Reading 13 – 57 Marlborough
On Saturday, the 1st XV travelled down the M4 to Reading RFC. This was the first time the sides had met, and the home team were an unknown quantity. This was game four for Marlborough in the Regional 2 Tribute South Central League.
Again, the weather conditions were good, and the Reading spectators had high hopes of their team sending Marlborough back to Wiltshire without the win.
Marlborough got off to a strong start with a new cap in the second row, Oscar Tamani, who received the ball from the kick-off and went on a 50-metre rampage, breaking through numerous tackles from the home team’s defenders. The move he set up, breaking down after several phases, sadly ended with a forward pass when the try line beckoned. It didn’t take long for Marlborough to recover and open the scoring. Joe Visei picked up from the base of the scrum, taking out two defenders to off load in the tackle, to Ben Fulton, who was running a fantastic line to score a converted try with the help of Will Grant’s boot.
There now follows a period of Marlborough dominance. After eight minutes, Solomone Aniseko (Seko) scored from a line-out maul which was unconverted. The next score was again by Marlborough. A dominant scrum won the ball against the head, setting full back Will Reeve was released on a great run to kick the ball through for flying winger Akariva Seruvatu (Aka) to chase and score. Sadly, again, unconverted.
Disappointingly, Marlborough seemed to drop off the boil a little for a period, allowing Reading an opening back into the game. On twenty-two minutes, the Reading fly-half, whose kicking out of hand was excellent all game, put in an across-field kick for the home side winger to catch and score an unconverted try. This was quickly followed by a well taken Reading drop goal, again by the fly-half.
It seemed to take these two scores to give Marlborough the wakeup call they needed. Marlborough skipper, Ollie Spanswick, got a turnover, scrum half, and Will Grant made a break, passing to Solomone Aniseko (Seko), and then onto Ben Fulton for his second try of the game, which was duly converted by Will Grant.
With the last play of the first half, Marlborough won their attacking line out (an area that 18-year-old second row player, Arthur Allen, was dominating). The ball went along the line with Akariva Seruvatu (Aka) running in to score his second try of the game.
Half-Time: Reading 8 -Marlborough 31
The half-time talk from Marlborough coaches, Elisi and Vili, was positive, but they were not overly happy that Marlborough had dropped off for those ten minutes midway through the first half. This was echoed by the skipper, Ollie Spanswick, and full back, Will Reeve, who both spoke briefly, positively, and well.
The second half started well for Marlborough. A clearance kick, superbly chased by winger Callum Hunt (who has grown into his position for the 1st XV), set up a ruck out to the backs for Akariva Seruvatu (Aka) to score his third try, which was converted by Will Grant.
Three minutes later, another Marlborough try. A clearance from Will Reeve set free fly-half Amori Nailago (Moree), who then passed to Ben Fulton. From the ruck, there was quick ball from Will Grant, out to Oscar Tasmani, who was storming down on the wing to score an unconverted try. Marlborough slipped back into their current annoying habit of trying to force things. But with ten minutes to go, they again settled back down, with some good on-field leadership coming from the more senior players. >From a scrum, Will Reeve broke the line, then out from the ruck for Akariva Seruvatu (Aka), to score his fourth try of the day, which was kindly converted by Will Grant.
The clock was still ticking, and Marlborough hadn’t finished yet. Three minutes later, Akariva Seruvatu (Aka) caught a clearing kick, set off at full pelt, which is phenomenal, out on the wing, and offloaded to Ben Fulton to go and score his third try of the day. It’s not as if there is some friendly competition going on between Akariva and Ben to see who can score the most trys!
With the final play of the game, Marlborough’s defence seemed to go back to sleep, allowing the home side to get a great line break from their second row, setting up an attack from which they scored.
Final Score: Reading 13 – Marlborough 57
On the playing side there were again some positives, as explained by Team Manager, Dave Pittams; “Ben Fulton was awarded ‘man of the match’. His season is just going from strength to strength compared to the horrendous time he had last year. The new signing, Aka, stepping in from the CRX 7’s team, has been a revelation on the wing. That boy has serious speed.”
For this game, the usual suspects for the second row were unavailable, allowing Oscar Tasmani and youngster Arthur Allen to receive their first caps while playing for the 1st XV. Elisi Vunipola commented, “It was fantastic to see Arthur interrupt four of the home sides’ line-outs.”
The midfield defence of centre partnership Ben Fulton and Joe Pittams was also very much on point and when Joe was substituted by Viliame Waqanidrola (Qila), again having his first game of the season for the 1st XV, he slipped in seamlessly.
New Wednesday club at Marlborough’s Jubilee Centre
