Wyvern Rugby Club Match Reports

(Home) Wyvern 29 - Wells 7

After several weeks of wind and rain, it made a pleasant change for the Wyvern to run out in dry day with relatively firm conditions under foot.

This was the furthest Wells had travelled all season and while they came with 15, unfortunately they only brought a colts front row which means the match was uncontested scrums from the outset.

Wyvern started very strong and were all over Wells in the opening minutes. An early exchange in the middle of the park found Wyvern breaking through and it was Munch who took the pass on the Wells 10 meter line with no-one in front him. For a moment he seemed confused as it seemed to easy, but he opened his legs and galloped in under the posts. Howie converted.

Things now settled down into a series of attacks and counter attacks. While Wells did get near on several occasions, Wyvern were a match for them. Unfortunately Wyvern were unable to make real penetration into the Wells half and lacked the flair that would bring them a score. Lineouts were better than they have been, but the ball was not good enough to allow for ball to be released to the backs.

The second half was a complete contrast. Now with the slope and the slight wind at their backs the Wyvern were like a team rejuvenated. Steve Greaves, in at scrum half for the absent Mark Evans, really started to take on the ball from the base of the scrum and with the support of his forwards, this now started to produce results.

The rucking was very positive and the support runners were helping make the phases progress. A quick penalty on the left, just inside the Wells 22, saw some superb interpassing between backs and forwards with Alex Holley taking the final pass and diving over to score his first try for the Wyvern.

The buzz was such that the expectation was for more, but Wells kept plugging away and making life difficult. Dave Hughes and Alex in the centres kept bringing down the Wells runners as they tried to break out, which just sent Wells round the outside, but they were unable to do more with it. Then there was ‘superman’ Jake Wren who stepped up his game in front his dad, long time Wyvern Player Jon ‘The Bench’ Wren, and put in some incredible tackles to thwart Wells attacks.

A series of penalties were getting Wyvern nowhere, so Howie ultimately made the decision to kick for goal and took the 3 points. This then seemed to generate the stimulus required and the Wyvern now started to make some headway. Over the coming minutes Munch scored twice, with some help in the second instance from Kev Black, and Howie converted both.

As the match came to conclusion Wyvern play became less positive in their passing and more erratic in their play. This culminated in the final play of the match going completely wrong for the Wyvern, with a simple Wyvern ball turned over by Wells and their talented scrum half making the break that lead to a Wells score under the posts with the last play of the game.

Man of the Match has to be Munch for the 3 tries, but Jake Wren made his presence felt in both attack and defence, while Steve Greaves was a human dynamo round the rucks and mauls.

(Away) Wiveliscombe 30 - Wyvern 19

Wyvern will be washing Wiveliscombe mud off their bodies for the rest of the week - not least as Graham Tottle turned on the showers early to "let them warm up" and inadvertently used up the limited hot water supply, which was gone after the first three had showered. The mud and the wet made for a slippery and limited game, but it was Wivey who adapted better.

The opening 1st quarter saw Wyvern under constant pressure. With several regular backs missing the a make shift unit struggled against an experienced Wivey three quarters. Clever positional kicking applied the initial pressure and
good hands, given the wet, kept them fixed in the Wyvern half. The pressure eventually told and the Wivey backs ran
in a relatively easy try, which was converted. Jim Cole was clearly disorientated being out of position on the wing and the decision was taken to bring on Ed Bunce, who had only turned up to watch, but as a winger he would 'plug the hole'.

From the restart Wyvern kept the pressure on and found themselves pressing the line. Having been pressing the Wivey line for several phases it was Howie at fly half who made the half break to breach the gain line and Munch was on hand to receive the pop pass and cross to score. Howie converted.

Things started to get quite lively now and there were several instances of handbags, which the referee took a dim
view of. While there were a few bright moments from the Wyvern it was all rugged defence, with back row Munch & Dave Hughes (back from injury) leading the way in the forwards and Jake Wren (also back from injury) showing the backs how to do it from an uncharacteristic centre.

Wivey kept the pressure on with a penalty and maintained the pressure through the rest of the half. The continuing
problems with the Wyvern lineout did not help the case. The Wyvern scrum, which had been steady, suddenly started to slide in the mud as Wivey got the nudge on just 5 metres out and the relentless march of the Wivey 8 to a push over try was then inevitable. This try was converted. Wyvern did reach the other end, but the whistle ended the half before the effort could be made into points.

The change around saw Wivey take instant advantage of the firm ground to the top end and ran in a simple try using
the fullback in the line. While the coversion was not successful, a penalty shortly after pushed Wivey into a 23-7
point lead.

