It was a strong Hammers 3^rd that took to Fortress Hurlingham against local rivals Chiswick on a frosty 6^th January. Benefiting from a near full compliment of players returning after the festive break, it was a confident captain Steve Harris (15) led the boys in a warm-up characterised by the typical positivity and a forgiving demeanour from Andrew Rogan (3) directed at the highly skilled but low-functioning Billy-f*£king-Rylance (6).

After a delayed kick-off, the boys received the kick-off from a Chiswick only to find themselves quickly on the defensive.  What followed was  sustained period of pressure that lasted for approximately 15 minutes but was characterised by excellent line-speed defence and bone-crunching tackles.  The second row pairing of Thomas Broadway and Tim Lawson was especially physically, backed up by a beefier George O’hara (2), who put his xmas-added muscle to good use by not taking a back foot against the direct running of the powerful Chiswick forwards.  Nevertheless, after a fluid passage of play that saw Chiswick stretch the Hammers defense, they eventually scored out wide in a well deserved try, opening the scoring at 5-0.  Game on.

The boys quickly bounced back.  A short line out in the Hammers 30m mark was ably called, caught and passed by Tim Lawson, who passed to Dave Buchanan (9) in what would prove the start of a man-of-the-match performance at 9. Dave fed Jack Davies (10) who found the waiting hands of Mark Johnson (8).  A swift sidestep found a hole, and after big meters he offloaded to Rylance who ran it further, before finding the waiting hands of Taylor (13).  Taylor then ran it if from approximately 35 meters out, beating defenders to score in the corner.  Hammers back in the game.

Two quick tries followed.  Direct running by Josh Myers (12) up the guts from our own half created opportunities out wide that were exploited by Jack Davies to score near the posts.  Minutes later a powerful rolling maul followed, grinding its way to the line before Cillian Bane (11) – in what was the first of a brace of tries – somehow got the ball and scored under the posts.  3-tries-to-1 up.

At this point the typical Hammers ‘forget-what-got-you-there’ period began.  A series of penalties saw Chiswick fight their way back in the Hammers corner for a line out they won, before they spun it to the mid-field and poor tackling allowed them to score near the posts.  Shortly after, a uncharacteristic miss-kick for touch was caught on the Chiswick 10 meter line by their 15 who had wheels.  He then proceeded to carve up the field and take advantage of Hammers dog-leg defence.  3 tries a piece, with only the Hammers more accurate goal kicking keeping them ahead by 4.

Despite these setbacks, the boys emerged from the half confident that their skills and fitness would see them out.  What followed was a brilliant mix of running Rugby and a score board that regulatory ticked over.  Line-outs led to mauls, and powered by the legs of Simon Khalil tries were scored.  Front foot ball led to gaps out wide, exploited by Sol Lucas (14), and Cillian Waldron (13, replacement).  Whilst Chiswick did score again, to get within 5 points, the last 20 minutes saw a brace of tries take the final score out to 48-26.  Full time!

In a season where the wins have been hard to come by at times, such a commanding performance bodes well for the second half of the season. Here’s to next week!

After a big loss the previous week, Hammers turned up at a cold and wet Hurlingham Park knowing that a win was much needed before heading into Christmas. With a good warm-up completed, the boys took to the field to the familiar cries of ‘Our House’ from a certain Old Ham, Matt Kelly, back from Australia for the Christmas break.

Starting strongly is something Hammers teams traditionally don’t do very well, and sure enough Hammers found themselves under pressure straight away from some strong running from a big Grasshoppers pack. This strong carrying up front meant Hammers were under pressure in their own half, and with any kicks being returned at pace by a quick Grasshoppers back three it was not long before they opened the scoring in the corner. One try quickly became two and Hammers found themselves 10-0 after the first 15 minutes.

A response was needed, and that was exactly what we got with the Hammers forwards starting to come into their own. Strong carrying from Tony Rees, James Watson and front row duo of JP and Si Khalil won Hammers a penalty and the ball was duly dispatched to the corner. Tom Broadway proceeded to win the line-out, as he did brilliantly all day, and from there the maul was set. From on the 22, the Hammers forwards proceeded to roll all the way over the line with Matt Kelly gleefully touching down at the back for a score that the forwards will remember for a long long time!

Following the restart, Hammers won another penalty in midfield, and the ball was once again fired towards the corner. The maul wasn’t quite so efficient this time, but Hammers were camped on the Grasshoppers 5 metre line. Si Khalil went close only to be held up, but when the ref blew for another penalty, Watson tapped quickly and piled over bringing the scores level.

