The Hammer’s third league game of the season saw them travel to Medway RFC down in Rochester, Kent. Having finished fourth in London 1 South in the perennial season, the hosts have continued to show their impressive form with two bonus point wins over KCS Old Boys and London Irish Wild Geese. It would be a tough day for the Hammers and they knew they had to come out firing, following slightly sluggish starts in their previous games.

The first coach trip of the season consisted of a tremendous quiz, hosted by the noble Jacob Poulton. It was a bright and sunny afternoon, perfect for a Hammers game, as the coach rolled into Priestfields and there was already the murmuring of a crowd as the teams warmed up.

New first team captain, Joe Carolan got the game underway and Medway took possession of the ball despite having the sun in their eyes. The Hammers showed great heart in the first five minutes and their defence kept Medway trapped inside their own 22. Following some aerial tennis with some precise kicking from both teams, including an unintentional but exceptional 50-22 from Owen Bennett, the ball fell to Hammers left wing James Lo. He latched onto his own grubber kick and dotted down for an early try. The Hammers had turned up and were eager to make a game of it. Joe Carolan missed conversion, 5 – 0.

After the restart, the Hammers conceded a few penalties and were slowly marched up the field but a superb spiral from Joe Carolan sent the Medway winger chasing the ball back into his own 22, the Hammers really taking advantage of the new laws and were awarded a lineout. With great guile, J-Lo took a quick lineout and sent Jacob Poulton over the line for the Hammers second try. Joe Carolan missed conversion, 10 – 0.

The Hammers were really showing their class by this point and with the better start behind them tried to turn the screw to finish the game off early. However Medway had other ideas, relying on their imposing pack, strong carries slowly saw them march back up the pitch. When a penalty was awarded within kicking distance they took full opportunity and it was coolly slotted home to make it 10 – 3.

The Hammers were aware of Medway’s strengths but could do nothing to prevent it from repeating; another penalty conceded made it 10-6. Medway showed some impressive scrummaging in the process. The Hammers promising start was not being reflected by the scoreboard and they were becoming slightly frustrated.

From the ensuing restart, winger Tim Russell forced a knock on to win the Hammers a scrum just past the ten-metre line. A good push from the Hammers forwards gave Ben Dugdale a good platform to deliver the ball to Tim Russell, standing at first receiver, who attacked the Medway back line at speed with Mike Lavery on his left. With quick feet and his luscious locks, he burst through a gap and was one-on-one with the opposing fullback. Tackled several metres short of the try-line, he produced a delightful offload to the supporting Mike Lavery who scored just left of the posts. Joe Carolan missed conversion, 15 – 6.

Such champagne rugby was short-lived by the Hammers and after a tussle of territory in the middle of the park; the Hammers were ill-disciplined and gave away several penalties in the scrum and for being offside. Medway collected another three points, the boot turning out to be a decisive weapon for them, 15 – 9. Although the Hammers had scored three tries they were only six points ahead and there was a sense of missed chances growing.

In the dying embers of the first half, a break on the left wing for Medway resulted in a dubious ‘deliberate’ knock on from Rory Cardwell and he was, well, carded. His surname, an easy pun there, sorry. The Hammers replaced Owen Bennett with Ash Mitchell to match the numbers of the Medway pack. Medway kicked to touch and their lineout caught the Hammers defence out, a short throw to the first man who passed it back to their hooker to run over for their first try of the day. A missed conversion made it 15-14 to the visitors at the break.

With eight minutes still left on the sin-bin, Medway took full advantage of their extra man and with help from Hammers’ poor tackling the Medway backs scored two tries in quick succession. The first was converted, the second missed. As the Hammers returned to a full outfit of fifteen players, they were suddenly faced with the reality of being 26 – 15 down. Hammers would now have to show great resilience to overturn this Medway side, notorious for being strong at home. Substitutions: Marshall Macleod replaced J-Lo and went to fullback, Ricky Drewitt for Angus Brown at hooker.

The game was now heating up and there were some big hits being put in from both teams; Harry Scarr, Andrew Rogan and Pete Bicknell supplying some memorable shots. Several times a lack of depth and unfortunate dropped balls prevented the Hammers from releasing their swift backline. Frustration was growing. But the promise was there and it wasn’t long before good hands allowed Marshall Macleod to outstrip several Medway players on the right wing. With clear intent he powered towards the line and managed to apply sufficient downwards pressure for the referee to award the try, despite vocal protests from the crowd. Joe Carolan kicked a meteoric conversion from the touchline, 26 – 22.

The game was separated by four points and surging with intensity. A Medway yellow card opened the door for the Hammers to push for the win. Medway were now confined to the own 22 and struggled to escape, the Hammers mounting considerable pressure. Several penalties in favour of the Hammers paved way for the left foot of Mike Lavery to pin Medway back. But with each Hammers attack, Medway had an answer and refused to let them in.

After tenacious carries from the Hammers pack, Medway were narrow and sucked into the rucks meaning the Hammers had numbers of both sides of the pitch. In the last play of the game, the Hammers backs were screaming for width on the ball and either way should have delivered a winning try. The Hammers went left but were caught out by an intercept from a Medway lock. The forward galloped down the wing with the Medway crowd cheering him on in search for a try bonus point. From the other wing Marshall Macleod and Tim Russell desperately set off, reeling in their opponent with every step. It was the substitute who managed to slap the ball into touch and forced the referee to blow his whistle for the end of the game. Drama until the very end, it was an extremely relieved Medway crowd who knew they were fortunate to win the game.

Bonus points for scoring four tries and finishing less than seven behind Medway meant that the Hammers left Priestfields with two points, instead of five. Special mention to Alex Spicer for an outstanding debut for the Hammers.