The match now moved into a period of attack and counter attack. A number of penalties, going either way, allowed
each team to alleviate pressure. Ultimately though the pressure told and a series of scrums under the Wyvern posts
lead to another pushover scrum. Tackle of the match came during this period when that man Hendrik, on in his now
customary 'impact' role on the flank, saved a certain try as the Wivey centre took a quick penalty from 5 metres but
was hit so hard by Hendrik he ended up back beyond the mark of the penalty.

Wyvern now seemed to be brought to life and for the final quarter of the match it was all in the Wivey half. The attack was lead by Mark Evans, who had suffered in the mud, but now took the ball on and ran from various positions. It was one of his adventurous breaks, where he had kicked ahead and was chasing towards the line, that forced a Wivey player to pull him back and suffer 10 minutes in the Sin Bin for a professional foul. From this advanced position the Wyvern pressured and pressured from within the Wivey 22. The chance finally came as the Wyvern forwards were taking phase after phase within 5 metres of the Wivey line. The ball was released to the backs and Howie slipped through a tackle and the gap to score, converting his own try.

With the minutes ticking away Wivey still could not get out of their half and with Wyvern running all their penalties now, Wivey were feeling the pressure. With the last play of the game Wivey kicked for touch to have this charged down by the Munch and Hendrik duo. Munch showed his pace and won the race to the line to touch down. Howie missed the final kick of the game.

Man of the Match this week is shared between Dave Hughes, Munch, Hendrik and Jake, who all applied themselves in their own areas of the game in terrible playing conditions. Kev Black deserves a mention for his work in the loose,
where he made a regular contribution to both attack and defence, and Mark Evans for his second half contribution
following a first half he would rather forget.

(Home) Wyvern 5 - Chew Valley 2nds 35

In a atrocious wind and rain, both sides were always going to struggle. Ball handling is always difficult in wet conditions, but with gusting winds and driving rain during the match it was as much as each side could do to hold onto the ball.

Playing down the slope and with the strong wind at their backs the Wyvern were slow to start. The upshot of this was a an early converted try by a strong and spirited side Chew pack. This was the wakeup that was needed and Wyvern started to get back into the game. Unfortunately Chew's strong back row and good centre partnership constantly neutralised Wyvern progress and it was left to Howie's tactical kicking to keep Chew penned in their own half.

Eventually the breakthrough came when Ben Ayres at inside centre took a well angled run which made the space for him to break two subsequent tackles before crossing to score, which Howie converted. The belief was there and the team now raised its game and continued to apply pressure.

While Wyvern scrums were strong, lineouts were a mess and in the end it was left to taking advantage of mistakes made by Chew. Leading the charge for the Wyvern and causing Chew to make mistakes was Paul Hillier, who was outstanding, and singlehandedly kept the Wyvern in the match.

The other bright spark in the Wyvern side was guest scrum half Anthony 'Gothy' Gothard, who was the only player making ground with the ball in hand. However, there was not enough support to turn the ground into anything really useful.

Following the turn around, Wyvern were now facing with terrible conditions their visitors had faced. Chew were quick to use the wind to keep Wyvern back in their own 22. While the scrum still held and the tackling was, for the most part, steady, the cracks were starting to show in the Wyvern. It wasn't long before Chew crossed for a try. Two converted penalties in quick succession showed Chew's intent, but also their respect for the Wyvern.

Dave Newcombe, guesting at fullback, now swapped with Howie who reverted to his natural position of fullback. Chew now found their deep kicks gathered and returned by Howie with long grubber kickers, which resulted in fewer kicks deep and more running with the ball. As the conditions worsened this latter tactic brought more yards and created more pressure on a steadily waning Wyvern team.

A combination of Chew pressure, some curious refereeing decisions and several injuries to Wyvern players saw a rapid decline in the overall quality of Wyvern play. Three more tries (one coming from the return of the kick off) put Wyvern miles adrift. While heads were still up, the bodies were now struggling in the mire that was the Wyvern pitch. Down to 14 for the final minutes of the game there was one last moment of glory as a Wyvern scrum in their 22 saw Gothy break left, pass to Ben Ayres who drew the tacklers and set Howie off up the wing. The moment was short lived as the Chew defence ushered him into touch and the match was over.

Man of the Match for the Wyvern was undoubtedly Paul Hillier, who made every other tackle for the Wyvern on the day. For the rest of the side it was an experience. The return of Ian Scovell could not help the side and what a day for new player Mike Taylor to play his first game. Thanks to Gothy and Dave Newcombe for helping out. Finally, sorry to Coach Tom Knell for failing to deliver the birthday present he so desperately wanted - we did try.

