The Chips were on Fire !

In what has become almost the norm for Chipstead Rugby Tours in recent years - Chipstead RFC - managed to pull enough of themselves together to put in a solid performance and chalk up another tour win !

It wasn't looking great when just 10 minutes before kick off there were only 8 players changed and ready to go..... The Tour Captain and the Tour Organiser had ignored their own messages and led all the other players to a completely different ground ! The opposition, Hamburgers RC - trained by a ex-pat, looked very fit and well drilled although perhaps the hour or so of warm-up might take it's toll....

So quickly changed and out onto the pitch we managed to buy some more time by getting the referee to check our boots at least 2 times each ! He loved us.......

Charged with a bottle or two of the doctors 'special' medicine Chris and The Undertaker (as our only none playing tourists) patrolled the side lines looking for victims. Starting with a settled side but having to give up scrum dominance, as we were only permitted to push 1.5m (u19 rules), the game was quite competative. Malcolm, Pikey and Tekkers could use the extra energy from the set piece to ravage the opposition with speed, guile and phyiscal dominance which gave time and space for Headbutt and Donald Trump to run free and look impressive. The back row of Go Large, Stewie and Sulzeer struggled to keep up with the pace of the game and tired quickly. The RFU may want to speak to Sulzeer about his use of blood capsules after only 20 seconds of a game and was replaced ........

The back-line decided that defence is the best form of attack and made sure they dropped the ball at every oppurtunity, Tadpole the worst of the culprits and had to recieve several medicincal shots. Quagmire tried hard..... Dave once in at 9 was using the ball better and Rossi, Potter and 'Wannabe Si' were able to finally carry and look good although Potter also caught Tadpole disease and needed assistance. Having only made one kick all game, and it went backwards, Quorn was finally withdrawn from action.

Half time came and the score was a close 7 - 14. So Peter finally had to pull the big guns out Jedward and Meg in at 2nd row and Dave moved and transformed the scrums at hooker. Swanson, who due to his brittle bones, only plays with a team going forward (can't turn) so his bubble wrap came off to sure up the mid-field Lois and Brian given scope in the forwards were impressive in the tackle making big yards with ball and turning over opposition ball almost at will.

FKW was unable to find any tighter fitting shorts so decided not to be lifted in the line-out up stepped Lois to regularly pluck the ball out of the air - even the referee was bemused when he managed to do it whilst balancing on one foot on Headbutts shoulders !

Rab C. did not complain about the soft ground as his pendolum of a right forward regular pinned the opposition into their corner or as his kicks dissected the uprights.

With the time running out and the game still up for grabs Peter finally took to the field and then the final whistle went.

Hamburgers RC scored 2 tries v Chipstead 7 tries so the referee called it 7-29 but.........

Rugby was the winner.

We went back to their club house for a quiet chat and martinis.