Last play-drop kick snatches defeat from the Jaws of Victory

One point in it. Thirty blokes battered. Several questionable life choices.

If anyone had fancied a relaxing Saturday afternoon, they picked the wrong rugby pitch.

Bromley RFC and Hammersmith & Fulham RFC served up a 63-point thriller on 10th October, with Bromley eventually sneaking home 32–31 winners in a match that had everything: drama, determination, injuries and enough tension to make even the referee consider taking up yoga.

For Hammers it was the sort of afternoon that leaves you staring blankly into your post-match pint, replaying every decision you made since breakfast. For Bromley, it was a glorious one-point victory, snatched at the jaws of defeat.

Both sides clearly arrived with attacking intent. The scoreboard certainly got a workout, with 63 points flying up faster than the excuses after a missed tackle. Defences were tested, attacks found their opportunities, and somewhere in the middle of it all, a few players probably remembered that rugby is supposed to involve tackling the opposition rather than politely escorting them towards the try line.

Two tries of the clubs worst tries ever scored and a particularly impressive rise from the ashes were witnessed.

The boys will undoubtedly take positives from putting 31 points on the board. Unfortunately, rugby is a cruel mistress, and scoring 31 points is only useful if you manage to stop the other lot scoring 32. It’s a simple mathematical concept, really, although one that will be particularly unpopular in the Hammersmith changing room this week.

For Hammersmith & Fulham, the journey home will have been a little quieter. There is something uniquely painful about losing by a single point: lose by 20 and you can blame everything; lose by one and suddenly everyone becomes a forensic analyst.

“Should’ve kicked that.”

“Why didn’t we go wide?”

“Ref was having a shocker.”

“Who left that gap?”

By Tuesday training, the match was reviewed in greater detail than a criminal investigation. Still, there is plenty of rugby left in the season. We will regroup, dust ourselves off, and like a phoenix, rise once again.

Man of the Match: A bird on fire.

Quote of the day: “You backed the wrong horse motherfucker” Paddy O’Toole (Congrats on your debut)

Next week’s training objective: Goal Kicking —- Geoff Mahon // Learning to love Lambrini —- Ben Morris