(Home) Wyvern 15 - Wellington 3rds 0

Following lasts week close run match, where poor defence kept Tor firmly in the match, Coach, Tom Knell, used mid week training to work on defensive lines. The results of this effort was what won the match against Wellington.

The match was played in the tail end of the year's worst storm so far, with extremely strong winds and several showers. Under foot it was tacky, but still quite firm and the pitch was a credit to the groundsman at the Wyvern.

Winning the toss, Howie opted to play up the slope and into the strong wind. The first half was a long list of Wellington attacks snubbed out by excellent tackling from every member of the Wyvern team on the park. Munch and Hendrik were huge in the back row, Andy Cunnington and Kev Black made the front row presence known, while Will the Juggler and Mike Harrison on the wings both put in excellent tackles at important moments.

There were occasional rumbles up the park by Wyvern, with Mark Palmer finding a new role barging his way forward at close quarters. But it was the snaking runs of Mark Evans that kept kept the opposition wondering and, with excellent rucking from the Wyvern pack, the momentum of these breaks was maintained. Howie had a good day with positional kicking and kicked well to the space to help keep Wellington out of the Wyvern half. The only real scoring chances of the first half fell to Howie who opted for kicks with several penalties around the Wellington 22. The first he missed, the second bisected the posts and the third attempt hung in the wind right in front of the posts, which caused panic in the Wellington ranks as the chasing Wyvern players, lead by Munch, poured through onto the Welly player who took the ball.

Moment of the half was when the training night practice created an attacking situation from defence: the ball having been kicked through saw 4 Wyvern players follow up, with the line slowing to maintain its integrity, the Wellington winger was faced with a flat red wall, which enveloped him and drove over as the pack then followed up behind. The whole team took from this moment and the second half saw more of the same, including the repeatedly drilled reshuffle to bring the forwards closer to the ruck to take the 'big boys' as they broke for the next phase. All credit to Tom, to whom this win belongs.

Down the slope and with the wind at their backs, the Wyvern looked comfortable in the second half. The defence was now impenetrable and the Wellington frustration was becoming very evident as they struggled just to get beyond the half way line.

Unmentioned, so far, has been the Wyvern scrummaging, which was solid and stable throughout. There were moments of uncertainty, but then Wellington had the same problems too. But it was a stable Wyvern scrum just inside the Wellington 22 that provided the platform for that man Mark Evans to break, draw the first two defenders, putting Howie through the space to make the next 10 metres before passing back inside for the ever present Evans to receive and dart to the line, crashing over with two defenders desperately trying to hold him up. Howie converted this having missed a penalty in front of the posts some minutes earlier.

Wyvern were now buzzing and it was all Wellington could do to string passes together to cross the gain line. Wellington resorted to their only effective attacking option of the match by using the rolling maul, but this was never going to be enough. Howie continued to kick deep into the Wellington half, using both wind and slope to frustrate the visitors even more.

With the minutes ticking away, one phase saw the Wyvern forwards charging the Wellington line having disrupted a Wellington line out. Progress was direct and each phase was crossing the gain line. Ball carriers Kev Black, Hendrik and Munch were making good yards, but eventually the 40 metre attack stalled just to the right of the posts about 15 metres out. Wellington's defensive line was now spread wide and Howie dropped into the pocket and connected with an excellent drop kick, only to see it shave past the posts.

The clock was ticking down and Wellington were now making their own job harder by throwing reckless passes and creating appalling positions to defend. It was one of the these 'loose ball' situations just inside the Wellington 22 that saw the ever present Munch show his football skills as he side kicked the ball towards the Wellington line and then a turn of speed to follow up, dropping on the ball and sliding over the line for the score. Howie's wide conversion attempt held up in the swirling wind, dropping just in front of the bar.

Game over and it was only a matter of whether Wyvern would get another score, but this did not come.

Man of the Match has to be Tom Knell, who may not have played, but it was his inspired session at training that brought about this victory. Mentions also need to go to Andy Cunnington, Kev Black, Mark Palmer, Graham Tottle, Munch, Hendrik, Mark Evans, Howie, Marcus Newbie, Alex Holley, Will Collier and Mike Harrison. And thanks to referee Arthur Moore for refereeing the match to allow it to be enjoyable for everyone involved.
 

(Away) Tor 5 - Wyvern 12

Wyvern's 12-5 win against 14 man Tor was certainly nothing to write home about. The bright start and early try by Mark Evans was something of a 'flash in the pan' as the match became very much a Tor lead confrontation.

Excellent defensive tackling from Paul Hillier, Tony Scott and Mark Palmer all contributed to the overall effort.

