Worthians Rugby Report 2008/09

The WOBS RFC is now well into its 08/09 season and has developed fantastically since the boys got back together in September.  There have been a number of new additions to our team this season, including a core of key players from the Leavers of '02, '03 and ‘04.  This contingent has helped concentrate the regular squad to a round 25 - with many more on the list of less regular players.

This season has seen the appointment of James Madsen as Captain. The new impetus has been provided in large measure by James who has been tireless in his organisation on and off the field, and his total commitment to training, playing and week-in week-out team management.  James has had a tough job this year, integrating the old players with the new squad members, having taken advantage of the surge of commitment and enthusiasm coming from the '02, '03 and '04 Leavers.  As a firm believer that teams are built off the pitch as well as on, James has seen the WOBS team develop as a very close group with a great team spirit.  Seeing the boys gel so brilliantly, reinforces his conviction in the importance of a team playing, training and drinking together!

At the start of the season WOBS RFC made the decision to invest in a proper training ground, which was found at the Battersea Park Millennium Arena Athletics Track - a ground the team has used in the past. Sharing this ground on a Wednesday evening with London Exiles and Old Amplefordians has provided the us with a floodlit area, enabling us to get in some proper training mid- week.  The team has responded with wholehearted enthusiasm.

WOBS RFC continues to play in Surrey League 3, battling against old enemies such as Mitcham and the all South African Raynes Park RFC. Joining the League this year has been Old Blues RFC (Christ's Hospital School's old boys' team) who are bitter rivals of many of the players - bringing back memories of lining up against them during their years at Worth.

While the team is currently pushing towards the end of its League run with just three games to go as we write this summary, the first half of the season saw WOBS RFC putting in a strong performance in the National Junior Vase Cup. A string of wins, including a hard fought victory against London Exiles, saw the boys heading out of London for a three hour coach ride to Lowestoft & Yarmouth.  Once there, we competed in the 6^th Round knock out - the furthest the team has ever got in this tournament.  

Arriving as the underdogs - with an opposition who assumed they would be easy game! - WOBS RFC set the tone in the first half with the backs showing some heroic running on the ball, putting a number of points on the home side in the first half and knocking initial expectations off the field. The team fought hard and put their opposition under a lot of pressure throughout.  However, despite a great effort, the game went narrowly to Lowestoft and ended our 08/09 Cup run.  

Special recognition goes to all the boys who trained and worked so hard this year, both on and off the field, to get the team as far as the 6^th Round.  A victory would have meant being a mere three wins away from playing in the final at Twickenham.  Needless to say that Lowestoft RFC is still in the Cup, giving the boys an added hunger for next years' national tournament!

The team retains a number of familiar faces from years gone by, with the ex-Captain James "the bosh" Burt tirelessly picking up from the Number 8 position, Tom "TC/VC" Calnan continues to prove that working and partying hard all week has no impact at all on his ability to deliver frightening counter attacks all Saturday afternoon!  And Rob "I provide the gas" Cottrell demonstrates his versatility at Scrum Half, Fly-Half and Inside Centre. The season has also seen veterans, Pete Hilton and Phil Myles, return to the forwards after the summer break.  Hilton adding to the effectiveness of the WOBS' ability to get round the park, while Mark Wilson remains a solid and regular member of the back line in his remarkable 16^th year at the club (playing every season since WOBS RFC began in 1993). However, while the seasoned players remain strong, WOBS has also had a number of new faces who have join the club's regular playing squad in both the forwards and the backs.

The squad's new additions have helped to develop the team both on and off the field.  An increased level of training and consistency has ensured that the forwards have become a very tight group and this has shown in matches. While Steve Whyte and Mark Lane have provided sniper-like accuracy in throwing into the line, Danny O'Connell has proved a formidable jumper against every opponent.  Additions to the back row have included Chris Madsen, Alex Podbury, Dan Pring and Tom Middlehurst, coming in to join existing players James Madsen and James Burt.  As a pack the WOBS' forwards have proved themselves against opposition in both the League and the Cup, hunting and competing aggressively for the ball and matching every rival in the battle for physicality.  Chris Coxall and Dave Osborne joined the front row, the latter bringing some much needed bulk and, with the season starting to draw to a close, the level of commitment and camaraderie with the pack has had a massively positive impact on the game.

Among the backs, the addition of Tom Podbury at Outside Centre, Simon Hawkins in the Wing / Full Back position, and Kevin Danagher on the Wing has meant the WOBS have produced a devastating back line, which has the ability to beat all opponents for pace.  A key ingredient this season has been the tempo provided by Jamie Bruce at Scrum Half, which has allowed WOBS RFC to play the game at the fast pace they have aspired to. Jamie has been the team's ‘Duracell bunny' - never tiring, and providing the key link between backs and forwards. 

As in previous years, the club continues to extend its invitation to non-Worth boys to play alongside Worthians. This year, we are delighted to welcome forwards' Rohan Wilson and Big John McArthur.  Both Rohan and John have joined the front row - making a big impact to the WOBS' scrummaging - and providing the necessary bulk in defence, while Big John has also played in the Lock and Back Row, he has been invaluable in drilling the players week in week out at training.  In the backs we've retained the services of our resident Scotsman, Ed Gordon-Stewart, in the Number 10 jersey. Despite being around 100 years old, he has been a key play-maker for the team and offers some great banter on post match nights out!  The team has also welcomed Jamie Garratt into the back line.  Jamie has been a fearsome runner at Inside Centre but unfortunately had to leave us for an operation following a wrist injury.  But we look forward to welcoming him back soon.  Lee Howard has also played in some key games - his ability to make vital ground in his dangerous counter-attacks from deep in defence is a great asset to the game.

All in all the 08/09 season has been a great one for WOBS RFC. The heightened level of commitment adopted by the boys - who have the attitude needed at training, on the pitch and in the bar afterwards, has given me great confidence in looking forward to the 09/10 season, and the opportunities it will bring to build on the success of this season.

James Madsen (B'02) and Des Calnan (R'69) - April 2009