Squad depth is everything in London 2 South-West, and in a seminal day for the division, London Cornish overcame the early loss of 2 more regulars to dish out 5th placed Old Reigatians’ biggest home defeat for 12 months at Park Lane on Saturday. However, the match was marred by a terrible injury to the talented OR wing, more of which later. The win by 5 goals, a try and 2 penalties to 2 goals, a try and a penalty solidifies the exiles hold on 4th spot, and leaves the home side in real danger of failing to finish in the top half of the table.

With lock Ben Ievers and open side Ciaran Acford still both recovering from fractures suffered against Tottonians, and Ben Devonport also out with a nasty blood infection, Cornish named the pack that had completed the job the previous week. The backline was reshuffled, with Rob Healey, Joe Skinnard and Tom Dorse all available again, and on the bench there was to be a debut for yet another recent exiles capture in hooker Gregor Morris.

For the first time in months, the teams were greeted by a beautiful sunny day, and Cornish decided to compensate the home side for the use of their fine new facility by gifting them the opening try on 3 minutes after making a hash of a kick, the conversion flying right. This was quickly cancelled out 4 minutes later after a trademark Mark Osei-Tutu burst won a penalty on the home 10, from where Healey took it quickly and sent fly half Phil Dale through a half gap on the 22. A quick recycle and Matt Hakes was put 1 on 1 down the right flank with the OR wing, who simply didn’t have the strength to stop the centre from twisting his way over for the try, this one also unconverted. Both sides struggled with the strong breeze at ORs backs in the early portion of the match, and lacked fluency as a result. On 14 minutes, Cornish made a horlicks of fielding a kick and ORs poured through to pound the visitors line. Just as the Surrey side were about to crash over with a penalty advantage in their favour, Dorse and blind side Chris Anstey produced a fine double tackle to end the danger. The referee was on the spot in an instant, for he had spotted that in making the tackle, the 2 exiles had sickeningly clashed heads and blood poured from open wounds at an alarming rate, Dorse laid out cold on the try line. The game was halted for around 10 minutes so both could gain treatment, Anstey amusing everyone by asking for his mother, though it transpired he meant, with her watching the match, as a taxi to take him and Dorse to hospital rather than for maternal comfort! Anstey later required a lengthy operation in a specialist hospital to give him plastic surgery and 30 stitches, whilst Dorse was stitched up in time to return to the post match festivities, his facial expression having never wavered from the norm! On came Morris for his debut, Tim Homan shifting to 8 and Osei-Tutu to 6, and Craig Chatley at centre for Hakes to move to the wing. They could only watch as the heavily delayed penalty gave the home side back the lead. What followed a few minutes later was even more sickening – as Cornish charged down the right flank just outside the OR 22, the OR left wing went in for a tackle on the exiles biggest player and simply got his head in the wrong position. Once again, great credit to the referee, who instantly spotted something serious had happened and halted the game immediately. This time the game could not continue, the nature of the neck injury was still to be diagnosed the last we had heard, but with correct procedure ensuring the lad wasn’t moved, the match had to be moved to a nearby pitch on the lower level running end to end with the respective clubs 2nd XV match. With both sides having had to keep focus through some tough incidents, it was Cornish who settled quicker after the next restart. Feeling galvanized from his release from front row duties, Homan set about making up for lost time, twice involved to break through tackles and dive across the line to the right of the posts for a try converted by Luke Spells on 26. On a big pitch and with a strong breeze at their backs, it was a surprise that ORs did not put boot to ball more in the opening period, but they did repeatedly attempt to roll Cornish over the line from lineouts, with mixed results. When, on 32 minutes, the home did kick long, they were made to pay. The ball was fielded by Richard Skinnard, who took off on a weaving run and then linked with Hakes, who was forced into touch on the OR 22. The home side conceded a tap for a dummy throw, and Skip Dave Theobald, who gave his opposite number a torrid time all afternoon, elected for the scrum. Cornish worked a set play beautifully, and Osei-Tutu was released at the OR 10, powering through him and the cover to score his 12th try of the season, Spells adding the extras and the away side out to 19-8 lead. Back came ORs, and this time they did work a rolling maul over the line after the exiles had been pinged for a high tackle, the conversion good and the lead down to 4. This was as close as ORs were to get to Cornish again, as with time almost up on the half, from another dominant scrum on the home 22, Dale hit Joe Skinnard on a great line to power towards the home try line, the forwards joining in and as surprised as any watching when it was Hakes who spun clear to wrest the ball over for the bonus point try, Spells closing out a 1 hour 15 minute half with another conversion to leave his side 26-15 to the good.