Mark Evans was pushed over for a second try late in the half. The only response came from Tor mid way through the second half. In the end, it was Wyvern desperately hanging on.

(Home) Wyvern 16 - Chard 3rds 15

It was a perfect day for rugby at Mountfields Road and Chard were there well ahead of the Wyvern, showing their total commitment to the fixture.

And it was Chard who took full control of the match from the outset. They were dominant in the scrum, lineout, rucking and mauling, as well as in the three quarters where their centres and fullback were particularly dangerous. Indeed it was a very good handling move down the blind side from just inside the Wyvern half that provided Chard with the opening converted try early on in the game.

In the first instance it was luck and some poor handling by Chard that kept Wyvern in the match, but as the time progressed the defensive tackling of flankers Dave Hughes and Jake Wren, and that of centre Jim Odams (yes, Jim Odams reviving his rugby career with the Wyvern after nearly 12 years) all soon to tell on the Chard attack. Once the Chard runners were stopped  the rest of the Wyvern pack followed in with Munch delivering an enormous of effort into the game.

25 minutes in and Chard once again pound the Wyvern line, this time breaching it through the forwards to score an unconverted try. A casualty of this fray was Kev Black, who left the field having taken an earlier knock to the head. He was replaced by Taz who immediately added a further focus to the defence and, moreover, to the increasing chances the Wyvern were taking in attack.

On one such foray into the Chard half a series of driving phases, typical of the style hammered into the players at training by coach, Tom Knell, brought the Wyvern a penalty which Skipper Howie ably slotted between the posts to reduce the deficit.

However it was Chard who had the final say of the half, when Wyvern were penalised for hands in a ruck despite the fact the referee had failed to call it as a ruck. The penalty was duly dispatched and minutes later the half ended with Wyvern trailing 3-15.

Half time brought a stern "wake up" call from Coach Knell, which seemed to have the desired effect. Playing down the slope and now with Doug Wright and Rob Odams at second row (yes, "Shitfer" too was making a long overdue return to the Wyvern fold) the Wyvern seemed to have a new focus about them. Scrummaging was now even and several times it was Wyvern with the 'nudge'. Lineouts were now at least competitive and the overall result was that Chard changed their tactics and kept things much slower as they moved through the phases. The constant battering from Dave Hughes, Jake and Munch might also have contributed to this.

Chard used the rolling maul very well and this allowed them to make regular sorties into the Wyvern half. The Chard backs released their left wing several times and he would have made greater inroads if it were not for the covering of Jim Odams. But despite this pressure the Wyvern took their chances to clear their lines and Howie's not so reliable punting started to come good with some huge kicks to space, deep into Chard territory, which was being turned into attacking positions.

The deadlock was broken when a scrappy piece of broken play brought about a superb individual try for Jim Odams who turned to gather a loose ball, arced back into what was now a space and then proceeded to either crash through or evade the Chard defenders as he galloped from somewhere outside the twenty two, eventually diving beneath the posts to score. Howie kicked the extras.

There was a buzz and a belief in the red shirts of Wyvern and out and out defence now looked to opportunities to attack. Taz was unlucky when he took two successive 5 meter penalties and simply charged the Chard line, both times being held up short.

At the other end one Chard attack almost saw the Wyvern line breached, but for the heroics of Munch and Juggler who forced the player to hold onto the ball and give away the penalty and the ball was cleared.

With 12 minutes to go the Wyvern were awarded a penalty 20 metres from touch on the 22. Howie took the decision to kick and delivered accordingly, reducing the deficit to 2 points. By now it was all Wyvern and both in attack and defence they appeared to be the side with the desire. And it should have been all over when Dave Hughes set out down the middle of the park. He ran through the full back (he has yet to reach 'side step' in his book of rugby terminology) and popped the ball up to the supporting Munch who took the next tackle and then presented to Jim Odams who galloped over the line where he was embraced by the defender; unfortunately the referee was not in the correct position to see the initial grounding of the ball and he only saw the subsequent interference of the defender. No score.

Chard almost got out of the half, but an infringement and subsequent back chat saw a penalty taken back a further 10 metres and now Howie took his chance, slotting the almost head on kick to put the Wyvern in front with only minutes to go.

The ball was kept firmly in the Chard half and despite their best endeavours the Wyvern were not about to see the come back of the season slip away in the dying seconds of the match. The final whistle sealed a memorable victory and one that Chard will surely be determined to make amends for on the return fixture.

Men of the match were Jake Wren and Dave Hughes who literally will have left their mark on many a Chard forward. Outstanding performances from the Odams brothers, and consistent contributions from Taz and Howie. Juggler deserves a mention for the two monster tackles and Steve Greaves for a rugged performance at scrum half. Overall though a great team performance, coming together in the face of adversity and taking the chances that were there. Well done the Wyvern.
 