Halftime: 10-10

Following halftime, Hammers again came out of the blocks slowly, allowing Grasshoppers to register the first points of the second half with another try bringing the scores to 15-10.

Hammers then managed to get some good field position and were deep into the Grasshoppers 22. From a strong scrum, a loose ball was gathered by Matt Baddeley who crashed over only to be held up. However, on the back of another dominant scrum from the Hammers pack, hooker Rees collected the ball and went over under the posts, this time converted by Chris Jager and Hammers had gone into a 17-15 lead.

From then, Hammers felt they had the momentum and really had to make it count. A big defensive shift led to Grasshoppers getting pegged back and then finding themselves in their own 22 looked to run it out. Joey Grahame read what was happening brilliantly giving himself the simplest of passes to pick off and race away for the simplest of tries, celebrating like he’d just scored the winner in the World Cup Final!

Grasshoppers looked deflated by conceding such a try, and then straight from the restart Watson broke numerous tackles and somehow sprinted from his own 22 only to be tackled just short of the Grasshoppers line! It was a brilliant run, and he managed to pop the ball up to Jager to touch down and give Hammers a 31-15 lead, but plenty more stick was to come Watsons way post match for not managing to make it himself!

Bonus point secured for Hammers, but the game was by no means secure just yet. Grasshoppers bounced back well from the setback of conceding three tries and enjoying some rare second half time in the Hammers 22, some strong pick and go’s from their forward pack ensured they got over the whitewash again leaving an 11 point deficit with 10 minutes to play. 31-20.

Hammers didn’t let this affect them and some strong phase play in midfield led them into the Grasshoppers 22. While trying to spread the ball wide quickly, there was a late hit on Baddeley which meant a penalty right in front of the posts. Jager duly kicked the three points on offer and that was to be that, with Hammers running out 34-20 winners, and heading into Christmas with a very important bonus point win.

Man of the match was James Watson for his try, strong carrying, and brilliant run to set up Jagers try, while tin man was Si Khalil for being held up twice!

On Saturday, the 2nd XV made the short trip across the river to our ‘second home’, Barn Elms to play local rivals London Cornish.

The lads didn’t leave the sheds until the very last minute to ‘warm-up’, partly due to it being freezing cold and partly due to not having a ball or match shirts!

Once the game kicked off, Cornish had the majority of possession, but the first 20 minutes of the game were a stale mate with the Hammers defense stepping up to stop the Cornish attack (largely down to an incentive from Johnson offering anyone who made the biggest hit a beer!). However, after some relentless pressure Cornish found a gap in the defensive line and went over.

After the kick off, the story continued with Cornish making ground in the Hammers half until a great read of the play by Al Horner, who intercepted and ran the length of the field until being dragged down a few meters short. With some quick ball, Hammers manged to get the ball to Leon Joseph to score the first of his brace of the afternoon. This gave Hammers some momentum and soon found themselves in the Cornish half again and winning the penalty, leaving John McManus the easy job of slotting the three points.

HT – Hammers 10 – Cornish 7

Hammers carried the momentum through half time and came out on the attack. After stretching the Cornish defense across the pitch, some slick hands from the backs unleashed Leon Joseph to speed round their right wing and score after a great bit of attacking phase play by Hammers.

With Hammers now accumulating points, Cornish were on the back foot and with some clever kicking, Cornish were being force to play from deep. So much so, after a good nudge to the corner the Cornish full back had a good Hammers line chase on him and he was force to kick. This didn’t go quite to plan as it landed perfectly into a well placed James Cramp (who was catching his breath) on the opposite wing. He marched the ball up as far as he could go until seeing the support line from Lawson who carried himself before, selflessly, making sure the covering deference didn’t get a chance to stop the try and offloaded to the screaming Johnson outside him who add another try to the Hammers tally.

After the kick off, Cornish then stepped up and applied pressure to the Hammers line that eventually broke down once again after some sustained pressure.

This didn’t stop Hammers however as they continued with some clever kicking that put Cornish’s left wing under some pressure who tried to showboat by keep the ball alive and slapping it back into play. Little did he realise that Al Horner was steaming up the wing and manged to gather the loose ball and score.