Player of the Match – Harry Scarr (Defiant tackling and aggressive carries)

It was on a wet and rainy October the 2^nd that Hammersmith 3s were getting ready to play their first game of the season at fortress Hurlingham. Today’s lamb to the slaughter: the Grasshoppers RFC that, after suffering a severe beating during pre-season, were out for revenge. However, as will soon be obvious, they were no match against the all-fearing all-conquering Hammers team of that day.

Despite the harsh conditions, spirits were high and captain Jones made sure that the goal of today’s game was clear for everyone: take names, make a statement, and contribute to what was soon to be called the 4 out of 4 weekend. After a solid and necessary warm-up, and a quick gathering in changing rooms, the team was on the pitch ready to rumble.

With the wind on our side during first half, kick-off was long and quickly enough Hammers were in the place they wouldn’t leave for the whole of the first half: the opposition’s 22.  After a good defensive phase and some ball-handling errors from Grasshoppers, Hammers had re-gathered the ball. Some solid carries of the forwards later, the ball was played out wide quickly where Sandy was able so send Sam straight through the middle for his 1^st (of many) try of the day! Then followed an extended period of time during which Hammers neither left the other team’s camp nor managed to score any points. A lack of discipline, as well as solid scrums and lineouts from the Grasshoppers were to blame for these unacceptably meagre spoils. The team nevertheless re-focused and was able to materialise their dominance in the form of two tries right before half-time: Adam in the middle and Jamal out on the wing.

Half-time score: 19-0.

At that point Hammers were feeling confident and knew that the game was theirs for the taking, even with the wind against us and conditions getting worst. In fact, what began as a light drizzle had turned into a proper shower, or what the Irish call ‘barbecue weather’, to the great damn of both the bench and the two valiant supporters that chose not to hide under the clubhouse and watch the 1s.

Right after kick-off the team was already cornered in their 22s and after a well-executed line-out Grasshoppers managed to score their first try of the game. Hammers knew they had to regain momentum quickly, but the opposition could feel they had (literally) the wind at their back and had returned close to our line. Once again discipline was lacking and after some tackles too high and not aggressive enough, Hammers conceded another try. This turn of events was not acceptable, and the team made sure to get back to it with a renewed intensity. Our fitness superiority and the entrance of the bench made it that we quickly regained the upper-hand, and soon enough Hammers were back where they belonged. The rest of this game is a bit of a blur as I was actually on the pitch, and because tries were lining up too fast for me to follow. The opposition had seemingly given up and Hammers were just too fit, too fast and too furious to handle. Sam -the Vaseline – Nursery got another couple tries under his belt after some magnificent runs, as did Adam straight after kick-off. Isaac finally finished them off with a great run and an even greater final dummy for maximal disrespect.

Strong performance for the 3s’ first game at home and a great weekend for the club!

Final Score : 48-13

MoM : Sam Nursery | DoD : Seb Money

Hammersmith and Fulham 2’s made the favourably short journey of 7 mins down the A3 to play London (eaten too many) Cornish pasties at the Richardson Evans Memorial Playing Fields. Blustery and wet conditions made no excuses. Mitch Lewis got the 2s off to a tepid start via a quick change of direction drop-kick off that didn’t even make it 10 unfortunately.

What Cornish lacked in numbers (13 players) they made up for in brute force as the Hammers found themselves pinned in their own half for the first 20-30 mins eventually leading to a maul-driven try by Cornish in the corner. The windy conditions thankfully meant this try went unconverted 5-0, and the Hammers turgid start finally turnaround after playing some actual rugby resulting in a try to 2s debutant Joe Crawley danced his way through two Cornish players before hurdling their prop to dot down, this was duly converted by Ben Dugdale, our terrier-like dogged halfback, with the sides going in at halftime 5-12 to the Hammers.

In the second half, the Hammers numerical advantage and fitness finally started to pay dividends, which were further compounded due to additional injuries to the Cornish team. Starting the match with a front-row that looked like something you’d find in Terry’s Lost-and-Found bin at the clubhouse, a front three of Whittingham, Reuben “Please Don’t Deport Me” Hernandez, and Johnson actually held their own against a former Cornish 1s prop duo who came in at a whopping 120kg and 130kg respectively. They simply looked as though they had eaten the existing 2s front row and taken their places.

Unforced errors, a lack of discipline across the park, and half a dozen knock-ons from the backs in wet and blustery condition were the key issues for 2s which resulted in Cook, Imfeld and Hernandez having to step in as makeshift centres to eventually play through Vaughan for his second try of the day following a good run from Cook through the midfield. Following a short dry spell Mitch pulled off a cross field kick and with a faithful bounce it landed in the hands of Morgan who sensed white line fever whilst being chased down so started to slide in from the 5m line but even he was unsure if he grounded fully.

However, it was Lalor who was simultaneously both the best and worst in the same passage of play after dropping the ball from a kick-off, somehow managed to avoid knocking it on only to then grubber kick the ball 30 yards, pick it up himself and pass to play in our resident Kiwi Bryce “Up the Bok” Morgan for his second try. He was duly advised by his fellow forwards to cut out that razzle-dazzle nonsense moving forward, else he’ll have got dick of the day.

Ed Donovan received Man of The Match after 4 years out of rugby lasted 80mins and Hernandez, despite similar strong efforts on the loose head side, received Dick of the Day (again!) after giving away a penalty due to a high tackle for the second week running, albeit narrowly escaping a yellow card this time due to mitigating factors.

All in all, quite a lot to improve on across the park, but the 2’s remain undefeated and finished out the match as 38-5 winners.