Devon and RN Senior Men Deliver Rugby Spectacle in Mid-Week Showdown

In a thrilling Brickfields encounter, Devon emerged victorious over the RN Senior Men with a final score of 36 - 31. The game saw a fast start with the RN’s Teear-Bourge scoring within the first two minutes, but Devon quickly responded with a McGratten try. Despite challenging conditions and a series of intense plays, Devon managed to secure the win with a strong second-half performance. The match, which marked the return of this fixture after a hiatus, was a mid-week spectacle enjoyed by a vibrant crowd.

After a showery day in Guz the ground was soft at the Plymouth Albion Recreation Ground, for the Senior Men match with Devon. It was a cool evening, but this did not deter a crowd of around three hundred who wanted to see some flowing rugby at the start of the representational season. Previously a longstanding and regular meet, this game is firmly back on the fixture list after a break of several years primarily caused by the epidemic. The close links between Devon and RN rugby were evident in that several RN players were included in the Devon Squad for this game.

It was to be a fast start with Kane Teear-Bourge scoring under the posts with a scintillating break down the right wing after only two minutes and with a conversion from Dan Rutter Devon were left somewhat shocked by such an early barrage. Undeterred however an excellent pass from Lewis Patterson opened up the RN defence to allow a break that resulted in a five-metre scrum. The ball picked up at eight, allowed a series of forward drives to set up Thomas McGratten to cross for a try under the posts, converted to leave it seven points all after just six minutes.

This helter-skelter start now settled to the centre of the pitch as the surface began to cut up with a series of quality lineouts from both sides. The returning Scott Makepeace and Dan MacAdams can be proud of the quality of possession they won, often from off the top in challenging conditions. Eventually after prolonged pressure the RN side drew a penalty from Devon for playing the nine which allowed them the confidence to go for the line and in minute thirty the forwards crossed for a Rory Mitchell try which went unconverted but left the scores at twelve points to seven. The inevitable backlash from Devon at the restart finished with unusual inaccuracy at the lineout allowing RN to clear their lines and with Scott Makepeace taking the lineout against the throw at the subsequent line the Seniors were on the march again.

Moving the ball wide allowed Rory Mitchell some space to demonstrate impressive pace on the left touchline and several meaty forward drives later it was the man who started it all, Makepeace who crossed for the try. HT RN 19 – 7 Devon.

Both sides, keen to use their squad of players, made significant changes at half time and it was clear that both sides needed time to settle into the contest. While attempting to run from their own twenty-metre area, Devon knocked the ball forward to give the Seniors an attacking scrum in the middle of the pitch. Always tough to defend, the RN number eight picked up to create an overlap on the right to allow an early Mattie Hall score wide on the right to move the score forward to 24 -7 in favour of the RN.

As often happens in these situations there then came a momentum shift in Devon’s play as Lewis Patterson set about repeatedly putting runners into the mid-field space with a series of well-timed passes to evade the RN defensive line. At minute fifty, one of these breaks was to result in a try out wide heralding the Devon fightback.

Another well timed pass to open up the inside shoulders of the RN defence rapidly led to a try, this time under the Navy’s posts to allow a successful conversion.

The next ten minutes was dominated by possession for Devon with an intense period of defensive sets for the RN resulting in a defensive lineout close to the line. A rare lineout mistake allowed Devon to reclaim possession and drive over for a score to level the scores at twenty-four points all. Devon’s success in the midfield was to continue however and eventually the full-back broke through to run in unopposed under the posts for yet another try to Devon.

The restart led to more possession for the county team and many of the spectators were beginning to believe that the scoring was over. Lewis Patterson left the field of play for Devon after a great game in minute seventy-seven. Almost immediately the RN conceded a penalty for a high tackle which was kicked to the RN seven-metre line in front of the Eric Johns Stand and most thought the final act of the game was underway. After a series of penalty advantages Devon did indeed cross for a try in the seventy-ninth minute which, when converted made the score thirty-six points to twenty-four allowing time for a Navy restart.

Following that restart instead of clearing to touch the green and whites conceded a penalty in minute eighty-one which allowed the RN one last chance at attack. An effective lineout and a drive with backs joining the fray was taken over the line for one last Alex O’Brien score for the RN seniors. As the crowd got to their feet the conversion was good to complete the score at thirty-six points to thirty-one in favour of Devon.

This was a mid-week spectacle in difficult conditions which both squads used to prepare for their ongoing seasons, trying combinations and tactics with varying success. Hugely entertaining, I for one will be voting that this fixture returns as a regular part of the season for both sides.

Captain Kye Beasley said after the fixture, “Obviously, I'm very disappointed to lose a game that could have gone either way, but we have learnt a lot about ourselves. The boys will recover and reflect on personal performances and look to work hard in the training week and put things right down at the Mennaye against [Cornish] Pirates (19 Mar, KO 1930). A lot more to come from this group though!”

FT Senior Men 31 - 36 Devon RFU

Senior Men: K Beasley (C), R Williams, B Watson; S Makepeace, D MacAdams; C Mills, B Mallett, R Mitchell; W Rigelsford (VC), D Rutter, K Teear-Bourge, J Gott, R Hughes, H Gliddon, R Dingemans.

Replacements: J Wright, H Wright, W Napier, C Dalkins, A O'Brien, L Roxby, J Toogood, J Hanley, J Hoffman, J Davis, F Elliott, M Hall.

Words by P Moore

Images by J Hulm