FT Hammers 27 – Cornish 12

Overall, an excellent team performance especially with the challenges faced before kick off. The defensive desire was outstanding and the attack was clinical with the opportunities received in the second half. Notable performances on the day included Tim Murray who had a massive tackling and carrying day, also fellow Ozzy Taylor Williams defended strongly and kicked well releasing pressure at crucial points in the game. Wingers Horner and Joseph were busy all afternoon and their tries were well deserved. Debut players George Eddell, Lewis Stenson and Ed Brown all slotted in seamlessly but the main mention most go to the man of the match Simon Khalil who was dominant in the frontrow at scrum time and his wrecking ball carries got the team on the front foot time and time again.

One final mention most go to JP who had to deal with our logistical nightmare head on and still performed well on the field.

1. JP
2. Tim Williams
3. Simon Kalil
4. James Cramp
5. Tom Broadway
6. Tim Lawson
7. Tim Murray
8. Mark Johnson
9. Gary Leith (c)
10. John McManus
11. Leon Jospeh
12. George Eddell
13. Taylor Williams
14. Al Horner
15. Lewis Stenson

16. Gael Eyenga
17. Ed Brown

Hammersmith and Fulham 4th XV v Old Streetonians 2nd XV
Saturday 11 November 2018
27-14

A grey and wet Hurlingham Park greeted the Hammers 4^th XV as they arrived ready for a crucial game against Old Streetonians, who were sitting one place above in the league table.

With the warm up done and a well observed minute silence for Remembrance Day completed, Matt Baddeley got the game under way with Hammers looking to apply some early pressure in the Old Streets half. Some very strong carrying up front was creating space around the field and Hammers were going through the phases well to continue moving forwards and into the Old Streets 22. When Matt Perry then spotted some space in behind the Old Streets defence, a well weighted box kick down the line allowed Kris Connor to race down the wing, gather and touch down giving Hammers the score their start had deserved. The conversion was missed, although touching down under the posts under no pressure would have been appreciated!

The Hammers forwards were enjoying a great start and this translated into the scrum were they were clearly the dominant pack. The front row of Jan Vermuton, Abe Knight and Mike Spurgeon nearly got what they deserved by pushing Old Street over but a knock-on frustratingly saw the opportunity disappear.

A turnover then led to a long kick down field, and Hammers, thinking the ball had bounced out, stopped playing. However the referee had not blown his whistle (and Hammers sub Chris Dale refused to flag!) and so the Old Streets winger raced up the wing, gathered and scored to give Old Streets a try completely against the run of play. A lesson in playing to the whistle all round!

This brought Old Street back into the game, and with some good direction from their scrum half it was their turn to play the rugby in the Hammers half. Some strong defence prevented them from scoring initially, but with the pressure mounting and getting out of their half proving tough for Hammers, the score eventually came which would see Old Street go into half time 12-5 to the good.

Some strong words from Will Parker and ‘Matt Kelly, mark 2’, Adam Nixon, ensured Hammers came out fired up for the second half, and Tim Le Breton immediately scythed through the defence to bring play into the Old Street half. Having eventually been turned over and a  clearing kick taking play to just outside the 22, Hammers had a lineout and the chance to inflict some early damage to the scoreboard. What followed can only be described as ‘forwards porn’.  A driving maul from outside the 22 all the way over the line, with skipper Parker gleefully touching down at the back! Le Breton successfully converted and Hammers were back to 12-12.

Hammers once again started going through the phases well and Jack Petchey and Will Symington were starting to come to the fore with some strong midfield carries. This created some space out wide and with some intricate hands, Kris Connor was over in the corner for his second try of the game.

With the momentum firmly in their favour, Hammers were determined to make it count and yet more strong work up front, coupled with some excellent hands saw Ruaridh Young, who had been carrying well all game, run a great support line to go over and put Hammers into a 22-14 lead.

A brilliant, long defensive set from Hammers in the middle of the pitch led to another turnover, and from the resulting scrum the ball was spread wide through the hands of Le Breton and Baddeley to Victor Alabrune, who had to gather well! Alabrune skinned a few men down the outside before cutting inside and feeding Young who crashed over for his second try.

That finished things off and saw Hammers get a well deserved victory, as well as the try bonus point.

Final score – 27-14.

Man of the match – Ruaridh Young. 2 tries and brilliant support running.
Tin Man – Chris Dale. For his honesty in not flagging the ball as out to allow the Old Streets first try! An honorable mention to JP for forgetting that a number 8 can pick up and touch down when over the try line!