on from this win, the points gained here taking them past the total points they gained in the entire season last year, and this with 8 games still remaining. With power to add in the recruitment stakes, expect LCRFC to be finishing the season strongly across the board in what remains of 2013/14!