Sat 6 Nov 2021
During the dark days of the lockdown it seemed impossible to imagine that a day like Saturday would happen but happen it did. An Old Players’ lunch along with both the 1st XV and 2nd XV having home fixtures. The restarting of the Club 2nd XV was the result of the unstinting work by Leighton Elliot and a few ex first team players. The Club needs a 2nd XV and it is great the players have reacted to that fact, loyalty to the Club has proved a deciding factor.
The 1st XV opposition were another team languishing at the wrong end of the league table; Falmouth. With skipper Jake Vincent out due to a neck injury James Trout again took charge of the team. The large crowd were well entertained by a Kingsbridge team who, determined to put the disappointment of the last few games behind them, put on an exhilarating display of open running rugby.
Straight from the kick off Kingsbridge were on the attack and within a couple of minutes they had their first try. Mike Powell being driven over the line with the entire blue and white pack behind him. The conversion was missed. The great start was rewarded again as almost from the restart Greg Parrott received the ball and bulldozed his way over the line. The conversion was missed once again with the ball hitting the woodwork but falling to the wrong side.
The Kingsbridge pack was now dominating the visitors and Stuart Winzer joined the list of try scorers with a catch and drive following good work at the lineout. This time Banfield was successful with the conversion.
Nearly all of the present Kingsbridge side have come through the Club’s junior section and it was one of the more junior members of the team to score next. Henry Blake, whose father was cheering along amongst the crowd, finished off another forward inspired move with a try which George Banfield converted to make it 24-0.
It was becoming apparent that Falmouth, game as they were, were no match for Kingsbridge in this mood. Joe Banfield taking the ball just outside the twenty-two showed great pace to control the visitor’s defence. A nice gesture on his part was to score as near to the posts as he could so his brother would have an easier kick at goal making it 31-0.
George was next on the score sheet and converted his own try for a 38-0 lead. The try scoring continued soon after the kick off when Jack Cope, making a welcome return this season, showed exceptional skill to carve his way through the Falmouth defence to make it 43-0 and with a Banfield conversion the score became 45-0. Approaching half time Kingsbridge were in no mood to stop scoring and following up Newman’s chip Banfieldgathered the ball to score far out. The conversion was missed leaving it 52-0 at half time.
Sometimes after such an avalanche of scoring the second half tends to be a bit of an anti-climax, and although the pace of the game slowed a bit, the blue and whites never allowed Falmouth back into the game.
Jack Cope set up the first try of the second half with an outrageous back pass which Marcus Smith would have been proud of, Joe Banfield being the recipient. With the visitors finally starting to tire Parrott used his power and pace to score out wide to make it 62-0. There was just enough time left for one last try and this was scored by Buster James. Buster has been struggling with a long term injury and the sight of him back in a Kingsbridge shirt was a very special sight.
A resounding win like this gives the team a big lift and hopefully it will give them the confidence to play the exciting rugby they are capable of.
