Chosens first Challenge

Chosen started their first game of the new season much like they did most games last season, half asleep and looking forward to the post match food. Unfortunately this is not something you can do against a team like Longlevens, this quickly proved to be true as a number of good disciplined drives, excellent drills and fast hands produced 3 converted tries in the first ten minutes and the rest of the game looked bleak for Chosen, if indeed it went the distance. There was however something missing......

The much talked about “Tackling disease” from last year was nowhere to be seen, Chosen were making their tackles when they needed to, Levens were just the better team in the first ten minutes.

With the 3rd Levens conversion safely slotted over, captain Ed Smith decided that enough was enough and rallied his team. The Scrums held, the line outs were won and stolen and the whole team remembered that there were 15 of them on the field and plays went from forwards to backs and from one side of the pitch to the other. Individuals played as a team and rucks and mauls were fiercely contested by both teams. After 10 minutes of stalemate, Joe Rogers broke away on the left wing and took Chosen up into the Levens 22, if only the touchline was a couple of inches further out it may have been all the way to the try line. With less than ten minutes left in the half, Connor Grant took the ball from a penalty and for the first time in over a year the lion roared as he ran through and over players to get within a metre of the try line, just when it seemed things would stall, Charlie Hewson appeared like a knight in shining armour and took on the ball. Sensing the score, the rest of the Chosen forwards piled in closely followed by most of the backs. It wasn’t to be though, with the ref unable to see the ball, no try was awarded. And then, quick as a flash, Levens turned on the magic and conjured another try from nowhere. The half finished 28-0 to Levens but all was not lost.

The half time talk from Father and Son coaching combo Ian and Nathan smith had an immediate effect and Chosen came out of the blocks like a different team. Liam and Nick combined brilliantly at 9 and 10 and with the ease that decisions were made, you would have thought they had been playing side by side for years. 5 minutes in and a scrum to Chosen, the scrum was solid, the ball went right and somehow the forwards appeared and won the ball, then the ball went left, all the way left................ Bailey Freeman straightened up at the last minute to give the wing more space, passed the ball and all that was left was for Alex “The Roadrunner” Broadbent to ignite the afterburners and show the Levens defence a clean pair of heels, with the ball deposited under the posts the conversion was made, 28-7. Now Chosen were playing like we all know they can.

James Paterson at fullback secured and cleared everything sent his way. The backs combined like never before. The forwards played as one as rucks and mauls were won and turned over, Zack Taylor was on fire (as usual) and he was rewarded with a well earned try, conversion successful, 28-14. Levens now knew they were in a game, 15 minutes left.

Levens had other ideas though, again their influential backs showed their pace and ran in try number 5 but no conversion. 33-14 with 11 minutes left to play. With both team tiring, it became a slogging match in the middle of the field as neither team wanted to give an inch, again the Levens backs broke away down the wing and it was left to Joe Rogers to save the day. Unfortunately Joe thought he was playing COD and nearly took the Levens players head of his shoulders, slightly high Joe!! With no other option, the ref awarded a penalty try and the conversion was successful. 40-14 final score after a full 60 minutes of playing.

Joe was lucky not to get awarded a yellow card for his “Try Saving” tackle but was instead awarded the donkey hat. Eeee Awww Rogers!!

No player was awarded man of the match today as it was our first game, good job too as how do you pick one when every player in green today deserved to be awarded man of the match. You did yourselves proud but today LongLevens RFC were simply the better team. Our time will come.

With last season a thing of the past, CHFP RFC would like to thank the players who left for pastures new for their efforts last season and also the coaches who have moved on to coach new teams all the best for the new season.