All I have to do is cross the road and I'm the Parisian suburb of Massy. So as Sunday lived up to its name, I strolled across the road to find the rugby club. I had memorised the way from Google Maps but obviously forgot. I asked a very helpful man, dodged several bandits doing wheelies on their motorbikes and arrived at Massy's impressive ground.
Some games are enjoyable from the beginning to the end, some in small patches. This was not enjoyable until the final whistle went. For large sections of this game it was nightmare stuff. The only time I have seen a set-piece fall apart more was at Clermont, and at least the opposition on that occasion were more formidable than today. We couldn’t buy a lineout, were getting mauled here, there and everywhere and getting the ball to the 8’s feet in the scrummage was a success.
I think what got us through were better levels of fitness and skills. When the second half began to break up, that played right into our hands. Though we still let two glaring opportunities pass us by – the first was a Ben Kay 2003 World Cup final style drop with the line beckoning and the second a refusal to give a simple 2v1 in the corner. Lots of heads went down at this point and lots were already down from a first half battering when we went from lineout to scrum to penalty.
It was only 5-3 at half-time, however. It went to 10-6 then 10-9 as I chipped over penalties from in front of the posts. We were really stretching them in the final 20 minutes, and it took a cross field kick from our chippy scrum-half to land in the hands of our winger for our score. There was some controversy surrounding the touch judge’s flag and when it had gone up. But the ref had given the try anyway. I missed the conversion from the touchline.
But the game hadn’t really started yet. It would all come down to the final 10 in one corner of our 22. They would maul, win a penalty or scrum, maul again. We were relentless in our reorganisation and willingness to pick ourselves up and tackle again. I say ‘we’ but it was the pack – I wasn’t really involved except as an organiser, shouting people into place. And so the forwards, having got us into this tight situation in the first place, were the ones to ensure the victory.
Big celebrations at the end, more relief than anything else as this means we are definitely through to the last 16 in France. The games that are left in the pool determine our final standing and who from the other pools we play.
Big week coming up as the Clermontois make the journey from their smoke filled, mountainous blue and yellow rubber factory to the big city. We will probably train loads seeing as it’s a huge game at the weekend. Though apart from sorting out the set-piece, I don’t see why we need a huge amount of training just because it’s a huge game. If it’s a huge game, I want to be in one piece by the end of the week, feeling fresh! Surely we should train loads when the weekend’s opposition are rubbish, then it won’t matter if we’re a bit tired. I’m probably wrong, definitely no coach and certainly of the ‘less is more’ school of rugby player, which is undoubtedly the majority of rugby players.
It will be interesting to see who wins between Clermont and Bourgoin in their match today. The top of the pool is very close indeed. Though we still have the same aim – win all our games and finish top of the pool.
Right, I’m off to try and use the washing machine which has been hogged by my oh so lovely flatmates for days. I will do whatever necessary to do my washing; I stop at nothing.
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