Stow 7 – 62 Marlborough
Last Saturday saw Marlborough play their final league fixture of the season in a potentially tricky rearranged away match against (at the time) second-placed Stow-on-the-Wold. There were two main objectives for Marlborough: finish the season without dropping a single point (the full five points from all twenty-two games, a frankly ridiculous achievement) and, to really put the cherry on top, end the season having scored over 1000 points. The job was made harder by the lack of a game the previous weekend due to Grove not being able to field a team. Marlborough needed to score 58 points or more during the final game away from home. No small task then! But with the belief the team has had this year, confidence was running high.
The starting line-up remained largely unchanged and has been particularly consistent throughout this year, no doubt playing a part in the success the group has been enjoying. This is owed to the fantastic backroom staff we’ve had, with a special shout-out to the physios, Warrick, Suzie, and Libby, who have done a brilliant job in repairing broken bodies and making sure the boys recover week in and week out. The only notable change this week was that Captain Ollie Spanswick returned to the fold for the final game after serving his three-match ban for an unfortunate red card he picked up against Buckingham.
As usual, there was a good contingent of traveling support at Stow, and the mood from the Marlborough crowd was jubilant as the game kicked off under rather moody skies. Marlborough were straight into the action, and just seven minutes into the game, they took first blood. We are used to watching Oscar Tamani’s destructive ball-carrying abilities and his ‘stick it up your jumper and get your head down’ attitude. However, for this first try, he showed all his athleticism with a brilliant dive and a one-handed finish in the corner. The following points were also claimed by Marlborough, with Akariuva Seruvatu (Aka) doing what Aka does best: beating defenders and scoring tries. His first for the afternoon comes at the 18-minute mark. Converted by James Clancy.
The ascendency in the next ten minutes flowed back and forth between the two sides, and Stow managed to score a try of their own. This seemed to reset and refocus Marlborough minds, firing the boys up even more and ensuring that these would prove to be the only points of the afternoon for the home side. Before halftime, Marlborough sealed the bonus point with tries from Viliami Hakalo and Weir Filikitonga, confirming the first of the two objectives for the day (if they went on to win) before the halftime oranges.
Halftime Score: Stow 7 – 26 Marlborough
The halftime talk from the coaches was a positive one: keep playing to our systems, keep the physicality up, but don’t think the game is already won. The players had to come back out and play as if the score was 0-0 to make sure this dangerous Stow team didn’t spark any sort of comeback.
It was clear from the kick-off of the second half that this outstanding Marlborough group had taken on board everything that was said at halftime, as they came out firing on all cylinders. They couldn’t afford to get ahead of themselves, but they certainly had the 1,000-point season target lodged in the back of their minds. After five minutes of pressure, Marlborough had their first break-through of the second forty minutes, with Ben Fulton adding to his impressive season’s try tally as he broke through tackles to dot down and set the tone for the second half.
This was classic Marlborough rugby play. The forwards gained dominance at the set-piece, and when coupled with their usual destructive carrying in the tight areas, all eight carrying well through the collisions, just couldn’t be matched. This is before the ball is spun out to the Marlborough back line to have their fun. As we’ve seen throughout the year, they have cut opposition teams apart with their speed, footwork, and agility, and this weekend was no different. The Marlborough backs showcased their understanding of each other’s game, linking together some lovely moves and fantastic offloads to really put Stow to the sword.
As we’ve come to expect, during the second half, Aka completed his hat-trick, and no one in the crowd could remember the last game when this wasn’t the case. Will Reeve and Joe Pittams also came to join the party and scored a try and a piece off the back of some brilliant counter attacking play on both counts.
Finally, in the seventy-seventh minute, Marlborough had an attacking scrum deep into Stow’s 22. Marlborough needed a single score to achieve 1,000 points for the season, and who else was going to seal the deal than the bullocking Marlborough No. 8 Jack Lynd? Picking the ball up from the base, carrying two opposition players over the line with him, and scoring the final try for the afternoon. This sparked enormous celebrations from the Marlborough sidelines and on the pitch itself.
Final Score: Stow 7 – 62 Marlborough
Saturday really put the cherry on top of an already outstanding season for Marlborough Rugby. To go unbeaten for the full season takes real character from the players and is a testament to the huge amounts of time and effort put in by all the coaches, physios, and volunteers who turn up week in and week out to support the club and its ambitions. The players very much hope that this season makes everyone associated with the club proud to be a part of it and pays them back in a small way for being there and doing all the work they do for the club. Thank you to everyone who has come out and supported the boys this year. Also, a huge thanks goes out to our trusty touch judge, Alan Black, who has been at every game come rain or shine.
Finally, a massive thank you goes out to all our sponsors, especially Compeed and CRX. Also, for the first time in Marlborough’s history, many of the players were sponsored by local businesses. The club is very grateful for all the support it receives from the sponsors, and it is hoped that they too have enjoyed their association with the club and players. This has been a season of many firsts for the club, and one where everyone still must pinch themselves: have we really achieved all this?
The club now looks forward to the upcoming cup competitions for both the 1st and 2nd XV teams. Starting with what is sure to be a raucous doubleheader with Chippenham’s 1st and 2nd teams on Saturday, April 1, 2023, both games will be up on the Common. Please do come up and watch the games and see if Marlborough 1st XV can maintain its 100% winning streak. All support is very welcome and appreciated by the boys. You can also follow the progress of the boys through social media and the website if you can’t be there in person. Then there is also the very exciting CRX Marlborough 7s team, which will soon be starting their own campaign and will include some familiar 15s faces. Then in September, we start afresh in a new league, playing against several teams we have never met and a few we have. There is so much to look forward to, so don’t forget to continue to follow the Marlborough story—who knows where it will end up!
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Volunteers required to spring clean windmill – free bbq lunch