(Away) Burnham on Sea 2nds 12 - Wyvern 14

(Home) Wyvern 39 - Castle Cary 2nds 5

Castle Cary had let down a couple of sides thus far this season and it was a great relief that they arrived at the Wyvern, albeit short of players. Three willing volunteers were found (thank you Mark Palmer, Graham Tottle and Jim Cole) and match preparations began in earnest. The fact, also, that the ref had cried off was not a problem as a fully fit Doug James was now on hand. It was only at this stage that it became apparent that it would be uncontested scrums and plans were made accordingly to accommodate this.

Playing up the slope and into the sun the Wyvern established very early that their opposition were a very mixed bunch. Gary 'Tiny' Peter-Budge, at inside centre, galloped off up the field in the early stages and straight through the Cary defence, ultimately to trip over a tackler rather than actually being tackled. More direct running proved that this was definitely the best tactic for the day and progress up the field was rapid. It was Tiny who eventually broke through and scored.

There was a suggestion the flood gates would open, but the uncontested scrums and the sparse talent in the Cary side kept things even, though Wyvern were constantly threatening. Though this was not enough to stop Mark Evans from showing skill and speed to cross for the Wyvern second try.

The third try and fourth tries were individual efforts born in open play. Firstly Martin 'Howie' Howe took a nicely timed pass from Mark Evans and found the pace to round the two covering players, which left 30 metres and the fullback to beat; no one knew he could side step, but he did and then beat the covering players to the line. Equally incredible was the cross pitch kick which Will "The Juggler" Collier caught, as Cary tried to clear their lines, and he then proceeded to round one player, run straight through the fullback and to complete his 40 metre run and score in the corner, despite the attentions of a final Cary player.

The change round at half time saw Moley Freeman come on at prop and, for his first outing in a couple of years, Jim Duncan at 2nd row. The second half proved more sporadic and despite the clear dominance in most areas of play, Wyvern made too many mistakes in line outs and open play. It was also necessary for Referee, Mr James, to have a word with Jake Wren who managed to find someone on the opposition to antagonise for the second week in a row, thus leading to handbags being produced. Cary also found some comfort in the rolling maul, which Wyvern struggled to defend against.

Nevertheless it was Wyvern who found a way through, with an individual touch from Mark Evans who spotted a hole to dart through, as the Wyvern attacked the Cary line. Paul "Best Man" Hillier was next over with a barging run from the base of a scrum near the Cary line.

The loss of Tiny with a broken nose (which apparently straightened things up!) preceded Cary's only score when they were finally able to control a driving maul well enough to allow Wyvern's loaned player, Mark Palmer, to score for the visitors.

Play moved once again back in favour of Wyvern and an attack, which used both a series of phases and then good handling, lead to Jake Wren scoring with a long arm reach as he was pulled down by three players. Unfortunately the Referee was unsighted and the try was not awarded as the ball had moved by the time he arrived. Clearly this was not Jake's day. It was actually Howie who got the final score when a ball hit Dave Hughes (on for Tiny) in the shoulder and seemed to go forward into his arms before he ran between the defenders, round the full back once again and then just beat the defenders to the line; another 40 meter run which was getting longer and longer in the bar!

Another match that will probably not be remembered for the quality of rugby, but nevertheless a match played and the Wyvern's grateful thanks to Castle Cary for turning up. Man of the Match was undoubtedly the Juggler, who not only scored an outstanding try, but made several positive runs and was, by his standards, awesome in the tackle. Paul Hillier and Jake Wren were everywhere, once again, and Andy Cunnington made his presense felt with several big runs during the phases. Howie's kicking from hand was much better, but he seemed to have the wrong tee for kicking as he only managed 2 from 7. Finally, thanks to Dougie for refereeing the match so well; he really did seem to know what he was doing!

(Away) Weston Hornets 3rds 18 - Wyvern 23

There was nothing about this match that will set it down as a memorable game, other than the win. It started OK, it got a bit sour and then it all went horribly wrong, but the character finally showed through.

Welcome returns for Paul "Best Man" Hillier and Kev Black meant that it was arguably a formidable Wyvern pack that took to the field. Unfortunately (and was this a tactic) Weston lost a prop within 2 scrums and without replacements we moved to uncontested scrums. Not only did this remove what looked like a Wyvern strength, it also limited the options and involvement of new scrum half, Mark Evans.