The opening minutes of the second period were played out in midfield until a great Healey bomb was misfielded by the home back 3 on 46 minutes, and as Cornish regained it the home side deliberately knocked on to concede the penalty, Spells launching it between the posts again. Back came ORs, but crucially Dave Hill and Harry Somers were beginning the make inroads into the home lineouts, and when they turned one over inside the exiles 22 on 50, Joe Skinnard launched an old school spiral kick three quarters the length of the pitch – “A thing of beauty!” an admiring OR allickado was overheard to comment. Cornish were next to launch a rolling maul, Somers at the heart of it as it powered from halfway to the home 22, another penalty conceded and another 3 points to Spells giving his side a 17 point lead. Now chasing the game, ORs were hampered by forward passes on a couple of occasions when well placed. When they finally gained a foothold inside the exiles 22, they were battered backward by sterling defence in midfield by Chatley, Andrew Eustace and Spells until finally knocking on for Healey to clear. Rich Skinnard was unlucky not to win a penalty when a clear trip on 65 prevented him from being able to chase down his grubber over the OR tryline wide left, though in fairness the referee had no chance of seeing the offence as it happened on the blind side of a maul. ORs finally found a way of keeping Cornish honest on 70 when they crashed over from the back of a maul, the conversion making the score 32-22 to the visitors. Cornish had replaced the fine work of Mike Bond with ‘super sub’ Oli Low during this period, and Low was about to leave his inimitable indelible mark on this match. On 75 minutes, taking a pass slightly behind him on his hip just outside the 22, Low sat down the home 8 and thundered on before producing an exquisite back of the hand flip to the supporting Homan at the angle from right to left to complete the coup de grace, diving over under the posts for Spells to take his tally to 14 points on the day. Job done, Low retired to the bench for Bond to return. There was still time for more however, Dale intercepting on his own 22 and taking play to the home 22, where his inside pass was knocked into touch by the scrambling home d. Before they had time to react however, Dale had spun a quick lineout some distance to Rich Skinnard, who simply had too many wheels for the retreating OR defence, scoring his 11th try in his 10 starts since arriving at Cornish. Spells completed the scoring with his 7th successful kick from 8 attempts on the day, Cornish running out comprehensive winners by 46-22.

In summarizing this match, we must first pay tribute to the referee and both physios. In alarming circumstances, the speed of their responses and the calm manner in which they all worked together to the greater good was an example to all. Everyone at LCRFC sends best wishes to KJ and we hope to receive better news on him soon.

The league has turned into a series of smaller mini leagues, and is lop sided with only 4 sides with winning records and positive points differences – the top 2, the 2 way battle for 3rd, and the battle to avoid relegation. Reigatians began the season with high hopes, but it has turned in to something of a transitional season, with the removal of their former Director of Rugby and the new coaching team still bedding in. They are only 2 wins above the drop zone and the team in that position have 2 games in hand, but they probably only need 1 more win to be safe so we look forward to seeing them next season in happier circumstances.

Cornish continue to integrate a rich new seam of talent to demonstrate the depth required to challenge at this level. Since they have not played at home since December 7th, the current run is all the more meritorious. With 6 games to play, the exiles could set a few records yet!