Bourne kick start season in style with 10 tries

Fielding a strong squad following the defeat to Lincoln’s third string 2 weeks ago, Bourne began this Lincs Merit League game looking to put on a good showing for the assembled Vice Presidents and Life Members who had enjoyed a dinner prior to the game.

With the pack to the fore from the outset, it wasn’t long before concerted Bourne pressure led to a series of scrums on the Lincoln line. As the front row exerted great control over the push, Kent was able to dot the ball down from number 8 to open the scoring for Bourne.

5 minutes later it was the backs’ turn, with a free flowing move being well finished by Needham on the right hand side. With Smith struggling to add the conversions, it was fortunate that his kicking out of hand was more successful, a cross-field kick being well taken by Binns, before the wing stepped inside his man and accelerated in to score.

The moment of the half, however, came 10 minutes before the interval. Hooker Sleight, in his 5th senior season with the club, burst onto a pass 10 yards out before crashing over the line. This was his first club try and brought rapturous celebrations from the crowd.

There was time for further scores for Needham and Smith as Bourne went into half time in control of the game. Bourne emerged for the second half looking to keep up the intensity that had proved so successful in the first period.

Errors crept in as the half began, with Bourne attempting some increasingly ambitious and ill-advised passes; however the scores kept coming, with skipper Smith able to finish off a bamboozling switch move that he started himself to score close to the posts.

The prolific Binns was on the end of a pass flung wide by Hume after more pressure in the visitor’s 22, and the wily Whittock was able to weasel his way over to score after breaking round the fringes of a ruck.

Spectators looked on incredulously as Bourne concluded the scoring, the ball being worked through the backs before wannabe wing Cuffe popped up on the end of the line. Outpacing the last man, and fit to burst from the Member’s lunch he’d enjoyed earlier, the prop swallow-dived over the line for a popular score.

A good win for Bourne and one to kick start their season; they face Gainsborough away this Saturday, 3pm kick off. Thanks go to Bourne Skip Hire for their sponsorship of the match ball.

Bourne RUFC: Xanti Xipu; Adam Binns, John Burgin, Tom Dixon, Mark Needham; Glen Smith, Phil Whittock; Simon Pick, Simon Sleight, Rob Coupland, John Adams, Steve Hirschfeld, John Hume, Chris Mulhern, Rich Kent. Repl.: Matthew Cuffe, Tom Adams, Mick Bennett, John Turner, Neil Oglesbee, Donk Hill.