It took Wyvern 5 minutes to wake up and during this time Hornets made ground. With strong encouragement from Coach Tom Knell, the team started to pull together and the training ground driving routines started to pay off as the team advanced up the pitch. After some initial exchanges in the middle of the park, a penalty provide fly half, Howie, with the chance to put Wyvern ahead, which he duly did.

Wyvern now had a buzz about them and, once in the Hornets half, the 'keep it in the hands' message got through and a driving attack combined with interpassing lead to a sweeping move to the left which found full back, Gareth Hughes, on the end of the line to run in for the unconverted score in the corner.

Some poor options by Wyvern and some luck on the part of Hornets brought them close to the Wyvern line. The 'advantage' of the uncontested scrums gave their back row the chance to attack the line and light weight Howie was no match for the forward who literally ran through him on the line to score an unconverted try.

While there was excellent driving and tackling in the centres by Ben Ayres and Dave Hughes, the penetration was not there and it was left to the boot of Howie to keep Wyvern in the Hornets half (though he it seemed he was wearing someone else's boots on several occasions!). Another penalty by Howie saw out an unremarkable half.

With a few changes of personnel at half time, it was Hornets who got the dream start when their scrum half broke from a touchline maul, down the blind side, to run in from 40 metres and score and unconverted try. This did wake the Wyvern up and Munch suddenly came to life as he harassed the Hornets half backs and chased his own grub kick through, secured the ball for the forwards to drive on. Just inside the Hornets' 22 Taz came in at scrum half and took the outrageous decision to chip into the corner. Best Man was on hand to win the foot race to the corner and touch down another unconverted try. 16-10 the score to Wyvern.

A huge turning point came in the match when minutes later the Hornets backs attempted to run out from beyond their 22; the ball went to ground and the young centre put his boot into the ball at the same time as Big Ben arrived. Play was immediately stopped as the poor youngster screamed in agony with what Ian 'Medic' Scovell later told us was a dislocated fracture of the ankle.

As the player could not be moved it was decided to move the play onto the first team pitch and carry on. Medic stayed with the casualty pending the arrival of the ambulance and changes were made again for the Wyvern. But the 10 minute break seemed to send most of the thoughts back to the changing room. The next 15 minutes saw Wyvern playing school boy rugby and making the Hornets look outstanding. Missed tackles allowed an early score on the new pitch and further disarray (and some unusual refereeing decisions) lead to a penalty which put Hornets ahead 18-16.

Jake Wren, Taz and Best Man individually kept Wyvern alive in the game with tackles that made a difference. With 10 minutes to go things certainly seemed to be slipping away from Wyvern. Then Medic returned and, whatever he said as he came on, saw a transformation. The forwards were all over Hornets, who seemed to have sensed the lack of co-ordination in the Wyvern ranks and dropped their game slightly. From a lineout Munch was off again and with several players running in support it was Medic who took the pass to run in for the score .... er, not! Some say it was the desperate tap tackle by the Hornets player, some say it was his own feet and some the long grass, but whatever it was there was a desperate sigh from all as Medic crashed to the ground, the ball spewing forward and over the line.

Nevertheless, tails were now up. From the ensuing 5 metre scrum Mark Evans and Jake Wren flew like rockets to nail the flyhalf as he desperately tried to clear the ball; scrum Wyvern. It was a text book drive from Munch at No.8. The ball was recycled and Best Man took the short pop pass to burst through and touch down between the posts, for a straightforward conversion for Howie to put the score at 23-18 to Wyvern.

It was going to take something special from Hornets now and there was no chance with the buzz going through the Wyvern. Mark Evans forced the play back into the Hornets half and then there was 1 minute to go. A final Hornets attack was once again crushed by the Ayres Hughes centre partnership, with a forward pass that brought no advantage and the end of the match.

Best Man made a Man of the Match return to the Wyvern and Jake Wren was the unsung hero, roughing it up with some of the big boys from Hornets and making some of the class tackles of the match. But this was a rugged team performance, which can be improved upon greatly. All credit to Coach Tom Knell whose constant work on the basics has proved invaluable and ultimately should take the credit for this victory.

Who would have thought the Wyvern would be looking at 2 wins from 3 matches played when the idea of league rugby was first muted in February this year, with wins against Minehead and now Hornets. Best of all, there is still lots to come.

(Away) Minehead 3rds 15 - Wyvern 39

In the 90’s Wyvern once travelled to Minehead with only 9, in order to honour the fixture. In more recent times the team went with 11. Now, in the new age of Saturday League Rubgy, a “squad” of 22 made the slow journey to the home of ours sponsors, Butlins. How times have changed.

