Score: Kings College OB 67 - BBBRFC 5

Not for the first time the Old Reedonians cancelled the game late in the week, so a hasty replacement had to be found. They came in the form of the Kings College School Old boys 1xv.
We had never played them in the seven long distinguished years that the club has been going, the question was why? The reason we soon found out on the pitch, but we also learnt later that our beloved Fixtures Secretary was warned of the impressive strength of their team before accepting the fixture. But as is true to form, since our fixture Secretary was not playing, he didn't think it worth mentioning.

Saturday the 13th of October was the hottest, most humid day I think I can ever remember in Autumn, not the type of weather you want to be playing Rugby in especially if your are not at your peak in terms of fitness. The squad was vastly changed since most of the "old guard" were away on a stag weekend and this was to be the first game for many new players, in a number of years.

Never the less we started brightly, they kicked to us, the ball was caught recycled, taken in short, recycled again, the ball came out to Richard Blacker at Fly Half, who put in an excellent cross kick into touch deep in their 22. That is about all the ball we got in the next twenty minutes. They quickly managed to suck us into all the mauls and rucks, creating the overlap and running in several tries against an overstreatched defence.

To the great credit of the Black Baa Baas, not one head dropped, and the commitment to try to stem the tide, increased twofold. This started to pay dividends, in the second quarter of the game, when the contest was evenly matched, with the Black Baa Baas set pieces holding against a fitter better-drilled opposition. The KCS tries stopped and the Baa Baas more than once threatened the KCS goal line. Ben Romer-Lee, captain for the day, showed great application and skill in the Lineout, and led form the front in our determination to give a good account of ourselves.

Half time came, and though, the game was obviously lost, the Baa Baas focused on a fresh 40 minutes, with a nil-all score. A couple of fresh legs were also bought on, to help an obviously unfit Baa Baas side. But the same determination that showed itself in the first halve was obviously making a better game of it in the second. Mark De St Croix at Scrum Half was having a very trying game scrounging what he could from a scrum that more often than not going backwards. Even so with good skills he managed to get the backs moving forward which includes a 30 foot pass to Samuel wide on the right wing, realising him in space for a 50 yard dash to score the Baa Baas only points.

As the game went into the final 20 mins, with fitness clearly lacking the score began to flatter the opposition. But the spirit that always holds this team together in such rare occasions such as this held strong. Those who played ought to be very proud of their performance, and that is something that didn't go unnoticed by the opposition who were impressed. For all that, given a strong Baa Baas side I think we could hold them to a very tight game, even win. So roll on 19th January when we play their 2nds…….its time for revenge.

Notable performances were from Trevor Byrne, Richard Blacker, Mark de St Croix, Richard Little and of course Roger Smith.

My man of the Match was Mark De St Croix.

Jules Samuel