South take bonus point win at Billing Road

This latest encounter in N3M came at Billing Road the home of Old Northamptonians whose clubhouse must be the envy of most clubs at this level and many of those in the higher leagues. Their pitch, however, has a pronounced slope and yesterday it was very firm courtesy of the previous night’s frost.
South’s pack was rejigged from the Syston game with James Sutliff, Mike March and Rod McNaughton all starting while the backs were unchanged.
Mark Bayley, Max Castrogiovanni and Lee Miller made up the bench.

South kicked off up the slope and immediately made inroads into the home defence putting together a series of attacks that pegged ON’s back into their 22.
Luke Coltman broke blind from a ruck and went over wide on the right in the third minute. Mark Lord failed to convert.
The home side retaliated after a missed penalty with a try by centre Love after some good work by Ireland. ON’s No 10 Rose, however, missed the straightforward conversion.
Stung into action the South rolling maul made a belated appearance and forced ON’s into desperate defending. Repeated thrusts by the Bale brothers from both lineout and maul were held until the referee had enough of the ON’s irregular tactics and a penalty try was awarded to South which Lord routinely converted. Rose landed a penalty for the home side while Nick Griffin was harshly yellow carded for an attempted interception “knock on” running out of defence.
A somewhat forgettable half of rugby as the players retreated into the changing rooms at half time for a reviving cup of tea as the temperature plummeted. South held a narrow 12-8 advantage at the break.

Playing with the slope South went in search of the try scoring bonus point, turning down kickable penalties in order to dominate the lineout deep in opposition territory. In the twenty minute period immediately after half time South scored three tries that effectively ended the game as a contest.
Jack Hague (probably his best game in a South shirt) dominated the lineout and from his possession the pack constructed two formidable rolling mauls marching ON’s back at a rate of knots. Stu Bale touched down on both occasions with Lord converting both.
The shackles were now off, having gained the bonus point, as South played some expansion rugby with Mitch Culpin, Matt Fisher, Will Keeling and Connor Smith to the fore. Smith added South’s fifth try with a subtle turn of pace although Lord couldn’t add the conversion.
Max Castrogiovanni and Mark Bayley entered the game. Unfortunately, Lord who was orchestrating South’s expansive back play, was tackled late on a number of occasions as the game drifted away from ON’s. Late on Mike March was yellow carded for retaliation after a cheap shot involving an advertising hoarding and a melee similar to the Ashton/Tuilagi affair. Not a hope in pulling Mike’s hair, though!
ON’s did manage a consolation try as prop Hoskins scored in the corner with Rose adding a fine conversion.
Perhaps the referee had seen enough as he blew the final whistle a little short of full time with both players and spectators retiring to the warmth of the bar.

Generally, a much better display from South with both lineout and scrummage much improved. The rolling maul was well executed and equally effective as was the defence (for the moment South are the second best defence in the league behind you know who!). The scrambling defence of the backs was very effective and the confidence to break out is good to see especially from deep.
All it needs now is a little more accuracy in the timing of the pass and other teams will suffer.

Next week another away day trip to Longton – be there!

Team: Culpin, Griffin, Smith, Keeling, Fisher, Lord, McFedries, Bale C (Castrogiovanni), Sutliff, March, Bale S, Hague, McNaughton, Coltman©, Robson (Bayley).
Unused replacement: Lee Miller.

Men of the Match: Stu Bale and Jack Hague – mentioned in dispatches Mitch Culpin, Connor Smith, Mike March and James Sutliff.