The weather was better suited to an afternoon on the beach, which was reflected in the referee’s willingness to allow drink breaks every 20 minutes. Playing on the top pitch the “bottom corner” was not so significant, but nevertheless played its part in the game.

From the start the Minehead forwards appeared to put down their marker and drove with the ball again and again and again. In the scrums they were either winning their ball easily or disrupting the Wyvern ball. It was this kind of dominance that lead to the opening try. Ironically the Wyvern forwards were magnificent in defence and it was only when the ball was released to the Minehead backs that a poor tackle in the Wyvern mid-field allowed a converted score under the posts.

From the restart the Minehead forwards failed to secure the ball and Jake Wren pounced. A steady ruck with the ball passed to the backs saw Howie deftly deposit the ball deep into the Minehead half, bouncing perfectly for a lineout in the 22. A Minehead tap back to the scrum half allowed Jim Cole to make the hit, which dislodged the ball and saw Dave Hughes gather the ball, break one tackle and charge the 10 metres to the line. What a response.

Firmly back in the game Wyvern now had even opportunities and as the game ebbed and flowed in the energy sapping sun.

A moment of sheer individual brilliance came from Mark Welsh at scrum half as he broke blind from a scrum on the Minehead 10 metre line. A dummy from the “Doug James Book of Outrageous Dummies” saw him clean through and a huge side step put him past the full back for the Wyvern second score under the posts. Notably Howie missed the kick from directly in front!

It was not long before the Wyvern found themselves camped near the Mindhead line, benefiting from indiscipline in the Minehead pack and Howie’s accurate touch kicking. It was now the Wyvern forwards battering the Minehead defence before the ball was released to the backs. Tiny made a storming run and was still moving towards the line with 3 hanging onto him before the ball was recycled by the pack and with 4 on two it was a matter of simple hands for Alex Stanley to run over and score. Howie got this conversion.

Minehead were becoming frustrated now and were unable to find a way through as they were running our of time to use the advantage of the hill. As much as they could muster was a well taken drop kick by their fly half.

But the final score of the half was left to James Newbie, who was playing on the wing. Another break by the Wyvern backs left James with 20 metres to the line and, despite a brave tackle by the Minehead defender as he brought James down just in front of the line, his awareness allowed him to twist and stretch to place the ball on the line.

The second half saw a wholesale change of the backs and several forwards. Using the hill and the gentle breeze Howie kept pushing Minehead back into their half and into the bottom corner. And it was in the bottom corner that a series of penalties lead to a pile of bodies on the line and a long pause while the referee decided the fate of the ball. At the bottom of the pile were who else but Taz Bailey and Paul Westwood, and there was only one decision that was coming from that. Howie was close with the conversion attempt, but only close.

Minehead desperately tried to break out of their half and used their backs well to make ground. However the ‘new’ Wyvern backs were a match for the task, particularly Ben Newbietoo, who almost sliced one of the Minehead centres in half, leaving what was the best of their backs needing treatment.

With ball in hand Ben was also very effective and was contributory to getting the Wyvern back to the Minehead line again. Disruption of a Minhead scrum and the ensuing pick up and drive followed by pick up and drive brought the Wyvern close to the Minehead line where Hendrick picked a perfect line to crash through two defenders and run in for another unconverted try.

Minehead were not done yet and a new addition to the field moved quickly in positions from wing, to centre to back-row. His fresh legs helped to close down the Wyvern runners and force some mistakes. Indeed, when this player made a break from loose and ran straight towards the posts it seemed non-sense that from inside the 22 he kicked the ball high for himself to chase. It was too far really, but the mistake was it was allowed to bounce and, as it shot to the left, he was the first to follow up and score, to huge cheers from the crowd.

The final say of the day was nearly Ben’s, with a storming run into the Minehead 22 which brought him to the Minehead line where he was held up literally on the line. The ball bobbled back and Alex, who was supporting his centre partner perfectly, gathered the ball up, hit the post padding and then the ground to score a final converted try.
The last two minutes were intense as Minehead desperately tried to save something from the day, but the final whistle brought their advance to an end.

Once again this week it is difficult to single out individuals, as the team again proved to be the successful body. Mentions should go to Ian Scovell for his work at second row, to Jake Wren for being everywhere, Dave Hughes for being immediately behind Jake, Taz and Westy for steadying the ship, Mark for his behind the forwards work and to Howie who, though he missed 5 out of the seven conversions, kept the play mixed up and kicked well from the hand.

Chew Valley next week will be a stern test, but with home advantage and virtually every player available, the opportunity will be there for the Wyvern to play the excellent rugby they are clearly capable of producing.

(Away) Morganians 28 - Wyvern 5

Wyvern's 40th season started like none had ever started before - on a Saturday!

The change to Saturdays and joining Somerset 3 South was all part of a strategy to save the Club from extinction following the rapid decline of 'friendly' matches as 2nd and 3rd teams moved into the Somerset League structure.

Doug James (Chairman), Moley Freeman (Secretary), Gareth Hughes (Fixture Secretary) and Martin Howe have worked hard over the summer to change the ethos of the Club, culminating in 19 players travelling to Morganians for the start of the this new era.

Captain for the day, Howie, worked with Chairman Doug and Coach, Tom Knell (injured during summer training) to get the squad prepared. A mixture of faces from the last 10 years mixed together with new blood from this summer were all very nervous and this showed in the opening exchanges.

Morganians were well drilled and with a clear playing strategy. Wyvern were just glad to be on the park with 15 and soon found themselves under the cosh. The Morgs forwards constantly battered up the park, running short balls and crossing the gain line with each advance. However, solid tackling from the Wyvern forwards meant that each advance was stopped and, in some instances, driven back. Pack leader Dave Hughes lead with actions and not words as he made several big hits on the opposition, causing ball to be turned over or causing Morgs to make mistakes.

The attacks were relentless and Wyvern did well to be only 3 points down after 15 minutes. Bodies were tired already, but a new side was being moulded in those early, testing minutes. Andy Cunnington, Moley, Mark Palmer, Doug Wright and Graham Tottle were solid in the front 5 and the back row of Dave, Guy Loader and Jake Wren were everywhere.

As the half progressed Morgs released their backs for a few runs, but these were easily neutralised by the Wyvern back division, with Tiny Peter-Budge, Alex Stanley, Will Collier and Stu Newbie making big tackles and forcing errors. Indeed, it was the Wyvern backs who looked like upsetting the play as Tiny took off up the park from the Wyvern 10 metre line, broke two tackles and brushed off 2 more players, and as he drew the fullback he failed to make the pass to Alex who would have been uncatchable with 40 metres to the line. Nevertheless, this showed what the Wyvern could achieve and, with heads now up, the play became more balanced.

Some early decisions by the referee seemed to be new season nerves, but it started to become apparent that he was not actually seeing what the rest of the the players (and spectators) were seeing. A penalty against Kiwi Phil, which put Morgs 6-0 up, in hindsight seemed as though it should have been against Morgs who were interfering with Phil.

First changes of the match came when Doug Wright was kicked (accidentally) in the side of the head, one stud leaving a 'hole' just below his hairline and a second stud damaging his ear: he was taken to hospital in an ambulance with bad concussion and was subsequently diagnosed as having a perforated ea drum. At the same time Moley left the park having injured his knee some time previously. A quick shuffle brought in Tony Newbietwo and Ben Geer.

Late pressure in the half saw 2 tries saved by Stu Newbie, but a series of rucks and mauls near the Wyvern line eventually resulted in a Morgs forward crashing over in the corner. The unconverted try left the half time score at 14-0 including another earlier penalty.

Further half time changes brought the War Horse, Taz Bailey, into the front row and Mike Harrison onto the wing. Taz had only turned up to watch, but like all good Wyvern players had brought his boots.

The second half was a tale of declining refereeing decisions. While they were going against both sides, the Wyvern seemed to have the worst of it. One try where the referee was 'unsighted' saw a knock on and a forward pass before the player scored. The final try (at the end of the match) saw an outrageous forward pass which the referee was level with, but failed to penalise. Not surprisingly tempers were fraying and opinions were being expressed that the referee was not happy to hear.

The highlight of the half, and the best score of the match, was initiated by Kiwi Phil who set off on a lateral run which seemed to be going nowhere, but sufficiently confused everyone that wing Will Collier found a straight line and a gap that sent him galloping towards the line - he juggled the ball 4 times before getting a firm grip to touch down in the corner.

This match will be remembered not just for the position it holds in Wyvern history, but also for the positive attitude with which it was played. Scrummaging, rucking, mauling, tackling and support play were all excellent. Lineouts only failed because of the loss of the only player who could throw in. Heads stayed up, if only tired through the amount of effort, but the whole team showed great commitment and effort to the cause. This all puts the Club in good stead for the coming season.

No man of the match, the whole team deserve the accolade, but mentions should go to Tiny and Alex for the solid defence in the centres, Stu for tackling the ball carrier and forcing the errors, Dave Hughes for leading by example, Jake for the flying tackle on the prop late in the second half (amongst other things) and Kiwi Phil for not completely losing it and punching the ref.

Minehead will probably be a bigger stretch than Morgs, but with the team effort that was made this week, it is only another challenge to rise to.